“Your serendipity you felt when you ripped the ground from me.“
The rise of False Reality, if you’d want to call it that, has seemingly happened in the blink of an eye. When being pitched as one of the acts to keep an eye on for the future at the end of 2023, the journey the London-based UK hardcore act would go on since then was not to be expected. In a live setting, False Reality are now undoubtedly an act many have seen and are likely more than impressed by. Supporting the likes of Stick To Your Guns, Heriot, and Madball, while making festival appearances at 2000trees, Burn It Down, Ghostfest, and No Play, even before they’ve dropped their debut record in Faded Intentions, False Reality have racked up plenty of deserved opportunities.
The most impressive part is that False Reality, from each release, have gotten bolder and better. While the groundwork was laid with their original singles, such as “Bite the Bullet“, much of the material from Path of Self Destruct made False Reality a force on both record and live, with the likes of “Pay the Reaper“, “Chained“, and “Opposites React” being absolute barnstormers. In just shy of a year of making their debut, False Reality had become essential listening and a band whose set you make a point of turning up to. Even in these moments, it had always felt like False Reality could take it up to another level, which they have more than achieved on their full-length debut, Faded Intentions.
The album rolls open with the sample of Kipling‘s poem “Boots“, which False Reality have been using at their live shows, and was popularised by the trailer for 28 Years Later. What is evident as Faded Intentions rolls through opening tracks “FROZEN” and “MIRROR” is how much tighter the production has become; each snare has a satisfying pop, and each riff dances around the ear. It ensures each aspect of False Reality’s sound has impact, from each cutting breakdown and barks from Rigby into the microphone.
The fierce opening stretch shows the subtle variations that False Reality have expanded on in their sound. “FROZEN” shifts between jangly riffs that feel Turnstile-esque at times, to fierce metallic ones, and then thrash-styled expansive guitar solos; it’s an absolute treat for the ear. The guitars whirl around “MIRROR” to give it an expansive feel, before the standout “SNAKE EYES” shows just how brutal False Reality can be. That is pure crossover hardcore that closes out in one hell of a mean breakdown. Reverb-drenched vocals and riffs that are interlaced within “REALITY SLIPS” give a new edge to False Reality‘s sound, before they kick the door into the face with another gnarly breakdown.
Faded Intentions draws itself back on “SONDER“, which feels almost like a sequel to “To One Far Away” from Path of Self Destruct. Rigby‘s cleans echo through the track, delivering lyrics “When I’m old and I’m grey, when I still feel your pain, will you even remember my name?” which are an absolute gut punch and will pull on the tear ducts for many. With “SONDER“, as grief often does, it give a “before and after” moment to the record. The absolutely massive “OUT OF TIME” rumbles Faded Intentions back into full force. Rigby yelling “Pushing, screaming, digging inside” with a sheer determination that feels like their vocals are going to burst out of the track.
The latter half of Faded Intentions offers up two tracks that those who have seen False Reality live will be familiar with, and for what it’s worth, it’s difficult to think of two more enjoyable songs to see live at the moment. Both “CRANIUM” and “COST OF SPITE” have those two-step moments, big breakdowns, and mic-grab moments that make a hardcore show such an experience and joy to see live. The lengthy breakdown in “CRANIUM” before moving into the two-step will test your cardio, and “COST OF SPITE” with “Guilty by truth, Guilty by choice, Guilty in your eyes and through my silenced voice” is a lyric that demands to be shouted back or mic-grabbed.
Sitting between these two is “WORTH IT“, in which Rigby just continues to show what an excellent and versatile vocalist they are. There is a bite and, as mentioned, a determination behind their delivery that will pull listeners into the record. Whether it’s the harsher styled vocals or cleans delivered on “SONDER” and “REALITY SLIPS” or the barked moments that appear on “WORTH IT“, they are delivered with such purpose and agility that it is difficult not to be deeply impressed by Rigby’s vocal performance here.
False Reality continue full throttle as they close out on “THE FURTHER” and “EVERY GAZE“, yet there are a few moments left that still capture the mind and emotions. With the former delivering the verse, “I’m infected with frequencies of dreamless sleep, drown my thoughts with things no good for me, take off the edge and breathe the sickness in, torment my truth with self annihilation“, it rattles at the emotions of anyone passing through it. Furthermore, it shows the authentic, human element that False Reality expresses so well on this record. It wouldn’t be a False Reality record if it ended on that note, with that determination once again showing, as “EVERY GAZE” closes out on the point of “Own my own sense of self, didn’t ask for your fucking help“.
It’s difficult not to be quietly taken aback by what False Reality have pieced together here. While on the surface it might just seem like any old hardcore record, the way that Faded Intentions navigates grief, shame, anger, and on the other side of spirit, defiance and introspection, makes for a truly incredible record. Given how strong False Reality are on all fronts, from both the songwriting and instrumentals, this has to be seen as one of the best hardcore records this year. Beyond that, it’s difficult not to see False Reality as an act that will soon follow in the footsteps of the likes of Heriot, in being one of the UK’s most notable acts globally in the future.
9/10
Faded Intentions is set to release November 14th via Hassle Records, and can be pre-ordered here.