REVIEW: Chroma - 25 Forever

25 Forever, the latest release from CHROMA, unfolds as an emotionally charged and sonically dynamic record that never settles into one mood for too long. It is an album built on contrast, balancing grit with melody, vulnerability with confrontation, and intimacy with explosive energy. More than anything, it feels deeply human, capturing the complicated and often conflicting emotions that come with growing older and becoming more aware of both yourself and the world around you.

For a band that have been steadily evolving their sound, 25 Forever feels like a defining moment. Where previous releases introduced the foundations of what CHROMA could be, this record feels far more assured in its identity. The result is a record that feels unapologetically personal, embracing heavier riffs, driving percussion, and emotionally raw lyricism without losing the melodic hooks that make the album so immediately engaging.

From the opening moments of What!, the record establishes its sense of urgency. It is a powerful opener, bringing an energy that instantly pulls the listener in and refuses to let go. The melody is strong and immediate, giving the track a real sense of momentum that sets the tone for everything that follows. It feels like the perfect introduction to the album’s world, one built on movement, emotion, and release.

That energy continues throughout much of the record, but what makes 25 Forever particularly compelling is the way it never allows itself to become one-note. CHROMA understands the importance of dynamics, both emotionally and sonically. Tracks like Straight Men carry a sharper edge, driven as much by lyrical frustration as by their heavier sound. It is one of the album’s most striking moments, deeply relatable and impossible not to imagine being screamed back in a live setting. There is a cathartic quality to it that turns personal experience into something collective, allowing the listener to fully inhabit the emotion of the track.

At the centre of the record sits the title track, 25 Forever, which feels like its emotional heart. More stripped back than some of the surrounding tracks, it offers a welcome shift in atmosphere while still retaining the power that defines the album as a whole. There is something almost summery in its tone, but beneath that warmth sits a layer of reflection and cynicism that gives the track its depth. It feels nostalgic without becoming sentimental, capturing the strange tension between wanting to hold onto youth and recognising the ways experience changes you. The harmonies here are particularly beautiful, adding softness and richness that make the track linger long after it ends.

This ability to move between different emotional textures is one of the album’s greatest strengths. Sometimes is a perfect example of this, pulling back in its verses before opening into a chorus that feels both expansive and emotionally intense. The layering of instruments here is particularly effective, creating a sense of build and release that mirrors the lyrical themes. It is one of the album’s most sonically impressive moments, showing just how carefully considered the production is. Similarly, People Pleaser offers one of the record’s most intimate moments. Opening with haunting vocals and climbing guitars, it immediately establishes a sense of closeness that never fully disappears, even as the song grows. There is a vulnerability here that feels deeply personal, but it never becomes isolating. Instead, CHROMA have a real talent for making introspection feel expansive, allowing the listener to find themselves within the emotion of the song.

That sense of storytelling runs throughout 25 Forever. This is not simply an album of individual tracks, but one that feels tied together by a clear emotional and thematic thread. Whether exploring heartbreak, cynicism, social tension, or shifting perspectives on love and identity, every song feels like part of a larger conversation. Sonically, the record draws clear influence from early 2000s emo and The Distillers, while still feeling distinctly CHROMA. The production balances polish with rawness, allowing the guitars to retain their bite while keeping the vocals emotionally immediate. Nothing feels overworked. Instead, the album feels lived in, warm, and deeply intentional.

More than anything, 25 Forever is an album about becoming. Becoming more cynical, more self-aware, more emotionally honest, and perhaps more yourself. It captures the reality of experience without losing sight of hope, making it a record that feels both deeply personal and widely relatable.

Rating: 9/10

25 Forever will be released on 17th April 2026 via Alcopop! Records.

Words: Con Macadam

Photos: Bethan Miller