Canadian symphonic power metal band Forgotten Tales have released a new video for the song “A Thousand Lies”. The track is the first single from the band’s upcoming album “Other Times”, which is due out on 12 February on Rockshot Records.
The album marks the Quebec City band’s first new music in many years. According to the announcement, “Other Times” does not follow one continuous story. Instead, its ten songs look at different sides of human experience and how people react to hardship and change. The band touches on inner conflicts, anxiety, insomnia, loyalty, loss, disinformation and missed opportunities, along with broader reflections on the evolution of humanity. Resilience, personal growth and the passage of time run as a common thread through the record, and that idea inspired its title.
Musically, the band keeps the foundations of traditional power metal in place: fast riffs, double bass drumming, layered choirs and melodic hooks. Subtle progressive touches are said to add variety to the arrangements without breaking the direct character of the record, while a modern production gives the playing clarity and punch. At the centre of the album is vocalist Sonia Pineault, whose delivery moves naturally from powerful moments to intimate ones, supported by the guitar interplay of Martin Desharnais and Marco Lavoie.
A warning about misinformation
“A Thousand Lies” gathers many of these elements in a fast composition in the spirit of symphonic power metal, built on galloping rhythms, choral accents, two-guitar harmonies and a soaring chorus. Darker, faster verses and a cynical vocal delivery give the song its edge, while complex guitar exchanges and an expressive solo from Martin Desharnais highlight its melodic side. Behind the energy lies a warning about disinformation and the gradual loss of critical thinking. The lyrics ask how easily unverified claims are accepted as truth and passed on, and they return part of the responsibility to the individual rather than portraying manipulation as a purely external force. The song closes with the warning “Careful where you stand”.
Guitarist and songwriter Martin Desharnais explained the background of the track:
I wrote this song thinking about everything that was going on during COVID. The whole world was turned upside down and people just didn’t know what to hold on to. Although the theme is heavy, I really wanted to keep a catchy, almost ironic, cynical mood. It’s an angry track, but delivered with a sharp dose of sarcasm. Musically, I wanted to channel that energy into fast verses, big two-guitar harmonies and a powerful chorus that gets stuck in your head. It’s aggressive, it’s melodic, and it represents exactly the energy we wanted to bring to the forefront.
- Martin Desharnais, guitarist and songwriter
Sonia Pineault back at the mic
Sonia Pineault is the lead vocalist of Forgotten Tales. She was part of the line-up from the band’s early days and returned in 2024 after a long absence. Her earlier work includes the bands Cyclone and the cover band Power Nation. Her strong vocal work on the band’s previous album, “We Shall See the Light” from 2010, was singled out in reviews at the time.
A first album in many years
Forgotten Tales were formed in Quebec City in 1999, originally as a cover band playing power metal songs by their favourite European groups. They went on to release three studio albums: “The Promise” (2001), “All the Sinners” (2004) and “We Shall See the Light” (2010). Over the years they shared stages with acts such as Nightwish, Edguy, Gamma Ray and Sonata Arctica. With “Other Times”, the band returns after a long period of silence with an album that stays true to their musical identity while reflecting the perspective gained through time, experience and change.
The track list of “Other Times” is: “Echoes”, “Pessimus Inimicus”, “A Thousand Lies”, “No Going Back”, “I’ll Be Home”, “Pain Of The Century”, “Your Knight”, “Morpheus”, “Other Times” and “The Caravan”.
