Forest/fire by videotapes.: Review

by Gabe Finch November 18, 2022

November 18, 2022

Videotapes. – An absolute banger of a four-piece UK rock band and sets fire on the stage with their two-track release “forest/fire”. It’s easy to remember the titles because the songs are called “fire.” and “forest”, one opens and the other comes crashing for an epic finale!

“fire” is absolute mayhem in an epic punk fashion, not shying away from referencing the current political landscape across the globe. It’s somewhat hardcore, while Holt still maintains her melodious vocals raising questions about the never-ending turmoil of corruption. Of the two songs I’m fond of the second track more, but you really can’t have one without the other. Growing up I listened to a lot of Paramore, which is why their flavor stayed with me. And so any song that sounds similar is instantly recognizable for me. I can spot the intricate details from the title “forest”, from the expressive vocals to the unpredictable guitar shifts of the electric, there’s a lot of resemblances. However, as I mentioned, videotapes. kept it impulsive with that growling of female vocals for a couple of lines there and then immediately switched back to her usual singing tone – it was a marvelous transition, and there was not a hint of a crack. Is that even humanely possible?

Through their release, videotapes. is making a name for itself as a tense band whose raw energy and unfiltered lyrics are as thrilling as anything I’ve come across recently.