Sonic Forest

Forgotten Works is Dan Reyhle, Dave Norem, Pat Reyhle and Bret Wiedner of Eugene, OR. Their brand- new rock album is called 'Sonic Forest'. Much like the band's previous 3 full-length albums, the songwriting of Dan and Dave remains a central focus surrounded by new soundscapes and musical attitudes. Born from jamming in a garage in the woods southwest of Eugene, these songs are driven fast and hard while preserving all the elements of a great rock tune. Fuzzy guitars rip through wah-wah riff-age on a song called 'The Gravedigger (To Win)', while over-driven bass explodes against powerfully punchy drums. The first lyric, 'See you, wouldn't wanna be you. Cuz then I'd be screwed' is sung with the careless confidence that oozes from every track of the album; the kind of carelessness that makes rock music so powerful to begin with. The album was self-produced, but you won't find the band taking any credit. We really didn't produce anything outside of dropping a harmony vocal or guitar during the mix downs, co-founder Dan Reyhle says, We kind of just played the tunes how we would in the garage. This is really the beauty of 'Sonic Forest'. Not present here are the calculated moments and precise arrangements of today's rock music. Instead, Forgotten Works just lays it down. As Wiedner explains, each guy has his own flavor or musical niche...we nurture those as friends and co-artists. And, with everyone giving their all, the sound becomes collective. This rings true on songs like 'Homeschool' and '12 Minutes', where equally mesmerizing guitar work from Dave and Dan provides a palette filled with melodic variety. On the funky 'Share', Wiedner and drummer Pat Reyhle slap, pop and chop their way through a Flea/Chad Smith style breakdown while jumping to the front of the mix. Forgotten Works extends the garage rock aesthetic with the lyrics on 'Sonic Forest'. Subjects like untimely death, evangelical robbery, problems with authority and dealing with it all add to the sting and power of the record. Many songs carry an overt sentiment of dissent, while others reach for light while presenting some serious truths. '12 Minutes' wields it's anger against evangelical scammers with lines like 'the low heart's bail is up for sale' and 'euphoria from your emporium', accompanied by music forging a grand proclamation of disgust. Bringing it full-circle, 'If you seek the light/if you seek the hope/if you seek the dream/so shall you reap' is a line from 'The Gardener', an elegantly played song about making your own happiness in life.