Forsaken - After The Fall - review
Forsaken - After The Fall - review
Tracklist
01. Tenebrarum (Intro)02. Aidenn Falls
03. Sins Of The Tempter
04. The Lord Sayeth
05. Vanguards Of The Void
06. Armida's Kiss
07. The Sage
08. Dies Irae (Day Of Wrath)
09. Metatron And The Mibor Mythos
A review by
Marcel Hubregtse April 03, 2009
Fast forward to spring 2009 and April Fool's Day sees the release of album number four. Trembling hands of anticipation slip the cd into the stereo. Will the wait have been worth it?
Mmm, an intro, and if there is one thing I absolutely despise it's stand alone intros and outros. But thank God, it's over in under 2 minutes.
Let the true proceedings begin... Holy Mother of Christ, what an extremely heavy opening riff with pounding drums. Here comes Leo's characteristic vocals. Now this is epic doom as epic doom should sound. Making me sway back and forth nodding my head. And then at 1.29, what is that? A totally unexpected guitar line which mesmerises me even more adding a US powerish epic metal feel to the songs. Hell, there is that guitar line again at 2.31 now making me prance like My Little Pony through the room with an immense smile on my face and goosebumps all over. Aidenn might Fall here but the old Marcel arises. And the euphoria continues at 3.35 a guitar that comes across as the trumpets that brought down the walls of Jericho. And what immense NWOBHM style soloing going on. Now this IS the ULTIMATE upbeat epic doom metal song. Aidenn Falls, sure, but Forsaken have risen to their greatest heights ever.
After the totally unexpected upbeat opening the following songs continue in a little more downbeat manner. Yes, downbeat, though not depressing, cause one of the sheer characteristics of Forsaken's music is that it always is full of sunshine carrying messages of hope and enjoyment. Sins Of The Tempter is riddled with guitar solos and crushing riffs, as is every single song on this masterpiece. Unfortunately only one guitarist is part of Fosaken. How I would have loved to hear Sean Vukovic battle it out with another guitarist in dual guitar leads. I think that had that happened here on After The Fall it would have come damn close to perfection. But we can't have everything, right?
49 Minutes into the album and up comes closing track Metatron And The Mibor Mythos. Just as opener proper Aidenn Falls ambushed me so does Metatron. The single most epic track of the album closes proceedings standing tall and proud at 7 minutes. Proud that Lucifer has been dethroned and that Satan writhes and cries. Look at the cover artwork and this song is the depictment of how our hero must feel.
Here we have an album of which I would love to read the lyrics (which have unfortunately not been included with the promo). Lyrics of biblical proportions, without a doubt. All along the album I have this nagging suspicion that music and lyrics complement each other as they have never before, thus making After The Fall into an intriguing journey of doom, gloom, hope and euphoria.
Forsaken's After The Fall is already 2009's fourth brilliant epic doom metal release after Procession's The Cult Of Disease, Isole's Silent Ruins, and Candlemass' Daeth Doom Magic. And with Griftegård's upcoming debut album 2009 seems to be turning into the best year ever for epic doom. But the question that remains is... will the masses finally catch on to how brilliant doom is?
Let's hope so, or not?
Written by Marcel Hubregtse | April 03, 2009
Comments
Comments:
20
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 Posts: 40071 |
Posts: 40071
What a year for epic doom this is turning out to be
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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Posts: 4920
I am not a big doomster myself but I liked a lot new Isole and obviously Candlemass didn't let down. Seems I should check this out too, the review is really tasty.
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| Valaskjalf
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Posts: 1328  |
Posts: 1328
Even though i don't like doom, i'm gonna check this one.
---- Hasta la victoria, siempre! Until victory, always!
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Posts: 9125 Written by [user id=1909] on 03.04.2009 at 19:31 I was like you, but as I get older I tend to also like slower stuff... Kinda natural evolution, maybe it'll do it for you too?
---- My Author's Blog (in French)  "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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Posts: 5102
Damn I have to listen to this album. Sounds really awesome
----  Dreams are made so we don't get bored when we sleep
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Posts: 3723 Written by [user id=1909] on 03.04.2009 at 19:31 Yea, I get the same feeling while I try to listen to this genre.
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Posts: 11963 Written by Abattoir on 04.04.2009 at 21:09 It's supposed to kill you, are you aware of that? 
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Posts: 3723 Written by BloodTears on 05.04.2009 at 12:17 Yea I know, that's why I'm avoiding to this staff 
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Posts: 418
Excellent review Marcel. I've heard much of the tracks played live and they sound terribly heavy and crushing. I'm eager to hear the finished product now.  And to answer your ending question.......'Its quality we want not quantity'. 
---- Spitting in the face of mainstream music !!!
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Posts: 40071 Written by Glen_Doom on 05.04.2009 at 17:13 Hahahaha you caught on to my ending question. I guess you're going to the release party in April?
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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Posts: 418 |
Posts: 418 Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 05.04.2009 at 17:42 Of course....I will be in the first row headbanging as usual 
---- Spitting in the face of mainstream music !!!
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Posts: 3070
Nice review Marcel! This is going to be one of their best !
---- "For what point has this life if you can't realise your dreams?" -- The Divine Comedy
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Posts: 15359 Written by Darkside Momo on 04.04.2009 at 09:19 likewise. i bought MDB's "Turn Loose the Swans" 15 years ago or so. didn't really care for it at the time. i liked my metal like i liked my women. fast. and loud. nowadays, i love the doom as well. nothing like a nice glass of wine, cranking up some doom, and reading a book before going to bed. just got this today - haven't checked it out quite yet, but am certainly looking forward to it.
---- get the fuck off my lawn. Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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Posts: 4774
Very nice review, Marcel (= Thanks for introducing me to such an awesome album
---- loves 小巫
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Posts: 40071 Written by Ag Fox on 17.05.2009 at 21:06 You're welcome, sir.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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Posts: 887
I think the term HOLY FUCK SHIT is just about right. I hurried and got this as soon as I read this review. Its epic alright but what stood out for me are the emotive solos. After listening to Aidenn Falls, in my mind..I was like there is no way these guys are going to top this but then there was Sins of the Tempter which just fuckin blew me away. The surprises especially in the soloing department just keep coming. This is an awesome record. Vanguards of the Voids and Armida's Kiss are also worthy mentions.. Nice review Marcel
---- Freeze! Step away from the hubris.
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Posts: 40071 Written by BudDa on 09.11.2009 at 09:18 And guess who I will be seeing live this Friday? Yes, Forsaken. Already saw them at Dutch Doom Days VI 2007 where they were the Saturday headliner and live they are even better.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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Posts: 1689 Quote: If they don't, then everything is lost  BTW, what a great album is this, Sins Of The Tempter and Metatron... are killer songs, definitely a huge contender for the 2009 awards.
---- "Les vers savent qu'ils n'ont pas d'ailes, c'est pour cela qu'ils se cachent sous terre"
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Posts: 3523
This is the kind of album that makes investments in stereo equipment all worth it. I didn't remember it sounding this powerful until I restarted listening to this disc in earnest this summer. It's surely moved up higher in my 2009 albums list  The riffs and solos really do make for aa album that makes me want to stand proud within the doom.
---- "After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." - Aldous Huxley
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