Interview with Forsaken
Welcome back with your new ep Iconoclast, how has the response been so far from the media and the Forsaken fanbase ?
Hi Gabriel. Yeah, it feels great to be back on track after such a long delay!! The response to "Iconoclast" has been really encouraging. The EP is already into its second press even though it was released less than a year ago. All the reviews we've been getting have generally been very positive and the fans both locally and abroad have reacted tremendously to the new material. You could say that "Via Crucis - The Way of the Cross" and " Wither the Hour" seem to have had most impact on both fans and the media alike, although our re-make of "Where Angels Have Fallen" has also been very positively received.
It looks like you have been around for a long long time ever since the early 90s, when was the formation of Forsaken set in the first place ?
The band was formed in 1990 and was initially called "Blind Alley", although the band never gigged or released any material under this moniker. We adopted the epithet "Forsaken" in 1991 shortly after I joined the band as we felt that "Blind Alley" was not representative of the epic, doom metal style we wanted to explore and delve into.
The first release Virtues Of Sanctity, a vinyl Ep came out almost a decade back. How much has that Ep meant for Forsaken in the underground doom scene and looking back on that release, how many items have you sold ?
Together with our debut demo "Requiem" released in 1991, "Virtues of Sanctity" helped to introduce Forsaken to doom fans in Malta and world wide. As "Virtues…" was released on a foreign label (Arkham Productions, France), we obviously gained a greater amount of exposure from its release and we even managed to embark on a tour throughout France and Spain in 1994 to promote the Ep. We supported Oddmongers a French thrash band (now sadly demised) who at the time were also managed by Arkham. So yes, the Ep was instrumental in launching Forsaken internationally within the underground metal scene and it was an important milestone in the band's history. I can't really tell you how much the EP sold as over time we lost contact with Arkham and they did not keep us updated with sales figures. What I can tell you is that the EP has quite a cult status with our fans and several keep asking us for it. I am sure that the EP's 1000 copy pressing has been long sold out.
Coming out of Malta, compare your liveshows at home to overseas what is the main difference?
We have a committed and loyal fan base in Malta who turn up in considerable numbers (200 +) for our shows here in Malta. As we gig frequently on the Island, you could say that by now our fans know what to expect. Moreover, we are always quite assured of a strong response to our live set locally and this sets our minds quite at ease on the positive outcome of our gigs. On the other hand, playing abroad is a totally different story. Most people at the shows would be watching us for the first time and so we have to make that extra effort to ensure that this first time exposure to Forsaken would be an experience to be remembered. This is not to say that we take our local gigs lightly - not at all. Playing live in any context always gets that adrenaline going, however, as we don’t play so frequently outside Maltese shores, when we do manage to get the opportunity, we give more than our 100%. As regards, crowd reaction, wherever we play we always manage to get the audience going. Undoubtedly, this is also due to Leo's stage act. He's a great front man and communicates strongly with the crowd. All those present at this year's Doom Shall Rise festival know what I'm talking about.
The next release was Evermore after Virtues..how did that release go compare to Virtues..and looking back at the recordings on that one, what was the main difference with the recordings of Evermore to Virtues.. ?
"Evermore" captures a different part in the band's development. After "Virtues…" we started to explore soundscapes which were different to what to had previously been exposed to. This led to a great deal of experimentation with diverse styles within the doom genre and beyond, from the solid doom rock of the classic doom bands like Vitus and Trouble to the epic dimensions of bands like Solitude Aeturnus and Candlemass. All this is very evident in "Evermore", which is a very eclectic album and brings to the fore all these diverse styles and influences. Also given that "Evermore" was a full-length album running well over an hour, we had a great deal of possibility for experimentation which was not possible in the recording of "Virtues..". Moreover, recording-wise, "Evermore" marked our first collaboration with our Producer David Vella at Temple. The set-up at Temple, even then was very professional. If you compare both recordings, the difference in sound quality is amply clear. Despite all this, looking back, we could have done a much better job with "Evermore". The guitar sound is not as heavy as it could have been. I am confident that some of tracks on the album could also have benefited from a better performance, band-wise. It was our first attempt in a professional studio. There was quite a lot of tension throughout the whole recording process and this tended to spill over into the band performance. Moreover, and this is a personal opinion, there were some instances in that album where we strayed a bit too far from our roots. On the promotion front, the album suffered considerably. Our label at the time, Storm Records did not have that many contacts in the underground doom scene and as a result the album was not widely promoted as it could have been.
Its been a few years from Evermore to Iconoclast, what have you been doing in this time ?
