FreeFall – Fire (2025)
Fire is the debut EP from four-piece indie-rock outfit FreeFall from Swansea. It contains five anthems, all bursting with youthful energy. Impressive stuff for a band that’s only been going for just over a year! FreeFall have been busy playing festivals in their native Wales and Bristol, and have also received exposure on BBC Introducing.
The EP’s self-titled opener, ‘Fire’, has a funky bass from Daniel Harris. He plays here in the same irresistible style as Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers, who, in fact, happen to be one of the band’s influences. The track has plenty of key changes, and the screams add to its overall intensity. ‘Fire’ also has a ritualistic music video, available on the band’s YouTube, directed by Tom Damsell. It depicts the band held prisoner by a fire breather, whilst kneeling down with their hands tied together. “She’ll have that fire, desire to give you what you want”, belts out singer David Goldsmith, who has a hoarse voice similar to rock legend Lemmy from Motorhead. It’s truly a fantastic track and the highlight of this EP.
‘Deano’ follows next, which has a good vibe despite the lyrics being about a mate who seems to lack direction. “Hey there boy, you’re getting too old to waste your time away / He’s got two young kids / Can’t quite click / The doctor’s on his way”. The listener is urged to ponder “Who is Deano”, other than a poisoned hypocrite? The track features some lovely saxophone playing from Maddie Penfold.
The third track, ‘Heads Underwater’, contains some alluring guitar parts. The words here seem to speak about how you can become trapped in your own mind and end up missing the beauty of life around you. The track is a reassurance that, despite how tough things can get, it will get better. “I’ve been to hell but I rose again / to find what I’ve been missing” are the kind of thought-provoking lyrics FreeFall display throughout this release.
The frantic pace carries on with ‘Keep You Waiting’, which sounds like a ’90s teen movie song. This isn’t a bad thing! It’s along the lines of something Bowling For Soup or Sum 41 might make. It’s a tale of somebody who chooses to stay out and get drunk instead of going home to their beloved. ‘Keep You Waiting’ is the most fast-paced tune on an EP where the listener isn’t allowed to catch their breath.
The EP’s closer, ‘Changing’, is yet another example of how the band can change tempo to great effect. The opening lyric, “Rich guy Richard drinking from a pitcher filled with a beggar’s tears”, could be my favourite! There’s more great guitar playing, and all the band members complement each other very well. The lyrics seem to be a protest song about the state of society and about economic equality.
This is a band that is both exciting and unpredictable. They have the talent to change a track from soft to heavy; all of these tracks are uplifting rock. I can’t wait to see how good they are in another 12 months!
Find out more about FreeFall on their official website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Spotify.
