The Classic Metal Album Reviews:
Title: Twisted into Form
Artist: Forbidden
Label: Loud
Release Date: 1990

Rating: 5 Skulls
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    • Death's Review:
    When I think back now on the embarrassment of musical riches the late-eighties/ early nineties technical thrash scene provided us with, I am utterly amazed. I remember thinking bands like Vio-lence and Forbidden were, ho-hum, just another San Francisco thrash outfit. That was, until I actually listened to the records. Forbidden, for example, just blew my freakin' mind with their performance on the Ultimate Revenge II video and killer tracks like "Through Eye of Glass" (remember the part where everything stops and the dude throws the glass on the floor? Now that's a classic metal moment!) By the time the awesome follow-up, Twisted Into Form came out, I was hooked. Seeing the band play with Death Angel at the Chance in Poughkeepsie, NY, didn't hurt matters either. Once I had fully absorbed it, my conclusion was firm: Twisted Into Form is one of technical thrash metal's finest records.

    From the opening moments of the beautifully subdued yet foreboding, classical-influenced "Parting of the Ways" instrumental, you are submerged in a classical thrash journey of wonderfully adventurous proportions and neck-snapping delight. You get the sense that something is coming, something big. "Infinite" was one of the metal radio singles (I DJ'd the summer this was out at Siena College's 88.3 WVCR, at the time a killer college metal radio station), and it was a nice, tight example of the pummelingly intricate delivery merged with melodic song structure found throughout the record. The songwriting on "Out of Body (Out of Mind)" seems to get lost a bit in its own insanity, but the callback chorus will always be memorable. "Step by Step" is the other single, and the gallop to the signature riff is one of the greatest catchythrash examples I've heard to date. The title track, "Twisted Into Form," is one of my all- time favorites of intricacy and insanity and, together with the back-to-back closers, "Tossed Away" (Bostaph goes sick on the high hat on this one in the main riff), and the inspired madness of "One Foot in Hell" (Russ Anderson rules!) elevate a great thrash record to classic status.

    Add to all of this that this record featured Paul Bostaph on drums, who went on to replace Dave Lombardo in Slayer, and Tim Calvert, who substantially contributed to Nevermore's Dreaming Neon Black, and you'll further understand the designation of this one as a metal classic. The first album, Forbidden Evil, is also great, but this one is where it all came together.
    5 out of 5
    DEATH  Email Death

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