This fearsome fivesome forged in the flames of Essex, England are back a with slab of heavy/thrash-flavoured old-school goodness.

Forged In Black screams back into action with their third full-length release and it’s a great jumping on point if you are looking for a smouldering combination of thrash and NWOBHM elements in your next metal pickup. Let’s read the words before we break this album down:

 UK Heavy Metal act FORGED IN BLACK, has just revealed the cover art and 1st advance single for their 3rd album “Lightning in the Ashes“, which will be released on June 20th, 2023 through Fighter Records on CD and Digital formats.

      In his vast underground halls in the very heart of the earth, the Forgemaster raises his hammer once again. His metal skin reflects the flames that surround him, his inhuman eyes focused on the blade that lies upon his anvil. The power that infuses his body threatens to tear him apart, yet he channels it all into another momentous blow; delivered with godlike strength and incomprehensible skill as he shapes the ultimate weapons of incorruptible might. Each clash of steel on steel shakes the fabric of the world. He is the lord of all metal, the king of fire – and lightning flashes in the ashes of his forge…

      “I’ve often been asked where the next big thing in Metal is… for me FORGED IN BLACK are the ones”. These were the words of Powerplay Rock & Metal Magazine when they reviewed FORGED IN BLACK’s last album, the dynamic dynamite of “Descent of the Serpent“. That’s quite an accolade for any band to live up to and many would be cowed by it, falling at the next hurdle. Not FORGED IN BLACK; they have accepted the inherent challenge that was laid down in that statement, risen to it and exceeded all expectations.

      Four years on from “Descent of the Serpent” they have returned with their second release for Fighter Records – “Lightning in the Ashes” – an album that stays true to the heartbeat of metal, but incorporates influences from the magnificent offspring it has spawned. Power Metal, Thrash Metal, Doom Metal, Progressive Metal are all drawn into FORGED IN BLACK’s deadly web of sound.

FORGED IN BLACK‘s style is a fresh, melodic and powerful Heavy Metal where you can find classic elements from bands like IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST or QUEENSRYCHE, with an epic dose of CANDLEMASS/ GRAND MAGUS and touches of US Power a la METAL CHURCH, VICIOUS RUMORS… You have to hear it for yourself!!

      From the moment that “Lightning in the Ashes” bursts into life with the fiercely energized ‘Be One With Fire’ Metal fans will be enraptured by the cascading guitars, thunderous drums and soaring, imperious vocals. From there it’s an incredible ride as frontman Chris ‘Stoz’ Storozynski – surely one of the finest vocalists in British Metal today – leads listeners through the Maidenesque epic ‘Chains of ohe Damned’, the utterly immense ‘Dusk Breather’ and the jagged, multifaceted ‘War Torn Skull’.

      Every song has so much to offer as FORGED IN BLACK drive forward into new territories, challenging and exploring while remaining, as ever, true and hard as steel. Featuring absolutely stunning cover art, created by renowned artist Dan Goldsworthy (Accept, Haken, Sylosis etc), recorded at the Essex Recording Studios (The Darkness, Voodoo Six, PISTON etc) with producer James Curtis-Thomas and mastered by Christian Wright (Pigsx7, Brian Ferry, You Me At Six etc) at the world famous Abbey Road Studios.

      “Lightning in the Ashes” will be released by Fighter Records on June 20th. Set to be a defining moment in FORGED IN BLACK’s career, this album will see the band’s name reaching every corner of the Metal world. Prepare to be struck by lightning as “Lightning in the Ashes” bring down the hammer this summer!

-FIGHTER RECORDS

Combining the freewheeling freedom and pioneering spirit of NWOBHM with the manic madness and precision that’s required in thrash metal is no small feat. Thankfully Forged In Black have no problems pulling it off. Lightning In The Ashes is a calculated assault of sound that comes at you fast. You’ve got soaring clean vocals, brutal thrash metal shrieks, twin guitar acrobatics, and pounding breakdowns that will have you headbanging in no time at all. Let’s break this bad boy down track by track:

1. Be One With Fire starts off with a guitar lead, pounding riff, and sinister bassline that immediately give way to a piercing scream. The musical talent of the band and malevolent tone of the album are quickly established and it rarely lets up from here. Some gutteral roars from vocalist Chris “Stoz” Storozynski punctuate the track and let you know that this album isn’t your standard piece of denim vested worship. The title of this track becomes more than just a polite recommendation. It’s a demand!

2. Lightning In The Ashes comes roaring out of the gate with some grinding riffs to set the stage. Title tracks are always an important statement in an album and everything that the band will continue to deliver is present: screaming, shredding, and stylistic shuffling between genres. A fine way to keep the listener sucked in after you get them hooked with the establishing opener.

3. Dusk Breather slows things down at first, lulling you into a false sense of security. “Oh, it’s a melancholic soundscape!” Sorry, kid. This is a true metal album, not a hipster atmospheric black metal ego trip! The speed kicks right back in and you can easily see yourself in a circle pit with other metal maniacs. This is the fun kind of track you can easily see becoming a live staple for the band. The vocals soar and the lead guitars absolutely rip here.

4. Dark Lord Requiem lets the percussion lead the way with drums that give way to a percussive guitar riff. This is the quintessential mid-tempo stomper that gives metal bands fertile ground to plant seeds and play. The pinch-harmonics are a nice sprinkling of distorted spice to top this one off!

5. War Torn Skull might be one of the best track names of the year in addition to being a fun track in general. Blazing riffage, double-kick drumming, and a fun chorus pave the way for a brutal breakdown section mid-track that will be extremely satisfying for crossover thrash fans who like a tasty of party metal as they circle a boombox on top of a trash can in their basketball shorts. This is fun stuff!

6. Chains Of The Damned contains more riffs and elements you’d expect to hear in a crossover album like something from Municipal Waste but those moments are bisected with traditional and power metal goodness. It’s these combinations that help this album stand out from so many others in this space and make it worth a listen.

7. Building A Beast gives our earholes a brief respite with an acoustic intro. That rest is brief, however, as the heaviness quickly returns. This track has a lot of good things going for it, but unfortunately it’s let down by a disappointing chorus that lacks a strong hook. There is a great breakdown and some fancy lead guitar work, but it doesn’t quite come together on this one.

8. Brother’s Keeper rebounds us quickly with strong riffage and a scream that pierces the veil to get things back on track. This track has a chorus that is much stickier and followed me longer than the others after I completed my listening of the album. The band gives the music time to breathe a little more and it’s to the track’s benefit.

9. Hellucinator opens up with a riff that would make Dave Mustaine crack a smile. Strong vocal lines with fun wordplay are the main driver on this song. The NWOBHM side of the band shines more here and it’s welcome after the much thrashier selections that came before it. A blazing guitar solo is the icing on the cake.

10. Detonation Ritual is another one that needs to be added to the “track name of the year” pile. It starts in strong fashion with a keyboard intro that leads into a fantastic, dark guitar melody which further melts away to chugging riffs. This is by far my favorite track on the album. All the elements come together perfectly here. It’s a strong way to wrap things up and they saved the best for last.

Wrapping Up:

Forged In Black has found a fun formula for success with Lightning In The Ashes. Combining what may seem like disparate elements seems like a mighty task but they do pull it off. I think if they really focus and distill these elements even further we will be looking at a future release that will blow many people away. I recommend this album to anyone who is a fan of the current NWOTHM scene and wants hints of Municipal Waste, Metal Church or modern Kreator in the mix. Get your boots and cargo shorts on and get into the pit!

THENWOTHM SCORE: 7/10