Forever Is Forgotten are a fiercely dynamic young quintet hailing from Milwaukee, an area that has already brought forth some of this year's most exciting new faces in the form of Since By Man and Misery Signals. Bolstered by massive independent buzz and the note-worthy success of their "Dying Beautiful" EP, these men are now seeking a larger platform from which to decimate listeners, resulting in "The Architecture Is Still Burning", their full-length debut.

Bearing the strained chaos of Converge with the emotional blood-letting of 7 Angels 7 Plagues, "The Architecture Is Still Burning" documents a young band with an innate vision of where metalcore seems to be aspiring to go. The group have an overwhelming desire to assault the listener with excessive aggression, routinely indulging in lengthy songs that batter and bruise with unmitigated intensity, yet also show a clear understanding at accentuating tracks with melodic undertones. The three man vocal impact of Chris Lopez, guitarist Justin Cota and bassist Jim Becker is initially confusing, especially with the metalcore machine thrashing about all around them; Yet it works surprisingly well, turning screams into multi-layered, animalistic roars. To look past these vocal abnormalities, this album is highlighted by some of the most inventive guitar intricacies recently caught on record. Even when the album falls victim to it's own intrepid vision, Evan Soltes & Cota command attention for their exquisite technical achievements.

"The Architecture Is Still Burning" is an impressive effort from these technically proficient musicians, yet although they are immensely talented at their craft, their urge to indulge on complete aural terrorism holds the group back. When restrained and crafting concise four minute cuts Forever Is Forgotten are well beyond their peers, but the album succumbs to their expansive vision all too often, lapsing into metallic epics. Blinded by this passion for the music which they create, the band try to encapsulate every stylistic hardcore concept known to man in a mere song, cramming extreme technical feats with metalcore venom and screamo diatribes with tough guy intensity. Thus, songs such as the title track and "Choking On" may very well be the band's most awe-inspiring creations; But they are also the most exhausting for the listener to endure. It is hard to speculate on what the future may bring for the group considering their recent parting of ways with Lopez, yet this is a band that in spite of their hindrances, have defined what metalcore has become and should quickly find adoration from fans around the globe.