It took them a while, maybe too much a wait, yet not that long for them to be forgotten. The Newcastle heroes, from the British isle, have returned with a new studio album after almost a decade of silence. Probably one of the single Folk Metal bands that have almost never touched any form of historical or legendary events in their music, but rather chose to create material that literally attacks society and its baleful condition. At times they might sound cynical but the truth factor has always been a key part of their songcraft and that is one of the reasons why SKYCLAD has been a name that cries genuity in Folk Metal. "Forward To The Past" is the band's fourteenth release, released via the band's new label, Listenable Records. In short, the waiting was worth it.

As if time never made any effect on their mindset when composing their line of music, SKYCLAD just kept going, continuing a similar pattern that was displayed on their previous "In the... All Together" album. Other than the interesting and so down to earth social themes that once again served them well, SKYCLAD kept tightly their articulate musical progress. Surfing the seas of Folk Metal, "Forward To The Past" twists and turns, roughly gurgling Alternative Rock / Metal, holding a certain grip at traditional Metal that is rather closer to later IRON MAIDEN (How awfully British of them?!), especially where the soloing and melodic twin guitaring is involved, with constant blinks towards Progressive Metal, which might even challenge a bit of the extreme. Throughout their career, as I perceive it, SKYCLAD have never wrote memorable tracks that could be rendered as major powerful hits, no larger than life choruses if you catch my drift. However, the rather cold vocals and diverse music did the talking to entice their special gift at being creative and mind melting. I might add that the atmospheric vibe created by the unconventional instrumentation made the music as a multidimensional experience.

"Words Fail Me" and "Forward Into The Past" proclaimed the game words and harsh criticism of the band, as one of its powerful virtues that never ceased to amaze me. This duo of songs is also a true example of great musicianship that might show a thing or two even to the rather younger acts that got bigger over a fling with a passing trend. Add the epic "The Queen of the Moors", dramatic "Borderline" and the punching "A Heavy Price to Pay" and you got yourself a Folk Metal album that is well made, assorted and complex in its special kind of way. Let's salute and hope that these guys won't take that long to make another album. England we won't think back and lie!