Forsaken have recently released a solid in every way album,which they are currently promoting through out the world. I just had to ask these guys about the impact of "Anima Mundi" on the listeners around the globe, the press... and some other things, which I hope you enjoy reading...

1. Hi Simeon & Forsaken! What a great album you just release onto the world! How are you these days, I can imagine pretty busy with all the promotion of the album?
     Yeap...Releasing a CD is always a very time consuming activity but we always look forward to it. Our label Golden Lake Productions is sending many promotional CDs around the world for reviews and radio play. We are promoting the CD here in Malta with various live performances, press releases and so on. On the other hand, we are trying to promote the CD abroad with live performances. Anima Mundi is receiving very positive reactions from those who listened to it, and reviewed it, like you

2. I know you've been around for quite a long time, but I assume there are still many guys out there that, unfortunately, have not heard of you yet. Would please mention the most important facts about Forsaken history?
     You're right; we've been around for quite some time - nearly 14 years to be exact. The initial line-up, formed in September 1990, featured Leo Stivala (vocals), former Fall Out keyboardist Cay Schembri, Kevin Azzopardi (guitars), Simeon Gatt (drums) and Tony Azzopardi (bass), and the band was named Blind Alley, no particular style yet, but just heavy metal.
     Then, we changed the name to "Forsaken" shortly after Albert Bell, our current bassist joined the band, replacing Tony in July 1991. We wrote new material with a strong doom metal focus, but leaving the heavy metal influences, then on Friday 13 September 1991, we made our debut concert. After this live debut, we released our debut demo entitled "Requiem". The demo was a 4 track recording, not a great production but received favourable reviews in a number of foreign fanzines and magazines. With the help of this demo we made a deal with French underground metal label Arkham Productions.
     We released a 7" Ep on Arkham entitled "Virtues of Sanctity" in July 1992, featuring a re-worked version of "Where Angels Have Fallen" from the "Requiem" demo and another track called "Confessing My Desolation". But, before the EP release Cay our original keyboardist, left the band and Daniel Magri (ex-Manslaughter) guitarist joined in. The band was had a stronger guitar-based, riff-oriented sound. In 1993 our guitarist Kevin Azzopardi, left the band and was replaced by Sean Vukovic (Filletti & Friends/ex-Norm Rejection), our current guitarist.
     We toured for the first time throughout France and Spain, between February and March 1994, playing in various cities and with various bands. Finally after several local gigs, we released our debut full length CD entitled "Evermore" in February 1997 on Storm Records. This CD had nine tracks including "Madrigal", "Season's End", Sufferance and the epic "Winter Tears". Again, "Evermore" received favourable reviews in a number of established zines , and had "best-band" nomination in the 1997 Malta Music Awards. Shortly after Mario Ellul (Weeping Silence) joined the band on keyboards. We focused all our efforts on building new material with backing keyboards oriented songs and with some local live performances, but as things were looking good, on 4th of January 2001, Daniel Magri, the band's longest serving guitarist passed away after a long and courageous battle against Cancer. He greatly contribution to the band's sound and in the composition of some memorable tracks, including "Confessing My Desolation" and "Rubicon". During his cancer treatment he heavily contributed on the recording of "Neon Knights"- a Black Sabbath track. This shows his total passion to the band which we still miss nowadays. Neon Knights was released on Mk II Black Sabbath tribute entitled "Dehumanized Witch", a Mid-West Metal Productions (USA) in 2000.
     Although Daniel's loss we consolidated his wish to continue with the band and in Feb 2002 we released of a three-track demo simply titled "Demo 2002". The demo was distributed exclusively to record labels and infact we made a deal with Glasgow-based, Golden Lake Productions (Scotland, UK) for the release of a MCD entitled "Iconoclast" in December 2002. "Iconoclast" has a running time of 35 minutes, and included all tracks from the Demo 2002," Where Angels have fallen", "Via Crucis(the way of the cross )", "A Martyr's Prayer" and "Wither the Hour" for a total running time of 35 min. "Iconoclast" received very favourable reviews from web zines, fan zines, distro, magazines, etc. We received over 70 reviews and there are still more that we do not know about but Iconoclast help the band to participate in the first ever totally DOOM festival in Europe named DOOM SHALL RISE held in Crailsheim Germany. This was of great experience and showed to the doom critics that Forsaken has true a unique sound and style. This was reported in all doom shall rise reviews, go to www.doomshallrise.de for more details. Shortly after we were nominated and won the Best Heavy Rock Band Award in the Malta Music Awards Festival 2004. Now we released our latest new full-length CD entitled "Anima Mundi" on Golden Lake Productions. Featuring 7 tracks (including the likes of "Kindred Veil", "Sephiroth", "Carpe Diem" and a re-worked version of "All is Accomplished") for a running time of circa 52 minutes, the album was officially released on 20th February 2004 to very strong acclaim in the metal scene world-wide. This is evidenced by a torrent of positive reviews (see reviews section) and a notable 6th position in the world-wide top 80 metal releases as voted by journalists of the reputable Heavy Oder Was? Metal magazine (Germany). Presently, we are supporting this release by a number of live performances in Malta and Head Bangers Open Air (Germany), whilst working on new material to ensure a new release by the beginning of 2005 on Golden Lake Productions (Scotland). I know it's long but I cannot write 14 years of experiences in few lines.

