Fort Hope - The Flood Flowers (2017)

Britain's Fort Hope make dynamic emo and post-hardcore-influenced rock. Formed in 2013, the group features former My Passion members Jon Gaskin (guitar/piano/vocals), Simon Rowlands (bass), and Jamie Nicholls (drums). In 2013 they released two EPs, The Future's in Our Hearts and Choices. The following year Fort Hope delivered their full-length debut, Courage. In 2015 they returned with a seven-track self-titled EP featuring the singles "Plans" and "Sick." Continuing their prolific output of EP releases, the band put out the Manne of Lawe EP in early 2016 and the A R M U R E EP in December, later that year. Both releases received praise for their eclectic compositions, incorporating accessible pop melodies alongside their signature alternative sound, and garnered comparisons to other alt-pop/rock acts such as Don Broco, Young Guns, and Deaf Havana. Their first major-label debut (full-length release Flood Flowers, Vol. 1) arrived in the summer of 2017. ~ Matt Collar.