Matthew Laming - The Never Forgotten

Hear The Track Here

A review request from the Rebel Riffs blog, and a musician I have reviewed before although he might be a new name to you guys. To Find Home (A Distant Call) (December 2009) was the track in question and although I didn't pound it into the ground in a fit of critical rage, I wasn't exactly fawning all over it either. I'd say, looking back, that Matthew escaped reasonably unscathed. So much so that he's back for more so maybe this time I will have to get goshderned vicious (Ed: riiiiiiight. About as vicious as a dead snail). One of the main problems with the track was that it was l-o-n-g, topping out at a good ten minutes and you'd have to be going some to keep people's attention that long. It also happened to be kinda dancey-trancey and you know how that makes me peevish.

Well the bad news is that Matthew still hasn't managed to get under that ten minute limit because - lo and behold - The Never Forgotten is as bold as brass about it's 10:21 running time. The good news is a) its actually 9:24 or so and b) it's is in a style that fits such extreme length (Ed: do you even care how much spam we are going to get for that casual comment). OK, so that style is almost a soundtrack, another area of contention for me, but again it fits the style of track full of epic and heroic moments. Like his previous track, this one takes a while to get going and even longer before you start to appreciate what it is.

The Never Forgotten is a piece written in remembrance of all those fallen in wars, wherever and whenever and you'd have to be brave yourself (or extremely foolhardy) to attempt such a thing and - hopefully - not get laughed off the internet. Thankfully, Matthew Laming took that risk and where To Find Home didn't justify the length, The Never Forgotten demands it and needs it to build the right sound picture; sombre, moving, and most of all memorable. Matthew Laming does more than a credible job on it, although I could have done with more instrumental definition and a bit more space in the mix but that's just me being contrary.

Highly Recommended Orchestral tribute.