Playing Underground Extreme Metal in America is tough. If you are serious about it, then chances are you are spending countless hours writing and practicing, thousands of dollars on recording, monthly rehearsal space rent, and equipment all just to play dive bars to 20 people. Still, we keep going hoping for a record deal or a booking agent to swoop you up and take you the mystical metal lands of Europe. There are many times when one may question their dreams, and think of throwing the in the towel for the regular American grind, but submission is for the weak. The time has come for bands to start taking things for themselves without the help of labels! With the release of their new album “Forsaken and Forgotten” I believe Shaded Enmity has sounded the clarion call for all undercount metal bands in the USA. Get off your asses, get a killer professional recording, and staring promoting the hell out of yourself on the internet.

This album is full of power and emotion, with meaningful and catchy melodic leads, Joe’s intensely painful sounding screams, Simons mindfuck drumming, and now with the addition of brutal 7 string riffage. The music just simply demanding “LISTEN TO ME NOW BITCH.” The first song “This Is Federal” is a mostly mid passed groove based song, and is definitely different sounding than previous Shaded Enmity records. The song telling a tale of bringing medicinal herb to the masses and the risk it brings. Its pretty damn epic, and a nice start to the album. “Sadness in the Summer Rain” is another great track, and the first one on the album to really showcase the new leads of Spencer Hodge, whose solos really add a new dimension that was missing from the group. Sick.

From there on out, every track is solid and consistently meaningful. This is certainly a diverse album that goes to realms where Shaded Enmity had not ventured to in the past. From the lovely interludes like “Indica Dreams” to the crushingly powerful “What Have You Done, Oxycontin?” My personal favorite track is “Prophecies and Pain.” It contains the pure speed of the last Shaded Enmity album Hijo Perdido (2011) and is very effective in its delivery, and when that bell tolls, I get goosebumps every time. Such a brilliant detail.

This album really is great and deserves your attention. It contains so much of what metal and music in general is missing these days, passion. The hard work is palpable, and that fact that these guys put so much effort and funding into this means a lot. Joe Nurre and Simon Dorfman might of well have just bled straight onto the mixing board, its that genuine.

Tags: album review, Forsaken and Forgotten, SHADED EMNITY, Tyler Strugil
Categorised in: Metal