Tobias Forge Reveals the Perfect Extreme Metal Album That Shaped His Youth

Tobias Forge on the Cult 1980s Classic That Defines Extreme Metal

Tobias Forge, the enigmatic mastermind behind the masked metal phenomenon Ghost, has risen as one of the genre’s most significant figures over the last 15 years. Before Ghost became a global sensation, Forge was deeply entrenched in the underground world of extreme metal—a passion that began in his youth and continues to influence his artistry today.

Forge’s journey into the heavier realms of music began in the 1980s, when he was introduced to bands like Kiss and Mötley Crüe by his older brother, Sebastian. However, his musical tastes soon veered towards darker and more aggressive sounds, leading him to bands like the Misfits, Metallica, Venom, and Bathory. By the early 1990s, Forge had fully immersed himself in the burgeoning death and black metal scenes, even forming his own black metal band, Absurdum, during his teenage years.

The Power of Youthful Anger in Extreme Metal

Speaking to Metal Hammer in 2019, Forge emphasized the unique energy of young musicians in the metal genre, particularly in its more extreme subgenres.

“Most good music in metal, especially in extreme metal, is made by very young, youthful individuals,” Forge noted. “There is something very different to the fire and excitement of a young mind that you don’t often get by people that have matured and, dare I say it, mellowed.”

For Forge, one album epitomizes this youthful fire: Seven Churches, the 1985 debut album by Bay Area thrashers Possessed.

Seven Churches: A Landmark in Extreme Metal

Recorded when most of its members were just teenagers, Seven Churches took the thrash foundations laid by bands like Metallica and Exodus and pushed them to their brutal extremes. The album’s raw production, blistering riffs, and Jeff Becerra’s throat-shredding growls birthed an entirely new level of aggression in metal. Songs like “The Exorcist,” “Pentagram,” and “Death Metal” (a track that gave the genre its name) showcased an unrefined ferocity that resonated deeply with Forge.

“The production may sound a little unrefined to an audience of today, but that is how I like my metal to sound,” Forge said. “When the production of death metal began to change in the mid-90s, that’s when I started to go, ‘Yuk!’ I hated it, and it’s why I find myself returning to albums like this.”

Released during a time when bands like Slayer and Metallica were still considered extreme by mainstream standards, Possessed stood out as something even more feral and uncompromising. While the band’s career was short-lived—culminating with their 1986 album Beyond the Gates and the following year’s The Eyes of Horror EP—the influence of Seven Churches on the death and black metal scenes of the late 80s and early 90s cannot be overstated.

A Timeless Testament to Metal’s Raw Energy

For Tobias Forge, Seven Churches remains an enduring touchstone of youthful anger and unbridled energy.

“All I can say is that it still sounds feral and true and savage and full of life to this very day,” Forge remarked. “And, if I’m going to indulge in something truly extreme, this would be one of my first ports of call.”

The album’s impact on a young Forge is a testament to the timeless power of music created with raw passion and intensity. Even decades later, its legacy continues to inspire new generations of metal fans and musicians alike.

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