EPK – Forsaken Rite – The Forgotten West (EP) (2024) – Out Sept 27th

About EP Artwork:

Depiction of a hooded figure in a broad landscape running to the distance with buildings and mountains in the background.

About the EP as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)

The Forgotten West as an EP is a collection of songs that tell a grand adventure story spanning multiple regions, times, and events. Building upon the sounds and ideas established in The Northern Saga (2017) it serves as the relaunch of Forsaken Rite and the world they intend to build intertwining metal and folk music and fantasy-inspired storytelling.

Each song features distinct and unique folk and metal elements throughout that give each member of the Warparty an opportunity to shine and showcase their musicianship.

Soaring, versatile, and expressive clean vocal melodies, harmonies, and lyrics build the Warparty’s world and stories.

Hard-hitting distorted vocals display anguish, anger, and power and support the emotive expression of the songs and stories.

Forsaken Rite’s iconic accordion-inspired sound is accompanied by inspiring and distinctive flute and medieval flute lines. The instrumentation is further supported through epic and expansive orchestral and folk elements including various horns, harps, and strings.

Striking and virtuosic guitar solos and leads shine through while providing rhythmic and heavy support throughout.

Driving bass guitar lines are distinguished with multiple leading bass lines and otherwise supportive and establishing rhythms.

Thundering and widely varied percussive elements throughout the songs establish and fortify the direction of each song.

Although the songs are loosely interconnected, each song is intended to stand alone by capturing the listener in the unique sounds and stories of Forsaken Rite.

Track by track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)

1. The Forgotten West

Story: The Forgotten West is the start of a new adventure. Once content living a simple life in their town, everything changed on the night of reckoning when the town was attacked and everyone lost their land and home. Legends whisper of new lands to the West that are prosperous and free, so now the Warparty has begun their quest.

Despite great successes so far on this quest and new stories to be told, they can’t help but remember, and long for what they once had, but was lost. Who will remember where it all began?

Music: The Forgotten West is an epic adventure song that features multiple different folk, orchestral, and metal elements. It serves as a beacon to the listener to join the Warparty on their adventure and sets the stage for the successes, the failures, and the overall diversity that is going to be experienced throughout The Forgotten West.

The introduction is an ominous flute introduction that builds the stage for the story that is to ensue throughout The Forgotten West’s journey. The song features multiple vocal verses led first by clean vocals and later distorted vocals that build the world and narrative of the Forgotten West capturing the magnitude and scale of Warparty’s journey and the emotions behind it all. The song’s chorus soars high and captures the heart of the journey.

The bridge is abrupt and fills the soundstage with an epic orchestral composition over a chant enticing the listener to remembrance of what was once had, and the sacrifices that it took to get where they are now.

2. How Long is Forever?

Story: Descend into madness. An immortal being starts the story by questioning the meaning of its existence. The melancholic voice of Sanity is represented by clean vocals, which describe the internal struggle associated with the meaningless passing of time. Madness, represented by distorted vocals, slowly takes over until there is no trace of Sanity left.

Music: How Long is Forever was first developed as an original work for another project by Ursula (vocals). Bringing it to Forsaken Rite, it was quickly reworked to fit with the new direction of the band. It’s easily one of the most diverse songs on the EP bringing darker and dynamic elements to the band’s sound. The song is bass and clean vocal driven, starting dark and haunting and, in line with the story told, progresses heavier and heavier ending with a grand multi-layered outro incorporating unclean vocals, accordion, flute, guitar, syncopated percussion, and other orchestral elements.

3. The Storm

Story: The adventurers are traveling West and encounter a terrible storm. As if something greater has other plans for their journey, they must weather its forces in order to survive and continue on their path.

Music: The Storm is a catchy sing-a-long with clean and distorted vocals and multi-layered folk elements. The instrumental section is percussive and brings together multiple folk instruments and melodies.

4. Fire Circle

Story: Fire Circle tells the story of the night directly after the events of The Storm. All gathered around the fire, festivities ensue in remembrance of those who have been lost and the challenges that have been faced.

Music: Fire Circle features several distinct musical elements and sections including a medieval flute intro, ominous and reflective clean vocals that build the song’s narrative and entice the listener to join in the festivities and remembrance, and several folk instrumental sections giving a lead to dancing rhythms and melodies on accordion, flute, and guitar. The song sends off the listener with a soaring guitar lead as the festivities continue.

5. Call to War

Story: Call to War is the finale of The Forgotten West’s journey. The Warparty has made it to their destination… for now.

They have found villages and life isn’t so bad, it’s different than before, but yet… oh so familiar.

But as if destiny had other plans, peace lasts only so long before history begins to repeat itself as new enemy forces move in to take what little the village has left.

Call to War is a battle speech and a rallying cry, because this time, we all stay to fight, unlike so long ago, before the journey of The Forgotten West.

Music: Call to War is the finale of The Forgotten West’s journey. The drums of war front the final rally cry as the war party leads warriors into battle.

Call to War is a heavy war song led by the power of unclean vocals as clean vocals build the narrative. The song is directed at listeners enticing them to join the Warparty in the final battle.

The song’s bridge is a grand battle speech and a march towards victory climaxing in a multi-layered instrumental and vocal breakdown to round out the EP.

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Fun Facts – Story Angles

1. Paige never heard folk metal before 2011, ended up going to a Cradle of Filth concert that year, and met someone who showed her folk metal starting with Eluveitie, Tyr, Ensiferum, Amon Amarth, etc.  Immediately she was like “I wanna start a band like this”.  Coming off a 5 year drum hiatus she began working towards starting the band.  

2. The band name came from one of those band-name generators.  Looked up some starting names and Forsaken came to mind, then worked to come up with what sounded good/cool with the word Forsaken. Eventually settled on Rite.  “Forsaken Rite”

3. Back in 2016 there started a festival called Metalocalypstick Fest. A festival celebrating women in metal. Every band that played had to have, a least one female in the band.  We had 3.  The festival started with warm weather but quickly turned to rain.  The stage, thankfully, was covered by a huge canopy.  We were the very first band on the very first day on stage, effectively Christening, the festival.  We played our 45-minute set, and shortly after we had completed and torn down, it started to rain.  It continued to rain most of the weekend.  The festival’s headliner was, none other than, Nervosa

Tours and Festivals:
2022 – Hyperspace Metal Festival (attended, but unable to play due to half the band having Covid)
2021 – Loud As Hell
2020 – Loud As Hell
2019 – Metalocalypstick Fest
2018 – Saskatoon Screamfest – Night #2
2018 – Armstrong Metal Festival
2018 – Metalocalypstick Fest
2018 – March of  The Frozen North Tour
2017 – Metalocalypstick Fest
2017 – The Northern Saga Canada Tour
2016 – Metalocalypstick Fest
2016 – Albertilation Festival