13th March 2026

Review: “Evolve” by Following the Signs

“‘Evolve’ is a massive step into a new direction for the band. This process really made us push the boundaries of what we sound like. This EP shows a new side of the band, taking a more melodic approach in certain elements of our sound. With the addition of our new vocalist, we have a more well-rounded sound, which forced us to experiment with new tones and elements.‘Evolve’ proves that under pressure, the band continues to adapt and overcome whatever is thrown at us. The EP has five songs, each acting as a new chapter, showcasing the band’s versatility and willingness to add new flavours into the mix.” ~ Following The Signs

Hailing from Cork Ireland, Following The Signs have been blazing a Nu-Metalcore trail of destruction to bring plague and pestilence to green and pleasant lands since their inception in 2018. Their debut album “Conflictions” saw them carve a reputation into the wishing tree for fusing Groove orientated sounds to Nu-Metal textures with a baseline of Metalcore providing the undertone. That took them as far a field as Warsaw and Kraków for live performances and has left vocalist Alan Jevans, drummer Chris Hanlon, bassist Rory Taylor and guitarist duo Noel Crowley and Vincent Renoux hungry for more…

A classic 1999 style introduction brings “Stuck in Place” to life like the reanimation of corpse with a shot of adrenaline, Jevens demonstrating an impressive vocal range over intense, dirge laden riffs and mid tempo chug. He delivers bark and bite style harsh moments inter-spliced with some aching clean parts that have a angst laden quality, throwing back nostalgically to things like “Gift” from Taproot. Increasing the tempo and energy “Call to Rise” then follows suit with Jevens ranting and raving like a lunatic destined for the psych ward, the distinctive American accenting on this one a fickle finger of fate pointing to the shelf in the video store where his influences reside. The weighty, groove orientated instrumentation that underpins it all is tasteful, very much sticking to rhythmic operations without any form of deviation into the realms of solos, leads, programming or keys, that almost stripped back approach allowing the punishing vocals time to breathe.

There are fleeting leads and programming in amongst staccato riff breaks and quirky clean vocal moments on “Break the Frame” which pushes the sound into the direction of “Height of Callousness” era Spineshank, the catchy earworm nature of this beast making it one that is hard to escape. The scream-a-long chorus lends itself to crowd participation although there could be a case for the misheard lyric police. Title track “Evolve” offers up more clean vocals with power and poise, the clenched fist of rage and defiance one which resonates. While earlier cuts explore resistance against external oppression and psychological confinement, this one is far more personal, rooted in finding strength in the face of adversity and perseverance despite pain. Sonically the band introduce rich melodies at an ambient temperature to bolster those clean vocals, showcasing more diversity of sound and even flirting with a Jazzy bridge while not giving up on their heavier roots, everything working in perfect harmony. Reverting to type “Infectious” burns with urgency, the solo that transitions to leads and then bursts into a pummelling breakdown a masterstroke of well crafted song writing [7/10]

Track Listing