3. I can't think "Anima Mundi" could get any negative opinions around the world, to be honest. How has been the response to this record you've been getting?
     All reviews that we know about, all gave very positive comments, which is very gratifying because we worked very hard after releasing "Iconoclast", to improve the overall sound and production.

4. What is it that pushed you towards the kind of metal Forsaken represents?
     I cannot say that we really sat down and said we want to sound like that band, Forsaken music is not driven by any musical trends. Doom Metal was, is and will never be trendy but it is an attitude to life. I think our style is heavily driven by our life style and life in general. Some songs are personal or band experiences, obviously we are influenced by what is happening around us, we cannot neglect that. But, Forsaken will always remain a doom metal band.

5. What would you say were your first main influences? What would be the records that told you to actually go ahead and form a band?
     Our main influence is obviously Black Sabbath, but we are inspired by several doom bands such as Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus, Revelation, St Vitus, Count Raven and so on. Some of us are heavily influenced from the 80's speed/thrash metal and NWOBHM scenes. All these influences forged Forsaken's style. There are no particular records that triggered us personally but all these band release unforgettable releases that surely influenced us deep down to play a musical instrument.

6. I kept asking myself while listening to your previously released "Iconoclast" MCD, how come you're not out there yet, conquering the wide world, would the name have something to do with it (he,he)? I guess "Anima Mundi" is certainly going to help you with that anyway... By the way, cool new website!
     I listen to many different underground bands and sound a lot better than that promoted on MTV, VHI, VIVA etc but the music industry is all about money and huge record companies promote bands who will return them most profit.
     We are not doing this for money, if so, we would sound like some alternative band or pop star. We like what we are doing, if one day we are on some charts then there will be something really wrong with our music.
     Our webmaster did a great job to improve our website, considering that this is done in his free time and will. We really appreciate all this. But, there will be more updates and surprises in the future.

7. If you were to compare Forsaken to an animal, what would that be and, of course, why?
     It could be an Elephant as it always leaves an impact on the area around it. At least what happens after each live gig as we always try to give our 100%.

8. What can you tell us about Forsaken's live performances, any international shows to look forward to?
     Normally we try to have up to 4 to 5 live performances in Malta. We cannot have lots more due to the lack of venues. Obviously, we always try to seek for the eventuality to make live performance abroad and we are going to participate in Head Bangers Open Air (Germany) in 9/10th July. Be there.......

9. What is the Malta scene like nowadays, are there any bands apart from Forsaken that you'd like to mention we should look out for?
     Although the Island size is very small we have a very strong Maltese metal scene, like death grind band Beheaded and black metal band Archrean Harmony, who had some positive feedback from their releases. In fact our recording studios are of high standard and more and more bands are trying to release their material.

10. What's your approach towards the Church's mass hypnosis, actually, any religion at all?
     Our main religion is Christianity and due to the small island size the Church had deep influences on the population's opinion in the past but with globalization, things are changing. I try to evaluate through reading or hearing all possible opinions.

11. We've had lots of terrorist acts all around the world lately, mostly based on some maniacal way of approaching life, culture divisions, etc... what do you think of all that?
     I hate wars and there is no reason what so ever to start a war, who ever he is. So, all these events happening during these last few years are really bad. We should be living in a civilized world where people can voice their differences and tolerate each other but it seems that people like to impose their opinion in one way or the other. It is clearly showing that by killing people, the situation is degrading and peace is just an imaginary concept.

12. What have you main disappointments on the music scene been in, let's say the last year?
     My main disappointment is that I have a job from 8 to 5 and not enough time to dedicate for my band.

13. What have the best things been all about?
     The participation in the first Doom Shall Rise Festival (Germany) and releasing "Anima Mundi".

14. So, what are the nearest plans for Forsaken?
     We still need to promote "Anima Mundi" with locally, whilst in the meantime we already started working on new material for the new CD release, planned for the beginning of next year, with Golden Lake Productions. And while writing this interview, we were confirmed to participate in the Head Bangers Open Air Festival 2004 (Germany).

Thanks a lot for your time Simeone, wishing you the best of luck with Forsaken, is there anything you'd like to add to finish this interview on a nice note?
     I urge to all those who read this interview and do not a copy of our CD to do so from our label Golden Lake Productions, http://www.goldenlakeprods.co.uk/ and visit our website www.forsakenmalta.com for more information and give their comments in the guest book.
     But last and not least thanks for your help in reviewing our CDs, and for this interview. Without your help our music can only be appreciated by few persons."
Thanks
Simeon Gatt


Forsaken
http://www.forsakenmalta.com