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Release Date: September 06th 2024. Record Label: Majestic Mountain Records. Formats: DD
The Seeker: Tracklisting
1. Deadbeat (6:07)
2. Lost (7:13)
3. Around The Corner (4:14)
4. Drag (10:07)
5. The Sun (6:21)
6. The Watcher (7:46)
Members
Azul Josh - Guitar and Vocals
Svend - Guitar
Review
The Seeker is the debut album from Psych Doom/Stoner Rockers Forgotten King which has a deeply spiritual and personal sound ranging from all corners. With a free flowing Progressive attitude which drifts into a varied FUZZED UP territory for a subdued style of Doom/Stoner Rock being played throughout. The album is quite vivid with its nomadic based lyrics that hits close to the bone for Azul Josh’s vocals and soaring melodic guitars.
Azul Josh is also a member of Norwegian Doom/Stoner heavyweights KAL-EL and this record has a similar guitar tone to that great band whilst venturing into fuzzier sounds of their own making. Forgotten King isn’t afraid to delve into a slightly dramatic style of Gothic, Alt-Rock and Occult Rock tendencies. With the music switching between 1980’s Shoegaze, 1990’s Stoner Metal and modern day down-tuned FUZZIER movements for a record takes a no-holds barred approach especially when the band add tales of paranoia and mental illness into the overall creative narrative of the album.
Opening tracks of Deadbeat and Lost operate against a Sludge Rock background with an intense and wholly melodic slow moving Post-Doom/Post-Stoner swagger that offers no easy answers. The music changes into different styles of Doom/Stoner Rock with even moments of Desert Rock appearing reminding me of QOTSA in places.
The Seeker becomes bolder and daring with the Progressive element of the album fully taking over by the stunning third track Around The Corner. The track is more riff-centric but Forgotten King remains cautiously downbeat even when the music changes into brief moments of uplifting Stoner Rock attitudes.
The second half of The Seeker becomes quite experimental with trippy amounts of down-tuned Psychedelics and Space Rock converging together for an abstract sound within tracks such as Drag and The Sun. There’s a firm hold on Post-Metal based sounds on the lengthier instrumental moments that resides mostly within Drag and The Watcher. Even the vocals are quite harsh and abrasive which is surprising and wholly unexpected
Forgotten King creates and builds up some mighty fine euphoric grooves throughout the whole album with the melodic FUZZ and down-tuned Stoner passages ending the album naturally whilst allowing the listener complete closure to the epic sounding record they’ve just fully experienced.
The Seeker is a daring and soulful expedition into the gloomier depths of Psych Doom/Stoner Metal that you only start to appreciate fully the more times you listen to this great album. As Forgotten King delivers the goods with this album with thrilling production values to match.
Outstanding and possibly another fine addition to anyone’s Album Of The Year collection before the year is up.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Good Boy PR for the promo.
The Seeker will be available to buy on DD via Majestic Mountain Records from Friday 06th September 2024.
Links
Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram