Four years after A Kingdom of Ice, Forsaken Eternity will return with the four-song EP Shades of Existence. Rottweiler Records will release the project Friday, Sept. 25.
The Portland, Oregon, band’s core remains multi-instrumentalist Vladislav Gayko and vocalist and lyricist Nathan Mote. However, they are joined by drummer Pierce Williams and returning keyboardist Brian Rush, both former members of Skeletal Remains.
Forsaken Eternity Offers No Gentle Entrance
“Adrift in a Twisted Ethereal” opens the EP with the speed and technical playing expected from melodic death metal. Symphonic layers give the song a larger scale without burying its guitars or drums.
From there, “Whispers From the Moon” places Rush’s keyboards against Gayko’s guitar work. The arrangement builds gradually, but it maintains the record’s aggressive pace.
Meanwhile, “Celestial Witch” moves deeper into the band’s dark fantasy imagery. Its keyboard passages, rapid lead guitar and relentless drums give the track an ominous atmosphere.
Finally, the title track closes the EP with a broader and more measured arrangement. Together, the four songs move between symphonic metal, melodic death metal and black metal influences.
‘Shades of Existence’ Follows a Four-Year Break
A Kingdom of Ice introduced Forsaken Eternity’s combination of technical metal and frozen fantasy landscapes in 2022. Rather than changing direction after the long break, Shades of Existence tightens that approach into a shorter release.
Gayko wrote and performed the music, while Mote supplied the lyrics and vocals. Williams performs drums throughout the EP. Rush contributes keyboard solos to “Whispers From the Moon” and “Celestial Witch.”
The release continues a recent run of heavy music from Rottweiler Records, following Altarheart’s Prone to Wander.
Shades of Existence Track List
- “Adrift in a Twisted Ethereal”
- “Whispers From the Moon”
- “Celestial Witch”
- “Shades of Existence”