Artist: Forbidden Temple
Country: Belgium
Label: Gramschap
Formats: Demo Tape
Year: 2025
Just as I was late reviewing ‘In The Rotting Grave’, I am also a little late covering this rehearsal tape that followed it. But although I would prefer to be a little closer to the actual release date, Forbidden Temple’s music isn’t exactly modern either, so perhaps “fashionably late” fits this whole concept perfectly.
As a whole, Forbidden Temple is no stranger to releasing tapes, either independently or through their long-standing alliance with Medieval Prophecy Records and Gramschap. The latter is also responsible for ‘Draculhearsals’, which was released last fall. A season that, with its increasingly shorter days, piercing rain showers, and a range of enchanting warm colors, lends itself perfectly to old gothic horror films. It is perhaps no coincidence that the cover of this tape features a portrait of Dracula, played here by Howard Venon in ‘Dracula, Prisoner Of Frankenstein’ (1972). The music is a perfect soundtrack for both the colder and bleaker weather and a real old-fashioned horror film.
The tape consists of three original compositions that are completely in line with what we have come to expect from these Belgians. By now, they can rightfully call themselves the uncrowned kings of warm-blooded Black Metal. Nowadays, there are several bands following the same path and honoring the intensely magical melodies of early Varathron, Samael, and Mystifier, but almost none of them are as consistent in their execution as Forbidden Temple. The use of buzzing keyboards and echoing vocals contribute greatly to the atmosphere of the mysterious dark arts of First Wave Black Metal.
While by no means this is flatfooted Black Metal, the otherwise mandatory bit of dynamics in music is of lesser significance here. The slower tempo and a true sense of mysticism is what Forbidden Temple is all about. No speed or riff-wizardry is needed to evoke a genuine evil and occult atmosphere. On the very contrary, I would say.
I’m guessing that no one reading this has never heard of Forbidden Temple before, so in fact all of the above is a waste of effort, but it never hurts to put the best bands in the genre in the spotlight time and time again. And, for those who expect to encounter no real surprises at all, the fourth track, ‘Sathanas Lead Us Through’, will still make you sit up and take notice. It’s a cover of Diabolos Rising, the short-lived project of Magus Wampyr Daoloth (Thou Art Lord, ex-Necromantia, ex-Rotting Christ, ex-Zemial, and ex-Yoth Iria) and Mr. Mika Luttinen of Impaled Nazarene, a band that is slowly but surely gaining more and more appreciation after years of being disregarded.