Despite our lack of activity on the releases front, this period was a very eventful, albeit distressful period for the band. After "Evermore" there was some internal strife in the band in relation to which direction we wanted Forsaken to take. Some of us, including myself preferred going back to our roots and taking up a more underground direction which we felt was a bit compromised with the release of "Evermore". The lack of agreement on which style we wanted the band to take and some other issues led to band splitting up, however only for a brief period as basically none of us could cope without the band and the strong personal friendships we had forged over the years. After some months we re-grouped with exactly the same line-up and started working on new material - some of which appears on "Iconoclast". In 1998 we recruited Mario Ellul to bolster the band sound and add more atmosphere and depth. This re-orientation process took about two years or so. We played some gigs locally during the time and also recorded a cover of "Neon Knights" for a Black Sabbath MK II tribute entitled "Dehumanised Witch" released on MidWest Metal (USA). As soon as we were ready to enter the studio to record a new album, Daniel Magri - our longest serving guitarist was diagnosed with Cancer and started a long and courageous battle against his illness until he sadly passed away in January 2001. It was difficult to focus on anything else apart from supporting Daniel during this difficult period as he was such an important part of the whole Forsaken set-up and a very close friend. Some time after Daniel passed away we re-assessed our situation and decided to carry on with the band as this was the way Daniel would have wanted it to be. Shortly after we entered the studio and released a new demo for label promotional purposes. The demo landed us a deal with Golden Lake Productions. We're really pleased with the way Golden Lake have handled our first release - the Iconoclast Ep.
You have signed a deal with Golden Lake Productions, how pleased are you with them over their support so far to this minialbum ?
The guys at Golden Lake are superb persons with a strong underground metal ethic!! Its been great working with them. They've exceeded our expectations promotion-wise and we are looking forward to releasing more stuff with them as they have done a great job so far.
With Iconoclast, you have re-recorded Where Angels Have Fallen from the Virtues..Ep, a more dynamic version to me compared to the old one, and with the new material, how pleased are you with the new stuff and how were the recording sessions for this one compared to your previous releases ?
We knew that there was a lot at stake with the Iconoclast sessions. We were very focused throughout the whole recording process and much more convinced on how the band should sound like. As a result I think "Iconoclast" sounds very solid and is our most complete effort to date. We hope to improve on the results achieved with our new upcoming full-length which we hope to release toward the end of 2003/early 2004. We decided to do a re-worked version of "Where Angels Have Fallen" for "Iconoclast" as we felt that it’s a classic Forsaken track which deserved to be re-released particularly since "Virtues of Sanctity" had long been sold out and many of our younger fans do not own the EP. We gave the track a huge facelift particularly in the vocals, keyboard and guitar solo departments.
This minidisc is a excellent piece of melancholic moody melodic Doom Metal, I would say that the Ep is very much in the Solitude Aeturnus regions, how much of an influence are the Texas Doomsters for Forsaken in terms of composing and the visual standpoint ?
We're all into Solitude Aeturnus and all the other classic doom bands, so obviously their influence is bound to rub off on our music. However, I think that our sound has its own identity and reflects the diverse kaleidoscope of musical tastes and interests we each have. For example, I think we have a bit of a thrashy-power metal edge which is not that common in most epic doom bands. The same can be said of our extensive use of keyboards. I think these factors lend themselves well to our own brand of progressive, doom metal. Visually, as a band we represent ourselves as we are in our everyday lives. There's nothing put on or anything like that. I think that this is consonant with most doom bands…what you see is what you get!
The lyrical direction here, what are the main topics on Iconoclast ?
Lyrically, Iconoclast explores deep-rooted, religious and spiritual themes, albeit from a critical way. For example, "Where Angels Have Fallen" examines issues related to the after-life and the immortality of the soul. It is quite ambivalent in a way as it is concurrently hopeful and pessimistic on the possibility of life after death. "Via Crucis" is a personal commentary on the pitiful state of contemporary Christendom, particularly in relation to how Christianity's traditional values of solidarity and compassion have been usurped by the institutional set-up of the main Christian denominations, including Catholicism. Lyrically, "A Martyr's Prayer" is perhaps the most straightforward track on the Ep. It documents a particular moment in Christ's path toward death and resurrection and focuses on the humanity of his journey. "Wither the Hour" on the other hand is more of a reflection on the primordiality of modern-day society. Stripped off all the fancy technology and so forth, contemporary humankind is as barbaric and inhumane as it was since and throughout history!
The title Iconoclast is a pretty weird title, what is the meaning with that title and do you feel the artwork with the angels in front of the church with the huge cross match the title concept that you have ?
The term "Iconoclast" is used to refer to the archetype or personification of rebellion. For example, early Christianity in itself may be viewed as being iconoclastic is it marked a break away from the humanity of the Roman Empire and set new standards in terms of human values. Basically, we felt that this title encompassed all the lyrical themes explored in the MCD and moreover, also symbolised the perseverance of the band, in the sense that despite the trails and tribulations we've been through, Forsaken is still here and representative of a genre of music - doom metal - which is distanced from all trends and is undoubtedly the most sincere art-form in metal today. All the visuals in the sleeve epitomise aspects dealt with in our lyrics. Some are more obvious than others!!
Looking at the Doom scene of today, where do you place Forsaken ?
