Band: Forfeit Thee Untrue
Release House: Rottweiler Records
Genre: Progressive Metal
One Sentence Synopsis: Debut full-length album from FTU
Series: Standalone
Single/EP/Album: Album
Release Date: April 1, 2016
Running Time: 67 Min
MSRP: $9.99
Discount Link: Click Here
Website: Click Here
Sample/Music Video: Click Here
Purchase Site: Click Here
Reviewed by: Reverend Leviathan
Final Score: 4.0 Moons
Forfeit Thee Untrue was founded in South Africa in 2010. The band released their debut EP, Blood Soaked Splinter, in 2013. With a successful EP release under their belts, the band kept their momentum going, touring incessantly throughout 2013, and plans for recording their debut album. Then just before the culmination of the year, the bassist left the band. In 2014 they got their current bassist and began recording in 2015. . Drawing from an unbelievable spectrum of metallic styles—including contemporary metalcore, sludgy doom metal and traditional death metal—Forfeit Thee Untrue wield a sprawling arsenal of metallic weaponry with which to combat contemporary complacency, annihilating the false and fake in an effort to striving for the real in every aspect of life.
Theme
Opening powerful with “Let There Be Light”, we hear some stringed instruments and an audio recording of someone reading the opening of the book of Genesis. Thus we begin the theme of separating light from darkness in the songs that follow.
A dark shadow covers almost all of the songs on the album, with a hint of light in each one. For example, “Seven (Part I)” is written from the perspective of any negative emotion that tries to consume a person (“I’m that empty space inside that you cannot seem to fill. I’m that ugly truth you hide; your cancer untraceable”); “Seven (Part II)” is the consummation of all those negative emotions becoming Satan singing directly to the person, God interjects in the bridge and the song ends powerfully with God’s perspective overcoming the negative.
Musically speaking, the band does an amazing job with combining different singing styles and screams. A lot of death metal influence in a few songs, while others such as “Sermon of a Dying Atheist” take a more acoustic direction. I was quite surprised at hearing “Lucifer’s Lullaby”, as that is probably the darkest, most creepy track on the album, even using some electronic elements in that song.
Presentation
There’s really no easy way to put it: This album ROCKS and I love it! Forfeit Thee Untrue knows how to keep their listeners intrigued, and the types of metal influence ranges throughout the album. One song would sound more progressive, while another would lean more towards death, and it’s put together in such a way that it’s not a mess. The guitar tracks do not overpower one another when one is playing rhythm or when acoustic is mixed with electric.
I was truly taken aback by Gideon Karsten’s vocals. Hearing his singing contrasted with the screaming is mind blowing. One does not overpower the other. Being Catholic I’m probably being biased, but in “The Dagger Held by Mary” they discuss how the Virgin Mary was present at the crucifixion, and he sings in the person of Jesus to his mother and it is very powerful and full of emotion.
Gothic Fit
Though musically speaking the genre is metal, lyrically dark, Gothic elements abound throughout the album. In the first song, “The Mirror That Hates,” we hear about a tortured soul who wonders why she is in darkness. “Lucifer’s Lullaby” is Satan singing to a sleeping soul, calling the person a “worthless child of God.” They also speak of the hypocrisy and judgment that takes place in the church (a reason why so many Goths want nothing to do with Christianity). I think a lot of Goths could relate to the emotions in each song.
Closing Thoughts
Cremationem Jesus Lacrimam delivers powerful music and thought-provoking lyrics, both laced with plenty of emotion for a fan of any style of metal.
Theme: 5.0 Moons
Presentation: 5.0 Moons (out of 5.0)
Gothic Fit: 3.0 Moons
Final Score (not an average): 4.0 Moons
