Forbidden: Forbidden Evil Review
One of the Great Underrated Thrash Metal Albums of the 1980s
Aug 21, 2008
Thanks to Municipal Waste, Evile and a veritable army of young bands waving the flag for high speed metal, it's no surprise that there's been an increased interest in thrash recently. Older acts like Kreator who went largely ignored by the media are suddenly hip again and bands are reforming left, right and centre.
Consequently, the time is ripe for the archives to be flung open and long-forgotten albums dragged into the light. Among them is Forbidden's 1988 debut Forbidden Evil, an impressive eight tracks that deserves a fresh listen.
Forbidden : Bay Area Thrash Metal Band
Originally part of the second wave of thrash, Forbidden's career has been helped and hindered in equal measure by the fact that Robb Flynn and Paul Bostaph both appeared in the early line-up. On the one hand it has helped draw more fans in, but on the other has also resulted in them frequently being dismissed as a stepping stone. Nothing could be further from the truth, as Forbidden Evil is a head banging joy.
Kicking off with instant-anthem Chalice Of Blood, the band don't let up for a second. Guitarists Craig Locicero and Glen Alvelais hammer out riffs that Dave Mustaine would kill for, while larger-than-life vocalist Russ Anderson puts in a tremendous performance.
Granted, his high-pitched screaming may turn a few listeners away but the man has such raw power in his lungs it puts him a cut above an entire generation of gravel-throated hardcore frontmen. Listen to the close of the frantic Through Eyes Of Glass and it's hard not to imagine a few windows exploding each time he opens his mouth.
Good, Wholesome, Thrash Metal Fun
Forbidden Evil isn't a flawless record of course. It's too straightforward to be considered an all-time great, but when the songs are this good it doesn't really matter. These are tracks that climb into the ears, sink tender hooks into the brain and refuse to let go, but don't sacrifice an ounce of energy or aggression doing so.
Despite the inherent violence of the music though, this is nowhere near the levels of malevolence that Exodus or Onslaught exude nowadays and unsurprisingly, the mosh pits at their recent reunion shows have been good-natured, friendly affairs.
Beyond Forbidden Evil
Admittedly, Forbidden Evil hasn't aged quite as well as say, Raining Blood and some of the lyrics and vocal melodies have an element of cheese to them, but this is still a welcome addition to any modern metal collection.
If the recent rumours of new material are anything to go by, the band is enjoying a second wind now and may finally capitalise on the promise they showed nearly two decades ago. Time to dust off the bullet belt and headbang like it's 1988.
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