It can be tempting to treat pre-releases as extraneous, but some of my favorite ONEUS songs have been those released without full title track promotion. I’m thinking specifically of 2021’s Life Is Beautiful. Unforgettable (잇다 있다 잊었다) doesn’t scale those same heights, but its buoyant production and satisfying melodies work well.
Based on the promo images for this release, I assumed we were in for a ballad. Unforgettable has the heft and sentiment of a slower track, but it’s driven by a propulsive synth-meets-rock instrumental that delivers anthemic sheen. This is a great sound for ONEUS and keeps the energy brisk (apart from its requisite second verse breakdown). I love the touches of electric guitar.
If I were to bolster any of Unforgettable‘s elements, it would be the melodies. The chorus is solid, but misses that sense of rush that makes songs like Life Is Beautiful so euphoric. Still, it’s nice to hear ONEUS work within a more melodic framework. They have some great vocalists and Unforgettable offers a few shots of power that show those voices off.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8.25 |
Grade: B
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