So here we are with a debut single from a new ‘ish’ band (well, new to us). We like it here when things get interesting, and with Forgotten Shrine, they just have.
FORGOTTEN SHRINE is:
Josh Alexander (Pennsylvania, USA): Guitar, Bass, Hurdy Gurdy, Irish Bouzouki, Additional Instruments, Backing Vocals, Composition.
Sofia Frasz (Maryland, USA): Lead Vocals, Guitar, Lyrics, and Composition.
Never judge a book by its cover or a single by its press release! But I have to say that the cover for this one, complete with the skeletons and instruments, etc., really got our attention. Also, I note the presence of a hurdy-gurdy among the instruments played, and I do like inventiveness in musicians.
Inspired by fantasy, medieval folklore, and religious elements, the name of this folk metal duo is: Forgotten Shrine. The single came out on April 3, and it was on my music to listen to list!
“Where Shadows Lie is about facing the forces of darkness head-on, even though it seems like the world is falling apart and all of our heroes aren’t who we thought they were.” Josh explains. “I wrote the main hook of ‘Where Shadows Lie’ when I was a teenager and have played it on various instruments since then. It wasn’t until the end of 2022 that I really started getting into music production and started working on WSL. At that time, Amazon’s Rings of Power was releasing, and I felt very passionate about the lack of a faithful adaptation of the show. I stopped working on it for a long time after the final episode was released, and the end credit song coincidentally shared the title of the song I had already written and started recording.”
About Forgotten Shrine:
The two artists first connected over social media in 2021. With a shared interest in ‘bardcore’, they soon sought to begin their own folk or medieval style project. Forgotten Shrine came into fruition at the end of 2023, and now, in the spring of 2024, they have revealed their first single.
Musically, Forgotten Shrine draws influences from across the realms of metal with original soundtracks from the world of gaming and film, and the traditional/pagan folk genre as a whole, also inspires the band’s musical approach.
Here is my review of the single:
We enter a medieval world with an interesting array of instruments. You could be there with Anne Boleyn for the first few moments, but I’m not sure what she would make of the shift to metal a few moments in! There is a mix of melodic chorus with these metal vocals, and the track moves at a pace, moving into the night. Lyrically, it is full of mysticism, and there is this big, driving sound that shakes the speakers. It’s a really solid opener, and it left me wanting to hear more from these guys.
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