This trio won’t be easily forgotten, that’s for sure. After a brief search of BandCamp for like-minded bands from San Jose; I was surprised to see how many there were. Forgotten Gods stand out of the pack however. Swirling riffs, killer break-downs and well sung lyrics; are what you will find on their full length release. This release is more produced than their EP and also a bit slower; this is not a bad thing at all.
The band members are:
Kevin Swartz (Bottom, Burning Monk, Archer)
Pete Rice (ThunderHorse, Janitors Against Apartheid)
Dave Stoltenberg (Slick Shoes, House of Doors)
King of Dread: Starts with a maiden-esque bass riff; then propels into a familiar, but new take on a standard metal run. The melodic breakdown is unexpected and sets the parts up well. Vocals are mixed well and lyrically the words let you “see” rather than be told what to see.
First Light: Falsetto, melodic vocals, folk like break-downs, the bridge builds instead of mellowing out.
Fall of the Dagger: Slower sung, not at all what I was expecting; digging it. Great riff! A shit ton of words to remember in this one, cheers on that!! And at 14 mins, it’s a workout for sure.
Ghosts & Fire: Another great riff, well sung. Slowest tune on the album, very Sabbath like.
All or Nothing: BandCamp didn’t handle the cross-fade well, but I can see where they used Ghosts & Fire as an intro. I’d love to see this one live! I also sense a different vocalist on this track.
Seasons: This one is where the band really lets loose!
My only complaint would be that the drums could have been heavier, like the previous EP. If that’s the worst of it, there’s no reason on the planet you shouldn’t support these guys, seriously; go NOW! Buy it!!
If you like Black Sabbath, The Sword, Coheed and Cambria, the more prog aspect of Mastodon; you will dig these guys! I’d love to see them live and watch them pull this stuff off! So, I just read their bio and the influences listed above are all named…
enjoy this fine release.
http://forgottengods.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/forgottengodsmusic
http://ghostsandfire.com/
Written by Ransome Note
My own verdict on this album that it's an excellent release from a band that impressed me from the very first listen. A superb album!!!!
