Reviewed - 06/28/04

Traces Of The Past
[Century Media]

On Their third effort, 'Traces Of The Past', Sweden't The Forsaken have kicked things up a few notches, resulting in one of the most diverse and entertaining melodic death albums these ears have experienced in quite a while. Actually, the term "melodic death" is unfair and incomplete, as The Forsaken mix that familiar style with a healthy dose of thrash, and even a touch of metalcore. At times,the arrangements almost make me think "progressive". With an everchanging amount of riffs, tempos, and feels.

The Forsaken's sound can be described as At The Gates meets The Crown meets '...And Justice For All' - era Metallica. It comes off as both brutal and melodic at the same time, while maintaining a very solid and unescapable sense of groove (Drummer Nicke Grabowski is a force to be reckoned with). There is even a tiny amount of metalcore/nu-metal influence in the form of breakdowns ("One More Kill", "Traces Of The Past").

Unlike many melodic death metal bands, The Forsake have a knack for writing some really catchy and memorable riffs and melodies. Guitarists Stefan Holm and Patrik Persson are on display throughout 'Traces Of The Past'. Their lead playing shines on such tunes as "Serpent's Tongue" and "The Empire", where they show an affinity for Middle Eastern melodicism a la Marty Friedman. Singer Anders Sjoholm opts mainly for a somewhat high-pitched growl/shriek, although he deepens his approach at times ("God Of Demise"). He turns in a solid performance, although he doesn't really set himself apart from the dozens of other vocalists in the genre. As stated before, drummer Nicke Grabowski shows himself to be a skinsman of the highest caliber, displaying a tight groove and colorful, inventive style.

Also included on 'Traces Of The Past' are covers of tunes by Metallica, Slayer, and Grave. The aforementioned Metallica influence is really brought to the fore when hearing their faithful rendition of "Blackened". Hell, even the guitar solos are almost note for note. With all the covers, the band is faithful to the originals while somehow managing to put their own stamp on them, the mark of a truly gifted band.

Tommy Tagtgren's production on 'Traces Of The Past" is excellent. The guitars are captured beautifully, with thick and meaty rhythm tones and juicy lead tones. The drum sound is great, with a high amount of clarity. Overall, there is a good bass presence and the mix is solid. The album maintains a tight and focused sound while never losing its heaviness.

I'm surprised and a bit angry at myself for never checking out The Forsaken before 'Traces Of The Past'. They are the perfect mix of old meets new, and being an old schooler at heart, I've found few modern bands who seem to embrace the past while looking towards the future. If you like well-played, inventive melodic death/thrash, then look no further than The Forsaken.