FORGOTTEN WOODS - Race Of Cain Digi-CD

This album really surprised me. This is not your typical reunion album. Forgotten Woods have regressed back into demo territory with a very raw and nihilistic album. A few long (anti)religious samples set the tone and the music straddles somewhere in between "A Blaze in the Northern Sky" Darkthrone and possibly some of the faster Opthalamia riffs. The vocals remind me quite a bit of Norway's old Abysmal.

I think it is a wonderful statement from this band that they chose to reemerge into the scene with such an unpolished album as their previous efforts were moving in a more smooth hypnotic direction. Perhaps that is what causes its tone to seem even more nihilistic than your typical raw black metal album.

Press releases point towards moments of psychedelia but I will admit that I do not find that to be readily apparent in a scene with Lurker of Chalice's and Nachtmystium's. There are some whining and howling solo parts. Perhaps the discomfort and shock of the garage recording has a psychological effect more akin to psychedelic states than the prog references of the aforementioned bands.

At any rate, it is wonderful to see this band again and wonderful to see them offering up something that clearly was not designed to appease anyone.