Forbidden return with a new album, sixteen whole years after 2010’s “Omega Wave”! The Bay Area thrash metal veterans release their self-titled sixth album, and we can certainly say that it is a blast! On “Forbidden”, the Americans stay within the boundaries of thrash metal, but by no means do they deliver a typical thrash metal album. Instead, they enrich their thrash sound with various elements, ranging from classic, melodic heavy metal to progressive metal, groove metal, death metal, and more, giving us a musical work that surprises, shakes things up, and leaves us speechless. This genre-defying mentality opens the doors to a world where there are no restrictions, taboos, or guilty pleasures, a world where they have nothing left to prove and everything is possible. As a result, Forbidden do not repeat themselves, exploring many new ideas both for the band and for the genre itself. This does not mean that they reinvent the wheel. However, it does result in an album on which Forbidden not only sound fresh and modern but also dare to take risks, delivering songs that are distinctive, original, and intelligent. In this way, Forbidden once again stand out from the crowd, take several steps forward, and prove that they have plenty of reasons to remain active! Add to all this their wealth of inspiration and passionate, energetic performances, and it becomes clear that “Forbidden” is a very good album! In 2026, heavy metal needs albums like this and artists who put art before trends.
♦ 9/10
Dimitris Zacharopoulos
