New Zealand Rockers Lay Claim to the Forgotten ’80s Metal Sound
Forsaken Age returns with their second full-length album Heavy Metal Nightmare on November 6, 2020. Led by front woman Chrissy Scarfe, the band promises catchy songs and hooks, as well as that ’80s Metal sound that was lost to trends and Pop Rock radio. Bassist Lee Scarfe gives the lowdown on how it all began and where Forsaken Age is headed.
Metal Express Radio: If I knew absolutely nothing about Forsaken Age, how would you describe the band’s music to me?
Lee Scarfe: Forsaken Age is Heavy Metal. It is for 80s metal maniacs, all killer, no filler. We are the band you would listen to while in the heavy metal parking lot! We have influences from NWOBHM to German Heavy Metal!!!
MER: Your second album Heavy Metal Nightmare is set to be released on November 6, 2020 through Pure Steel Publishing. Can you describe the meaning behind the songs…
“Death Terror” – Death Terror is an observation on people who desperately want to be someone, to leave a legacy and in doing so are consumed by it.
“Raven’s Cry” – This is a fantasy tale about seeing into the future and the foreboding it brings.
“Ride On” – This is a cover of an Irish Folk song originally written by Jimmy MCarthy. The inspiration we took is from Christy Moore’s version.
“Fire in Our Hearts” – This is about all of us, we put on our battle vest, crack a beer and turn the dial to 666! It is the fire that stirs within us all.
“Blood Magick” – This is another fantasy tale inspired by Wit’ch Banned and the Banished series.
“Iron Overlord” – This is a story about evil. The lyrics are self explanatory and a reminder to never stand by and do nothing, so that evil may flourish.
“Heavy Metal Nightmare” – This track is very personal to Chrissy and is a very metaphorical tale on a friend of hers who suffered from addiction that led to his suicide.
“Running in the Dark” – This is a story about a fugitive.
“Hail and Farewell” – This is written as if a soldier in world war one would write home from the horrors of the battlefield.
“Time Warrior” – This is about the savior we need from 1982 to come back and save us from pop music and restore Heavy Metal to it’s rightful place.
Tim “Ripper” Owens is a guest vocalist on “Raven’s Age.” How did the band get him involved?
LS: We toured with Tim “Ripper” Owens in 2012 for the New Zealand leg of his tour and managed to stay in touch. The rest is on the track! We sent him the track, he liked it and sent back some absolutely killer vocals! He is the ultimate professional and his talent is undeniable
MER: It’s been 8 years since the release of your debut album Back From Extinction? Was there a reason it took so long to get this second album out?
LS: I guess like a good whisky we need to age and mature. We had line up issues on the way and finding like minded musicians at the bottom of the world can be a hard thing to do. This album though is a culmination of patience and determination. It is everything as a band that we are. The next one won’t take as long we are already 4 tracks in!
MER: Did you find Pure Steel Publishing or did they find you?
LS: Pure Steel is a label we have coveted for a long time. To us they epitomize underground Heavy and Speed Metal. We submitted our tracks and they seem to love them as much as we did. The excitement of being picked up by Pure Steel is one we can’t describe in words (Although give us beer and we will talk about it for hours!)
MER: What inspired the band’s name?
LS: Trendy posers killing Metal. At the time we started this, we felt Metal was being lost in a world of trends and bullshit. We just wanted to return to the Forsaken Age of Heavy Metal.
MER: What lead to the band’s formation?
LS: Beer, stubbornness and frustration. Bands like ours are few in New Zealand (Our scene is dominated by extreme metal). So something had to be done and here we are!
MER: Since touring is on hold for the Covid-19 lockdowns, has Forsaken Age been doing anything musically in the meantime?
LS: We are writing and have local shows planned. We have also just finished filming a video. Billy and Lee also have a side project Sons of Satan, a black Thrash band they have been recording for. Covid will not will not stop the metal!
MER: When you did tour, did you have any crazy touring stories?
LS: Most of tour stories involve being drunk so recalling them is difficult. We arrived at accommodation for a show (Names and places redacted) and there was blood smeared on the wall in the room, it was significant. This same tour 3 of us got sick, we nearly killed each other, one of us drank hand sanitizer to prove they were tough. We got locked out of the truck in the middle of the countryside….and this was only a few dates. With touring the fun and memories will always outweigh anything else
MER: Is there anything else you’d like to talk about that I didn’t cover?
LS: We hope to get touring through Europe when Covid allows. Go get the album maniacs! It is Heavy Metal and we promise you will love it! We also love hearing from fans. Contact us through social media channels!
Forsaken Age is:
Chrissy Scarfe – Vocals
Billy Freeman – Guitars, backing vocals
Lee Scarfe – Bass, backing vocals
Aidan MacNaughton – Guitars
Tam Cramer – Drums
Be the first to comment