Review by Mandeep Arora on June 11, 2024.

How can an album that seems to draw heavily from Dissection’s golden years, has a forbidding atmosphere, some very intense blast beats, and blood-curdling shrieks not be regarded as evil and hostile black metal? Because Antestor claims to be a "sorrow metal" band, or "unblack metal" as some sources call it. They aren't lying. Just read these lyrics on one of the songs here:

"The crown I carry as an aura above me
Is the proof of who my saviour truly is

My mute cries overheard
My blindness is seen
My tears washed away
My feebleness became my strength

You wonder fate in lack of faith
What you consider luck, may be God's will
A wanderer of the light will never die
Before God give his approval"

LMAO what? For an album as sinister-sounding as this, it's kind of hilarious to witness these seemingly sacred lyrics, almost as if they're parrying off endless evil but coming across as submissive and totally incongruous in this setting. Even the production’s pretty slick to not cut it as trve kvlt. Then what is this album all about? Personally, I think it's reminiscent of Swedish melodic black metal from the mid-nineties - read Dissection - while a smidgen number of riffs wouldn’t sound out of place on a melodeath record. They have stressed on the multitude of melodies to achieve a sound that's atmospheric and decidedly cold. And that's where the similarities start dwindling... The lyrical themes are a complete antithesis to the hilarity of satan worship we are so accustomed to from most of black metal and similar-sounding music. But to give them their due, and I couldn't be more glad about this, the lyrics aren't annoyingly preachy or pious in their nature. My understanding is that, for the better part, they touch upon themes of self-improvement, repenting past mistakes and embarking on a journey to emerge as a better person, sometimes, weirdly, even falling into the nihil and subtly celebrating death.

The music in spite of its inspirations definitely has its own character and charm. I especially like the ever-present and persistent melodies etched deep into the sound, so you hear some interesting melodic undertones while simultaneously experiencing stuff that's much more apparent in the mix. The songs are pretty dynamic and constantly change shape, best adopted on Via Dolorosa, which in my opinion is also the best song here - comprising of a fluid composition, it constantly and seamlessly switches between its slower and faster sections and, by far, is the coldest and most wicked-sounding song; just listen to those goddamn blast beats obliterate your senses! When I later learnt it was the enigmatic black metal legend Hellhammer performing drumming duties, I was almost astounded considering this is the same band that got death threats from other black metal titans like Varg Vikernes and Euronymous in the nineties. So that's definitely some progress there. Since it's Hellhammer, whose drumming style we are all well-aware of, it's no surprise that the drums are relentless, punishing and overpowering, oozing immense and unbridled energy. It's one of the key assets of the album which the band leverages to its full potential.

As I've already mentioned, this is not a static album as far as song compositions are concerned and the added use of keyboards plays to its strengths. Some tastefully done and mystifying acoustic passages à la Dissection, almost to the point where some sections wouldn’t sound out of place on a Dissection record, and some symphonic-sounding choruses reminiscent of Emperor's best years make sure to buttress the atmospheric traits and break the monotony of some of the sections. The songs have smooth transitions within themselves and more often than not have some really fluid solos. The tremolo based riffs and blast beats come off as bitingly cold but there's some welcome respite in the form of melodic instrumentals like Raade and Mitt hjerte, the latter sounding pretty folkish and a bit like sixties' prog rock on account of the chill mood it sets. Even the vocals shift tone but do not let go of their demonic traits, their brickwall effect somewhat softened by some interesting female vocals that pop up sporadically throughout.

If there's one criticism to level at the album, it's that the songs, save for the first three, are rather solid than outright spectacular. Even if by slight degrees, the album does start getting a bit wearisome as it progresses, things slowly slumping into the dependable territory of stuff that's already been done in this realm of music. A pretty minor inconvenience, I'd say, and not much of a slight to its credentials, as the songs are serviceable and entertaining enough, only slightly damping and not completely thwarting your enjoyment. I personally strive to commit and sit through its runtime due to some very tasty melodic fills, be it from keyboards or guitars, and the very wicked drums.

What drew me towards this album was actually its cover art more so than anything else, its landscape and hues not only intriguing but also strongly reminiscent of Dissection’s Storm of the Light’s Bane, except the formidable old grim reaper looks a tad bit feebler on account of "sorrow metal" tendencies and seems to have given in to the pristine-looking and supposedly pious angel. This is after a long time that I ventured to discover a new band altogether because these days, I tend to strictly stick to music I like and am familiar with. I wasn't acquainted with Antestor or their style before and now even after discovering The Forsaken and liking it, I don't intend to delve further beyond into the rest of their discography. Music such as this may not endear me as much as it used to in my formative years but I can appreciate and still have fun with a good metal record, which The Forsaken happens to be. I won’t be drawn towards it by sheer desire but the few times I decide to crank it, I know I’m going to have a good time and bear witness to some really nifty moments. The Forsaken may not be the ideal metal record for me but it's good enough to warrant participation in the band's style and sound and there's ample interesting stuff to keep you entertained for the better part of those 45 minutes.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10