Life is full of emotion. There are ups, downs, tragedies, misgives, and many lessons to be learned. All of us have our crosses to bear, and Singer-Songwriter Mike Peters is well aware of such. The leading force behind the Welsh Rock band The Alarm, Peters has lived enough to know… life is what you make of it.
Attaining a slew of success in the 1980s with The Alarm, from 1984’s Declaration through 1991’s Raw, each of the band’s albums charted highly. Also the owners of numerous memorable singles, including 1983’s “Sixty Eight Guns,” 1985’s “Strength,” and 1986’s “Rain in the Summertime,” The Alarm are also regarded as one of the best bands to experience live.
Keeping the music alive, Peters has sustained the legacy of The Alarm… even through many of his own health battles. In fact, Peters battled cancer in the ‘90s, returned to touring and recording more frequently, but in the present day, was faced with another fight against leukemia. A very strong-willed person who is determined to make the most of everything, it could not be any more clear than on the latest The Alarm album Forwards.
Released on June 2, 2023 through The Twenty First Century Recording Company, and most recently as a deluxe edition on October 13th, it is an album with quite an amazing tale to tell. An album coming a year after The Alarm’s 40th Anniversary which was celebrated with the release of the History Repeating anthology, plus a world tour, it comes with a lot of built-up emotions. As mentioned, Peters had tragically been hit with a life-threatening leukemia relapse in 2022, but in spite of it all, still fights strong. So much so, he wrote Forwards in the hospital, testing the new songs by playing his acoustic to doctors, nurses and fellow patients while getting chemotherapy and other treatments!
Consisting of 12 songs in total for the newest deluxe edition, Forwards is a symbol of Peters’ resilience. With this new album he tackles many thoughtful topics that include the will to live, standing above negativity, and making peace with yourself and others. Cutting deeply to the bone, the songs are raw, real, and something each and every human being can connect with. Why? Because we are all imperfect, we are all mortal, and we all need to realize that we must make the most of what we have. No matter how dark the past may be, or how blink the road ahead might look, Forwards reminds us that we must keep going.
Extremely inspiring contextually, the music itself is also quite powerful… so coupled together, you have the recipe for some great songs. Difficult to pick a favorite, some standout tracks include the title-track, “The Returning,” “Love and Forgiveness,” and the energetic “Next.” In all, each of these new songs hold a special meaning with an important message to spread. Furthermore, a song like “New Standards” is striking further commentary on the fragmented, lost way of our modern day society. This is while the John Lennon-like “Working Class Hero” track “X” sums the overall meaning of Forwards perfectly.
In the end, Forwards is yet another spectacular offering from Mike Peters and The Alarm. It rocks when it needs to, but also strips down the mood to the bare essentials as well. Oh, and in case you were curious, Peters has beat his cancer, and it is now in remission! All very uplifting, Cryptic Rock gives Forwards 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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