### The Forsaken: Beyond redemption

#### 21/11/12 || The Duff

This takes me back. Musically, I can’t remember the last time I’ve listened to a Swedo-death/thrash band (other than The Crown), but also, these guys used to have their forums hosted here at Global Domination eight years ago. I reviewed “Traces of the Past”, their then new album, and it wasn’t long after the review’s posting that they stopped having their forums hosted at Global Domination. Well, to prove that we haven’t skipped a beat here at GD, The Forsaken are back with their self-titled record. I hope they are all laughing with me right now, but really “Traces of the Past” was an awesome record, and I stated as much in my review of eight years ago.

So not having been a part of the scene for so long, The Forsaken have reformed as with many metal bands that were probably just sick to death of financing everything themselves, I should presume. Eight years is a long time to be away, though, yet with “Beyond Redemption” we find an outfit a little less abrasive but pretty much picking up where it left off with catchy melodeath riffs, brutal yet accessible death metal sections and top-notch musicianship all-around. We also find a greater assortment of styles on this new record, the band not too afraid of giving this new shot at making it a chance to spread the influences to less extreme terrain.

That said, they come in about as pure as it comes in so far as their roots are concerned. Entombed. As the song progresses, I’m taken to a time when the most extreme thing I listened to was Carnal Forge, a more innocent time for sure, but a good one nonetheless. This stuff brings a smile to my face, it’s like accessible Arch Enemy mixed with old school and straight-up brutal death metal, doom and thrash. The musicianship is impeccable (as with Darkane, such musicians are grossly overlooked in comparison to say the Amott brothers), the mix is as you’d expect from a melodeath Swedo outfit, glossy, well-produced.

“Beyond Redemption” does appear scant on substance here and there; it’s not nearly as infectious nor intelligently arranged nor layered as their record of 2003. So, in conclusion, while this is a watered down metal album, it is still an entertaining one. Whether this makes The Forsaken significant in any way is not for me to say, but it does seem to me they’re hopping on the train five years too late. To those who want more grit to their music, then my advice would be to explore their underrated first three full-lengths. Otherwise, while not making any dents, for catchy melodeath “Beyond Redemption” delivers.

- Information
- Released: 2012
- Label: Massacre Records
- Website: The Forsaken MySpace
- Band
- Calle Fäldt: guitars, vocals
- Anders Sjöholm: vocals
- Alf Patrik Persson: guitars, vocals
- Stefan “Junior” Berg: bass
- Nicke Grabowski: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Beyond Redemption
- 02. Only Hell Remains
- 03. Foul Messianic Grace
- 04. No Dawn Awaits
- 05. There is No God
- 06. As We Burn
- 07. Reap As We Have Sown
- 08. The Light Divine
- 09. Force Fed Repentance
- 10. Blessed with Wrath