Forlorn, ‘Aether’ | Track By Track

Forlorn guide us track by track through the creation of their debut album ‘Aether’, out now via Church Road Records.

Mother Of Moon

“We have crafted ‘Aether’ to embody the essence of pagan ritual, with each track honouring the alchemical elements of Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. We open the circle with Mother of Moon, an ambient offering within which we venerate Goddess and Mother of Witches, Hekate. We ask her to cleanse us in preparation for the journey ahead.”

Creatress

“The concept of ‘Creatress’ is centred around the element of Earth and is inspired by the ancient norse deity Moder. Drawing parallels between humanity’s relationship with Mother Earth and women in modern society, in return of care and respect you shall receive eternal life and abundance. Female empowerment has been a core theme that has developed across our offerings; ‘Creatress’ honours the ancient matriarch, a societal archetype often disregarded as worthless, particularly in modern day society.”

The Wailing

“A visceral and unrelenting track, ‘The Wailing’ depicts the element of Air as a powerful connecting force which gives us life but is also capable of unimaginable devastation. Conceptually inspired by western horror film ‘The Wind’, the song tells the story of a woman attempting to survive in the harshest of landscapes whilst also trying to outrun her demons. Perhaps the most progressive track on the album, our vision was to showcase the element in as much depth as possible, with even the screamed vocals at the beginning sounding as though they were being delivered in the midst of a storm.”

Matrum Noctem

“Both ‘Matrum Noctem’ and ‘Veiled One’ were written in honour of the “death cycle”, which begins at Samhain (the Witches New Year) and peaks at the Winter Solstice. During this phase, the Earth withdraws inside herself and we enter the dark months of hibernation and reflection, so that we may be reborn once more in Spring. Matrum Noctem means ‘Mother’s Night’ – an ancient celebration held on December 20th, within which we honour and celebrate our female ancestors.”

Funeral Pyre

“‘Funeral Pyre’ explores the element of fire and in this sense as a powerful divination tool. We took inspiration from the 1973 film ‘The Wickerman’ and the concept of human sacrifice, in order for things to grow. The track is both destructive and transformative as we shed our naysayers and become stronger together as a collective.”

Keeper Of The Well

“In this track, we call upon the element of Water. Beneath ambient, post-metal instrumental layers and haunting vocals lies a stark message; Water is a vital part of human existence with the power to heal, renew and nourish, yet we curse ourselves and the creatures within by not respecting it. Secondary inspiration for this song came from folk horror book ‘Dead Water’ (Charlie Fletcher), which tells the story of a remote Scottish island that has been cursed with a water-borne blight.”

Veiled One

“Serving as a prelude to album finale ‘Spirit’, this eerie offering honours The Cailleach, the Celtic goddess of Winter that reigns over the weather, winds and harshness of the season. Within the track we praise her in the hope that she will bless us with her wisdom, reminding us of the cyclical nature of life.”

Spirit

“Feeling a connection between a bass synth in the instrumental of the song and the literal transformation one being makes into another, conceptually and lyrically we took inspiration from Stephen King novel ‘The Outsider’ and the supernatural power of shape-shifting. This track brings the ritual to a close by binding the previous elements of earth, air, fire, and water together. Each plays an important role in the formation of Spirit which is a force that transcends the material plane.”