Presently doom metal is undergoing some sort of revival with some great new acts developing (such as Reverend Bizarre and Orodruin) and classic bands re-forming (Trouble, Candlemass and Vitus). We are proud (as we have always been) to be part of this growing doom metal fraternity. I think that Forsaken like many other doom bands has stood the test of time and is a collection of like-minded souls who are sincere to what they believe in and have no pretensions apart from being an active part of this small but truly great scene. DOOM SHALL RISE!
I have heard some rumours
for an album release on Golden Lake.. what kind of an album is it going
to be compare to Iconoclast, is it going to be even more dynamic, more
moody and emotional ? fill me in on the details.
Like I mentioned earlier, we
intend to release our next full-length shortly, hopefully by the end of
the year. The album shall be titled "Anima Mundi" and will include six
tracks totalling nearly an hour of dark, epic doom. The track list is as
follows: "Kindred Veil", "Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)", "Whispering Soul",
"Sephiroth", All is Accomplished" and "The Eyes of Prometheus". The album
will retain the epic dimensions we explored on "Iconoclast" but will be
darker and more innovative both lyrically and musically. Rest assured that
doom fans will not be disappointed!!!
Beside Evermore, Virtues.. and this one, I havent followed that much but what about compilation stuff, I guess you have been on a few comps through the years, fill me in on those and the response to them ?
I've already mentioned our contribution to Dehumanised Witch - a Black Sabbath Dio-era tribute (released in 2000). We recorded Neon Knights for the compilation. It was great recording the track and is very special for us as it marks our last recording with Daniel. The track was very well received, with many considering it as the stand-out track on the album alongside Memory Garden's "Country Girl" and Last Chapter's "Children of the Sea". "Via Crucis" has also landed itself on a number of compilations mostly for promotional purposes. I won't go into them all as there's quite a few. However, generally the track was very well received and really helped to bolster the band's profile.
You played on the last Doom Shall Rise fest in the Germany, how was it and did you make any other gigs after that particular throughout Germany etc. it must have meant a lot for a band like you to play on a event like this, right?
Yeah, damn right…… playing at the DSR alongside Revelation, Thunderstorm, Dawn of Winter, Mirror of Deception and several other superb doom metal bands was really a special occasion for all of us. Moreover, personally I got to meet several great people I had been corresponding to over the years including Jochen Fopp from Mirror of Deception, Gerrit Mutz from Dawn of Winter, Pim from Officium Triste and Mark Hegedus (Psychedelic Zine). All the bands put on a great show and the audience was tremendous. They were very receptive to our show and that gig will certainly remain imprinted in our memories for several years to come. We were also planning to tour with Well of Souls and Thunderstorm in Germany after the DSR but unfortunately the tour did not materialise due to problems with leave from work. Hopefully, we will visit German shores again soon, however nothing is confirmed yet
Looking at the underground following to Forsaken through the years. I guess that internet has added a lot to that in recent years right, what is your views on your following and do you feel that the following will be even better with your release at Golden Lake ?
Yeah, the internet has been a great asset for building up contacts and promotional purposes, and moreover for building and strenghtening our fan base. Sales-wise it has also helped in getting the EP through to more people especially with the collaboration of several online distros. I'm sure things can only get better in this regard with our future releases. Our website has also been crucial for increasing the bands profile and I encourage all the doom bands out there to get themselves sorted out site-wise, as it certainly helps to build any band's profile (Cheers to Joseph Grech - our webmaster par excellance!!).
Speaking of the next plans for Forsaken, what are your next plans beside the album release at the moment, eps, gigsupport etc etc. ? fill me in
Our immediate priority is the release of the new full-length CD. We are also trying to ensure another touring experience or a festival appearance abroad in 2004. We've already got lots of material ready for another full-length, so after the release of "Anima Mundi" we'll start working hard on recording new material for another full-length or EP. Obviously, gigs on the local front will also remain a priority. I would also love to see "Iconoclast" or some other Forsaken stuff released on vinyl. I am a big vinyl fan and it would be great to see some Forsaken back on the turntable!! Who knows maybe some sort of offer for a vinyl release will turn up shortly!
Any last words?
First of all, mega thanks to you Gabriel for this opportunity to get across to your readers. Your site has legendary status in the doom scene and it is indeed a privilege for Forsaken to be part of it. It provides testimony to the true and undying spirit of doom metal…keep the flame burning! Finally, to those of you who have not checked us out, I am sure that you will not be disappointed if you are into epic doom metal. Drop by our site for a list of online distros from where you can purchase our Iconoclast Ep or simply drop a line to our label at serenade4@yahoo.co.uk. The band may be contacted at albertbell@rocketmail.com or leostivala@yahoo.com. Take care and Stay doomed.
By Gabriel Lilliehook
Info/Order Golden Lake Productions www.goldenlakeprods.co.uk
Forsaken www.forsakenmalta.com