June, 2010
Genre: Black Metal
Region: Germany
Forgotten Spell truly have a unique sound. Very unorthodox while still retaining an exceedingly raw black metal feeling. And oh fuck is it raw — the production might put some people off but once you look past or embrace it (and you really should) there is hugely complex/creative song-writing and skillful musicianship buried underneath. One might be inclined to describe it as technical or even progressive but if so it's certainly not in a flashy, wanky sense. "Desecrated, Decayed and Still Holy" is still well within the realm of traditional occult black metal but their song structures, atmosphere and guitar tone are far different then most black metal acts out there.
The guitar tone at times resembles horns of some kind, warped and wailing over chaotic and furious drum blasts and the caustic, frantic growls, moans and howls of the vocalist ("Into Sulphuric Vortex of Abyssic Cult" is a perfect example). Blazing tremolo riffs screeching through the thick, filthy production with moments of darkly groovy powerchords; the bass is there though barely poking through the rest of the madness. Sparing use of piano and acoustic guitar work very well for quick breathers from the distraught whirlwind of chaos that your ears are saturated with all the way through. This is their second demo and it hits the 1 hour and 29 minute mark with 9 tracks which is enormous and ballsy — the material here is very strong and compelling but a demo of such length will no doubt wear down many people.
Forgotten Spell have conjured a magnificent storm of strange and foul black metal with this demo. They succeed in straddling the realms of "true" black metal while pushing technical and atmospheric boundaries without falling into common trappings of either side. I'd really like to here the demo they put out this year. This particular release is limited to 333 copies on tape and only available from the label as far as I know.
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