Forbidden – Twisted Into Form Vinyl Review
1990 was an exciting time to be a purveyor of the metal scene. As a 13-year-old thrash-obsessed teenager, I distinctly remember flipping through a metal magazine and seeing a full-page ad for Twisted Into Form. That timeless artwork prompted me to purchase a cassette of Forbidden’s second album.
I was immediately blown away by the guitar harmonies and melodic, Halfordish wail of Russ Anderson. Twisted Into Form found heavy rotation in my humble Walkman and I still conjure memories of walking around my hometown, completely absorbed in this melodic thrash masterpiece.
That cassette tape is long gone and Forbidden has since carved an awkward void in my record collection. News of vinyl reissues of the first two Forbidden albums piqued my interest. Craig Locicero’s announcement that these classics were specifically remastered for vinyl intensified my desire to reconnect with Forbidden.
Twisted Into Form has always been my favorite Forbidden record. Sure, hearing their sophomore effort first probably gave it an edge over their debut. Still, the addition of progressive elements definitely added to the overall cohesiveness. Short acoustic interludes like “Parting of the Ways” and “Spiral Depression” created elements of light and shade, effectively giving the fast thrash songs an added dose of potency.
Given the persistent quality control issues of contemporary vinyl, I was reluctant to purchase both records. My plan was to choose one, and if that pressing were free from manufacturing woes, I would buy the other. When faced with that daunting choice, I purchased Twisted Into Form.
“Chalice of Blood,” is perhaps the song most associated with Forbidden. For that reason, I had long been under impression that Forbidden Evil was THE fan favorite and I had been unique in my preference for Twisted Into Form. I may have been mistaken.
Twisted Into Form was sold out from all online retailers, yet Forbidden Evil was widely available. Fortunately, the final copies of Twisted Into Form were found on eBay.
Purchasing on eBay turned out to be ideal. Century Media launched many color variants, including yellow and green (I admit, a green pressing DOES sound cool). I understand the collectable nature of colored vinyl but I’m an old school traditionalist. I was able to purchase black vinyl and not be subjected to whatever random color happened to be sitting in the warehouse.
Moments after unboxing my new record, I was greeted with the classic artwork that won over my 13-year-old imagination. Immediately, I became acutely aware of the inherent limitations of the cassette format. No longer shrunken to a tiny, foldable insert, Kent Mathieu’s famous art was unveiled in stunning detail. I spent several moments staring at the cover. Even the bright green spine ensures that this reissue will stand apart from other records on the shelf.
Peeling away the shrink-wrap, I carefully removed the inner sleeve. As a cassette buying youth, I obviously didn’t have access to an original pressing, though I assume we’re dealing with a faithful reproduction. One side of the sleeve features a band photo and liner notes while the other contains lyrics. The inclusion of artwork carried over from the cover offers a nice sense of continuity.
Visually, the inner sleeve appears to be true quality, until one removes the record from the sleeve. My copy found the paper actually sticking to the record. Despite removing my mint vinyl with absolute care, I was left with several very noticeable, yet inaudible scratches. Ultimately, all I care about is sound quality. If there is minimal surface noise and the record plays flat, I’m happy. Although the scratches are EXACTLY the type of quality control issues that make me a reluctant consumer of new vinyl, I considered myself lucky to have only minor blemishes.
Labels are another nice touch. I applaud the decision to include reproductions of the original Combat labels. They lend an air of authority to the repress and create a welcome illusion that you’re holding a vintage piece of history.
Sound quality is decent. As noted above, the record plays flat (an exceedingly rare event) with no distracting pops or undue noise. I found myself all smiles as I listened to the acoustic guitars of “Parting of the Ways” dance across the stereo field. Once the introduction segued into “Infinite,” I was transported to my adolescence. Watching the vinyl rotate and listening on decent speakers added new elements that were sorely missing from my youth.
The listening experience prompted an internal debate on how best to proceed. At times, I simply closed my eyes to lose myself in the music. Other times, I wanted to watch the record spin, occasionally getting up from my chair to admire the vintage Combat labels as they rotated. By side two, I realized that I should be following along with the lyric sheet before recognizing that I was failing to admire the vivid artwork. Collectively, these reasons provided a stark reminder why listening to vinyl is so inherently fulfilling.
The remainder of my weekend was spent indulging in repeated listening. Naturally, I was reluctant to return my now precious vinyl to the sleeve that had caused undue scratches. This dilemma was quickly remedied by inserting the record into a high quality Mobile Fidelity archival sleeve. Twisted Into Form is now a treasured part of my collection and will bring a lifetime of nostalgic joy.
