Foretoken Discuss the Evolution and Inspiration Behind Their Album ‘Triumphs’

Seeing an extreme metal band exploring concepts inspired by mythological tales is no new thing, but when it is done as well as Virginia-based blackened death metal duo Foretoken do on their new album, Triumphs (Prosthetic Records), it certainly grabs your attention.

Ahead of the release of the album, V13 sat down with the two brains behind Foretoken to find out about their inspiration, how the album follows on from their Ruins debut, and what their ultimate live show would be if money was no objective.

Make sure you check out the video for “His Riastrad” before you delve into what the band had to tell us.

Thanks for your time. Triumphs is now out; what can fans expect when they pick it up?

Steve Redmond (guitar, orchestration): “Riffs, solos, riffs, blast beats, riffs, epic tales from mythology, and did we also mention riffs?”

Primarily Foretoken is a duo; however, the line-up was rounded out for the album by Hannes Grossmann on drums. Why was Hannes the right fit to perform on the album?

Steve: “Hannes has a unique playstyle that blends death metal, technical death metal, and jazz. Foretoken’s sound varies quite a bit from song to song, so we needed someone who would be able to confidently switch between styles and add flare while doing it.”

Talk us through the album, then. As a follow-up to Ruin, which elements of that album did you want to expand and bring into Triumphs?

Steve: “Ruin was a bit of an experiment in “can we (as musicians) write longer songs which are still able to keep your attention and don’t get repetitive?”. Triumphs was a pivot as we wanted to write an album that could be more easily played live. There was also more of an emphasis on songwriting this time around and making the hooks really grab you.”

Do you see Triumphs as a standalone follow-up to Ruin or a continuation of that album?

Steve: “It’s a continuation in the sense that it’s an evolution of what we started in Ruin. However, Triumphs is most definitely a different album than Ruin.”

In terms of Triumphs, then, can you talk us through some of the themes you’ve explored on this record?

Dan Cooley (Vocals/Lyrics): “The core concept behind Foretoken is that we employ mythology, legends, and folklore to explore a thesis or central idea within each album. Ruin explored stories about the characters either willingly or accidentally destroying their lives. Triumphs explores the idea of pyrrhic victories (costly victories where the price of winning is near equal to defeat) and how those victories ended up causing potential collateral damage.”

What about musically? There is a huge amount of depth and character to the songs; where do you draw inspiration from?

Steve: “I draw inspiration from a variety of things. One day I might hear an awesome song and think about how it would be cool to write something in a similar style. Sometimes I’ll write something based on my mood. Half of Triumphs was written during a rather tough period of my life where things were changing drastically for me, and I think you can certainly hear some of those emotions within the music on the album.”

Foretoken ‘Triumphs’ Album Artwork

You make use of Scandinavian, Southeast Asian, and Middle Eastern instruments on the album; what do you think they add to the Foretoken sound?

Steve: “For this album, I really wanted the world instruments and symphonic elements to be there for atmosphere. Our first album was a bit “busy” with orchestral samples, and for Triumphs, I wanted people to focus more on the riffs. I think these instruments add a subtle, individual flavor to each track while still allowing each song to stay true to the Foretoken sound.”

The Black Dahlia Murder’s Brandon Ellis appears on “A Tyrant Rises As Titans Fall.” How did that come about?

Dan: “Early in the writing process of Triumphs, we knew we wanted someone to help turn the album up to 11. When chatting about the sonic direction of the album, Steve and I agreed that this was going to be a heavily guitar-driven album, so we figured a badass guitarist would be the best choice. From there, it was just a matter of messaging Brandon, and explaining our ideas, and the rest was straightforward. He’s a real pro and joy to work with.”

You’ve also chosen to include your cover of Naglfar’s I Am Vengeance. Why that particular song, and how do you think it fits in with the rest of the album thematically and musically?

Dan: “Naglfar is a shared favorite band for Steve and I. We’d often jam on this song during practices because it’s just so much damn fun. Naglfar has always done a killer job of blending death metal and black metal and that’s influenced us immensely. Encores are an awesome way to close out a show, and we felt it’d be cool if we recreated this sensation with a song we both enjoy, would come as a surprise but wouldn’t be too dissimilar from Foretoken’s sound.”

Folklore, fantasy, and fables all make for a perfect visual feast. How important is the visual side of the Foretoken package?

Dan: “From an imagery perspective, we want the package to match the music – even down to the logo. The Foretoken logo is meant to evoke the image of an open tome. The album booklet and/or vinyl inserts both in Ruin and Triumphs are an extension of this idea by being designed as pages from a book. Our overall aesthetic (with our covers) is meant to be evocative of classical art but with emphasis on the darker subtext.”

If money was no object, and taking into consideration the previous question, what would your ultimate live show be like?

Dan: “Ha, well, how much time do you have? I envision a grand show with a projector screen(s) showing premade animations and/or videos unique for each song and part of the show, pyrotechnics, fog machines, and stage actors to help us bring the stories we’re telling to the stage. If money was truly no object, it’d be set up almost like a festival experience, complete with themed booths for food and drink based on our songs. I’d want it to be a truly immersive experience that would leave you talking about it for years.”

Going back to the start, then just to round this up, when a fan hits play on the album, where do you hope the album Triumphs transports them to?

Dan: “The album is rooted in stories, and we’ve done our best to bring them to life sonically. We want you to be able to place yourself there, to smell the dirt, see the grime, to feel like you know the characters personally, and can empathize with their experiences, understanding why their tales are still talked about to this day.”

Thanks for your time, and good luck with Triumphs. Just to wrap this up, what are your plans for the rest of 2023?

Dan: “Begin writing album number 3! I’ve researched all the stories and sorted out the theme for the next album, and Steve has a few riffs written. I enjoy the writing process a ton (it’s super fun to get lost in), and I can’t wait to get started on the next one!”

Triumphs is out now through Prosthetic Records, and you can pick up your copy here.