interview with Forsaken Rite
The band was formed in 2012. During their time, they have released one full-length album and two EP mini-albums. In more detail, we will discuss the latest one, titled The Forgotten West, released this year (2024).
Alan – Hi guys, how are you?
Adaria – Hello Alan. We’re doing great! Thanks for having us here today.
Alan - You were formed in 2012. What line-up did you start with? Are you still playing in the same form today?
Adaria – The original Forsaken Rite line-up included unclean male vocals and a flautist. It originally was more black metal inspired with For the Honour of Our Fathers - 2015 EP and later expanded to featuring accordions, bagpipes, and more symphonic elements with The Northern Saga - 2017 Album. Since then, the full line-up has changed and we are now into the form that our founder, Adaria, had aspired towards including a melodic female vocalist and flautist, distorted male vocalist, and keyboardist.
Alan – Your focus is folk metal. You could say a little more here. Because folk metal is not just one direction, but many directions. Where do you classify your music?
Adaria – We are a high-fantasy inspired Folk Metal. Our music is story driven and utilizes many folk and orchestral elements as well as melodic and distorted vocals to immerse listeners in the world of Forsaken Rite.
Alan – Your band name, Forsaken Rite, is also quite interesting. What exactly does it mean?
Adaria – The name Forsaken Rite wasn’t originally developed with any particular meaning; however, it is reflective of the band’s musical direction, representing forgotten ceremonies or last rite’s. Forsaken, forgotten, rites, and ceremonies are common themes and folk concepts that are represented in Forsaken Rite’s music.
Alan – Album the Forgotten West (the meaning of this name)? Is it up to you to choose here, or were you aiming for something specific?
Adaria - The Forgotten West tells the story of the Warparty’s journey to a new life through treacherous terrain, adverse weather, and great battles. Building upon the sounds and ideas established in The Northern Saga (2017) it serves as the relaunch of Forsaken Rite and the world we are building intertwining metal and folk music.
Alan – If we break down the album by track. Take the music and lyrics in the description.
The Forgotten West
Story:
The Forgotten West is the start of a new adventure. Once content living a simple life in their town, one night everything changed 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, thus the Warparty has begun their quest. Despite great successes on this quest and new stories to be told, they can’t help but 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 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 saga. The introduction is an ominous flute that builds the stage for the story that is to ensue. The song features verses led first by clean vocals and later distorted vocals that build the narrative capturing the magnitude and scale of the Warparty’s journey and the emotions behind it all. The chorus soars high and captures the heart of the song. The bridge is abrupt and fills the soundstage with an epic orchestral composition over a chant enticing remembrance and nostalgia.
How Long is Forever?
Story:
The song is a fight between Sanity and Madness. It is told from the perspective of an eternal being who questions 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?, one of the most diverse songs on the EP, brings dark and dynamic elements to the band’s sound. The song is bass and clean vocal driven, starting with haunting vocals progressing into heavier sounds and harmonies until the ending with a grand multi-layered outro, which incorporates unclean vocals, accordion, flute, guitar, syncopated percussion, and other orchestral elements.
The Storm
Story:
The Warparty is traveling West and encounters 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 depicts the progression of a storm with dynamic instrumental and tonal elements including a calm and growing folk section representing the ‘eye of the storm’ and builds into a final chorus featuring clean and distorted vocals.
Fire Circle
Story:
Fire Circle is the story of the night directly after the events of The Storm. All gathered around the fire, festivities ensue in remembrance of those that have been lost and the challenges that have been faced.
Music:
Fire Circle features several distinct musical elements including a medieval flute, ominous and reflective clean vocals that build the song’s narrative and entice the listener to join in the festivities and remembrance. The chorus is instrumental featuring several folk elements giving lead to dancing rhythms and melodies on accordion, flute, and guitar.
Call to War
Story:
Call to War is the finale of The Forgotten West journey. The Warparty has made it to their destination… for now. They have settled and life isn’t so bad, it’s different than before, but yet… oh so familiar. 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 built. Call to War is a battle speech and a rally cry, because this time, we all stay to fight, unlike so long ago, before the journey of The Forgotten West.
Music:
The drums of war front the final rally cry as the Warparty 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 warriors to join the Warparty in the final battle. The 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.
Alan – Didn’t you want to make a full-length album rather than a mini album?
Adaria – The Forgotten West was intended to be an EP with the goal of reintroducing Forsaken Rite to fans and establishing the world and expanded musical direction of the band.
Alan – Where did you record, where did you mix, who released the album and did you have any guests on the album?
Adaria – We recorded our EP at Oracle Recording Studios with Producer Diego Fernandez, who also mixed and mastered the songs. Our guest musician on this recording, we had Alex McPhail who recorded guitar and flute and Melissa Lank who recorded cello.
Alan – You’ve been around for 12 years, you’re quite well-known in Canada. How did your fans receive the new mini-album?
Adaria – The response has been great. Our first show of the year sold out and every show since has been well attended.
Alan – Have you presented the mini album anywhere yet?
Adaria – We first played the EP at our return show in May, 2024 and have continued to perform it live at all of our shows since.
Alan – What are you preparing for 2025? A European tour?
Adaria – For 2025, we are working on new songs and stories to continue our narrative from The Forgotten West. As for a European tour, we hope to get something arranged for 2026.
Alan – Did you experience any funny moments while recording the album? Or while performing?
Adaria – Nothing funny while recording or performing, but a very cool thing we got to do recently was sign a young musician’s acoustic guitar, what an honour!
Alan – Our zine is read mainly by Czechs and Slovaks. Do you know any bands from these two countries?
Adaria - We know of a few! Odraedir, Silent Stream Of Godless Elegy, Welicoruss, Wolfarian, Arkona, and Alkonost to name a couple.
Alan – What surprised you the most after the release of the mini album The Forgotten West?
Adaria – The response from our fans and supporters. We love our songs and stories, and we’re extremely happy that those who have listened and experienced them also love them as much as we do!
Alan – Where have you gone the furthest as a band? Have you played outside of Canada?
Adaria – Unfortunately we have yet to play for fans outside Canada. We do however want to change that for the future!
Alan – What was the biggest tour you had?
Adaria – Our biggest tour was our cross Canada tour in support of our album The Northern Saga in 2017. We travelled as far east as Montreal, Quebec, and ended in Lone Butte, British Columbia.
Alan – Thanks for the interview. I hope we meet at a festival somewhere in Germany or the Czech Republic.
Adaria – We would absolutely love to come and play in both Germany and the Czech Republic. Both countries have long histories, great people and amazing architecture.
