Forsaken Age will release their third full-length album, “Blackened Steel”, on 11 November 2026, with the first single, “War Machine”, introducing the Auckland, New Zealand band’s darker direction. The four-piece combines traditional and classic speed metal with doom, death metal and black metal influences. Vocalist Chrissy Scarfe wrote the lyrics for “War Machine”, which is accompanied by an official video produced and edited by Lee Scarfe.
A darker steel sound
Forsaken Age described “Blackened Steel” as a move into a darker era, while retaining the high-speed metal foundation heard across their work. The album’s ten songs include “Rebellion Of Fire And Steel”, “Culloden”, “Banging Heads”, “War Machine”, “Heavy Metal Highway”, “Holy War Holy Hell”, “Seasons Of Emptiness”, “Hail To The Darkness”, “The Blackening” and “Vermins Banquet”.
With Blackened Steel, the band enters a darker era, blending traditional and classic speed metal with the weight of doom, the intensity of death metal, and the cold atmosphere of black metal.
- Forsaken Age
The band wrote and performed the album and also produced it. Raj Singarajah and Cam Sinclair recorded and mixed the material at Dynamic Rage Studios, while Luke Finlay mastered it at Primal Mastering. Scarfe created the cover artwork.
The new single follows the band’s release of “Holy War, Holy Hell”, which arrived with an official video as the second and final track previewed before the album. We covered the release of “Holy War, Holy Hell” ahead of the album earlier this month. That report noted the song’s focus on blind faith, ideological influence and spiritual control, as well as the album’s contrast between classic “Steel” and colder, heavier “Blackened” elements.
Chrissy Scarfe has fronted the band since 2009
Chrissy Scarfe has sung with Forsaken Age since the band formed in 2009. She wrote the lyrics for “War Machine” and “Holy War Holy Hell”, and created the “Blackened Steel” artwork. The current line-up also includes Billy Freeman on guitar and backing vocals, Lee Scarfe on bass and backing vocals, and Adam Freeman on drums.
Ten songs on the album
Forsaken Age previously released “Heavy Metal Nightmare” in 2020, following their 2012 debut “Back from Extinction”. The new album also follows the band’s earlier work with guest vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens, formerly of Judas Priest, who appeared on “Raven’s Cry”. “Blackened Steel” is due on 11 November 2026, with “War Machine” serving as its first single.
