Forefather - Steadfast (Seven Kingdoms) - Back
Brothers Athelstan and Wulfstan have been flying the Forefather banner for over a decade now, and in that time they have created their own unique brand of pagan black metal. Forefather's lyrics focus almost entirely on the England's rich Anglo-Saxon history; drawing inspiration form their nation's dark age heroes, as well as Anglo-Saxon tradition and mythology. Blending these ideas with aggressive melodic music, Forefather have managed to carve out their own small niche in the increasingly nebulas pagan/folk/Viking metal genre group. The timing for "Steadfast" couldn't be better, as this style's popularity has skyrocketed since Forefather released their last album, "Ours is The Kingdom" in 2004.

"Steadfast" is a solemn yet uplifting album that gives a nod to the more aggressive nature of the band's earlier albums, while maintaining the epic feel that was captured on "Ours is the Kingdom." Most of the tracks on "Steadfast" focus on hooky up-tempo melodies, at times sounding like Iron Maiden's angry stepbrother. The Iron Maiden influence is most noticeable on "Cween of the Mark", "Hallowed Halls" and "Fire From the Sky" three tracks that are built around galloping up-tempo riffs. Indeed, the traditional heavy metal influence is a thread that runs through the entire album, and is a large part of what makes Forefather unique. Even songs such as "Three Great Ships" and "Brunanburh" that focus on the band's black metal elements contain rather obvious nods to traditional heavy metal. "Miri It Is", a traditional lament to the passing of the seasons works perfectly as the album's closer.

Vocally, Forefather uses a mixture of gruff and clean vocals. The harsh vocals are a well-enunciated growl and sound good enough. The clean vocals are much better in my opinion, a strong midrange chant that suites the material very well. Steadfast's production is a tad on the muddy side, but not to the point of being a hindrance. It is also worth noting that the drums are programmed. This is not really an issue, as you probably would never guess that this was the case if it was not pointed out. Forefather's strength is writing catchy melodies, and the drums are merely a skeleton for them to craft those melodies around; the lack of a real drummer does not hold them back in the least.

Despite being packed with catchy melodies and memorable choruses, "Steadfast" is still a dark and aggressive sounding album. The ability to create music that is catchy and uplifting, with out coming off as overly happy or frivolous is Forefather's greatest strength, and the reason why this band should be much more well know than they are. Fans of Enslaved, Falkenbach, Bathory and Ancient Rites should find a lot to like here.

Rating: 93

Reviewed By: Garett F.