It’s been a long, eventful journey since Forged In Black first formed. They began life back in 2009 – for a brief period under the name Merciless Fail, before settling on their current far stronger title. Countless hours were spent in the rehearsal studio, innumerable gigs were played and long nights were spent on the road between shows – and by 2013 they were ready to record their debut album, “Forged In Black”; self titled as so many of the greatest first albums are – Iron Maiden, Motörhead, Metal Church – the list goes on.
Since the release of that debut album, Forged In Black have gone on to play Bloodstock Festival (twice!), Hammerfest and the Camden Underworld. They have played alongside metal legends like Judas Priest’s Ripper Owens and NWOBHM heroes Demon, they’ve recorded with Chris Tsangarides (Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath etc) and Romesh Dodengoda (Motörhead, Bring Me The Horizon, Bullet For My Valentine etc) and released two hugely critically acclaimed albums through Spain’s Fighter Records. As we said, it’s been quite a ride. Now 15 years into their story, Forged In Black have decided to mark the passing of the years with a remastered, expanded reissue of the album that started it all…”Forged In Black Remastered MMXXIV”!
Featuring the band’s glorious, eponymous anthem, “Forged In Black” itself, alongside another staple of the current live set, “Accusations Of The Innocent”, the debut album remains an essential part of the Forged In Black catalogue – but it’s never sounded as good as it does now, in its rejuvenated form. Sympathetically and meticulously remastered by Marcus Stock (Alcest, Green Carnation, Marché Funebre etc), songs like the monumental “Fortify Or Die” have been imbued with a new depth, resonance and power. The tracklisting has also been expanded to include metal epics “The Exodus” and “The Tide”, title tracks from two classic early Forged EPs, currently unavailable on physical format.
Complete with vivid new artwork, created by guitarist Andy Songhurst, a respected tattoo artist, this is the ultimate edition of the Forged In Black album. Fighter Records will unleash this magnificent rebirth of a classic on December 3rd on CD and digital formats. Grab your copy and share in the celebration of fifteen years of great British metal, as Forged In Black bring down the hammer, harder than ever before!
