FORTÍÐ have unleashed the first vicious single ‘Controlled Patterned Mental Process’, which is taken from the pagan metal duo’s forthcoming sixth full-length, “World Serpent”. The Icelanders reveal their album details and the cover below. “World Serpent” has been slated for release on December 11th.
‘Controlled Patterned Mental Process’ is available for immediate publication via this YouTube link: https://youtu.be/UBrK7j62CHM
Einar Eldur Thorberg comments: “As the title ‘Controlled Patterned Mental Process’ suggests, this song deals with the way, in which the mass of humans is herded around by those few who are in control”, reveals the Icelander. “We are told what to like and dislike, what is beautiful and what is ugly, what is normal and what is strange. People who stray from those accepted norms experience a walk of fire, often face ridicule, and are criticised for not fitting in. This song also touches on a system that resembles a faceless enemy. When this system fails those that it is supposed to serve, there is never a responsible person to be found. The resulting anger is eventually unleashed on something or someone – even if the target has no connection with the issue. Humans are an aggressive species, and the world that we have built revolves around abstract ideas such as money and religion. Ideologies and our true nature are forever set on a collision course.”
Tracklist
- AI 2020
- The True Awakening
- Controlled Patterned Mental Process
- Insignificant is the Wormking’s Throne
- Suppressed Opposition
- Son of a Barren Land
- Pandemic
- Beyond the Grips of Odium
- Perfect Annihilation
- Last Line of Defence
In the pagan mind, every end also marks a beginning. The Norse gods perish in a final battle of a chain of apocalyptic events called Ragnarök that witnesses the old world die in flames. Yet according to the prophetic poem “Völuspá”, they return on the next morning to a renewed world free from the old sins at the beginning of a new cycle.
FORTÍÐ have artistically captured such a cataclysmic turning point with their sixth full-length “World Serpent” by creating an album that essentially consists of two halves of five songs each. Although both parts have diverging musical visions and even different line-ups, they complement each other rather than to constitute two separate entities. “I see ‘World Serpent’ as a duology”, explains mastermind Einar Eldur Thorberg. “The chapters are bound together by an apocalyptic theme that provides a red thread running through this album.”
Although the title refers to the mythological Midgard Serpent as a cleverly chosen metaphor as this beast from ancient tales is also a symbol for the equator, circling the globe and thus dividing it into two halves, FORTÍÐ have deliberately not used Old Norse literature apart from some metaphors in the lyrics of their new songs. “I don’t want to get stuck in that Viking metal box”, explains the multi-instrumentalist. “I take the freedom to do what I want and evolve.”
The other main clamp holding both parts of the album together are, of course, Einar’s trademark riffs and distinct vocals. “In the first part, I experimented a bit with influences from Bay Area thrash both in the singing and the guitar sound”, he reveals. “The second part sees a return to a more black metal approach with screams and clean vocals.” Yet, not only the sources of inspiration set both halves apart, but the fact that Einar moved back from Norway to his native Iceland for personal reasons and left the previous FORTÍÐ line-up behind as well, which had already recorded the first five tracks. Back on the volcanic island, he recorded five more songs aided by Kristján Einar Guðmundsson (KONTINUUM, POTENTIAM).
Despite some subtle experimentation and drastic line-up changes, FORTÍÐ are still following the course that Einar set on the “Völuspá”-trilogy of albums from 2003 to 2010 as well as the acclaimed “Pagan Prophecies” (2012) and “9” (2015) full-lengths by combining harsh black and death metal riffing as well as a pinch of thrash with a penchant for epic melodies, versatile vocals and a dose of “Icelandic sound”. With “World Serpent”, FORTÍÐ have unleashed a dark and deadly creature onto the pagan metal world!
Release date: 11th of December 2020
Current line-up
Einar Eldur Thorberg – vocals, guitars
Kristján Einar Guðmundsson – drums
Style: Pagan Metal
Pre-sale link: https://prophecy.lnk.to/fortid-world-serpent
“World Serpent” is available as Digipak CD and on Gatefold 2LP in black and in ltd. edition transparent Curacao blue vinyl.
Link: www.facebook.com/fortid