Review: Time’s Forgotten – Songs of Awakening

Artwork by: Artist uncredited

Style: Progressive Metal (Mixed Vocals (mostly clean))
Recommended for fans of: Voyager, Tesseract, David Maxim-Micic, Ihlo, Plini
Country: Costa Rica
Release date: 3 October 2025

Recently, I was told I needed to switch up my diet. “Too much prog adjacency,” they said. “Not enough straight-up prog.” Staring at my recent meals of death-doom, symphonic deathcore, and whatever !T.O.O.H.! was, I could hardly disagree. I’m not getting any younger, but I am getting wider—maybe some bread and butter prog would be just the ticket to kickstart my musical metabolism in a new direction. After all, they say variety is the spice of life, and when spice becomes the norm, bread and butter become the, uh, new spice… I think? Who knows. Anyway, being that I possess the survival instincts of the Great Panda, I asked my fellow Subway samaritans for a morsel befitting my pivot towards blandnew and exciting dishes. Within moments, the Dasher was en route. What mystery awaited me in that questionably sealed nondescript bag?

The answer is Costa Rican progressive metal export Time’s Forgotten, who, ironically enough, time had almost forgotten due to an eight-year absence from 2012 to 2020. Now they’ve arrived with fifth LP, Songs of Awakening, and while the packaging didn’t inspire much confidence in the meal to come—a woman, half in T-repose, gowned in white amidst a nondescript landscape—the band’s mission statement of inclusivity and empathy, transmitted via melodic stylings, electronic textures, and driving grooves, did. That’s the blueprint of much of the music that has captured my fancy in recent years. Besides, books shouldn’t be judged by covers; neither should albums. If anything, the artwork was perfectly pleasant to look at, embodying a serene, if somewhat sterile, feel-good vibe of a quality motivational poster. We could all do with a little more feel-good these days.

Like midday sun on the cheek as waves lap gently at isolated shores, the sounds of Songs of Awakening roll over the listener: warm, hopeful beds of electronica stir and press, ever so gently, against bosoms of thoughtful Plini-esque noodling and crunchy, djent-indebted riffage that packed more bite than I would’ve expected. Despite tapping into occasionally angular and heftier sonics (the intro to “The Shallow and the Deep,” guest vocalist Adriana Muñoz’s fleeting growls on “Places of Healing”), the prevailing vibe across the album is one of light-heartedness, kindness, and hope. Vocalist Priscilla Ruiz personifies this with a solid turn on the mic: her voice is clear and strong, nestled comfortably in a soaring middle range that she wields with confidence. I’m reminded of Voyager’s 2023 album, Fearless in Love, which similarly combined warm progressive craftwork with bursts of heavy, modern metal-fueled aggression by way of crunchy chugs, double-bass passages, and harsh-throated guest vocals—all without sacrificing the album’s sunniness.

The starkest difference I can draw between those two bands, and why Voyager’s latest courts more favor with me, is that Time’s Forgotten struggles to conjure anything resembling an infectious hook or earworm melody to really sweep me off my feet and carry me along its jubilant waves. The performances are all good, and it’s an absolute delight to actually hear the bass in the mix—Gonzalo Trejos’ playing is buoyant and alive, as all great prog bass should be. Ari Lotringer shifts from dark chuggery to David Maxim Micic-coded introspection with grace, building moods and offering performances that flourish but never flare. The same can be said of Jorge Sobrado and Juan Pablo Calvo, drums and keys, respectively. Everyone plays their part well, and enjoyably so. But it all goes down so smoothly that I can hardly recall individual moments, let alone entire songs.

Time’s Forgotten have landed in an odd spot. A capable bunch writing capable tunes, there’s nothing not to like about Songs of Awakening, yet there’s little to get excited over, either. Granted, not every album needs to rush out and shake you down so good you’ll ask them to do it again; sometimes, it’s just fine to have something pleasant to throw on and relax with after a tough day. Which, if that sounds good to you, then I would recommend giving Songs of Awakening a spin. Bread and butter make for a perfectly acceptable meal, but I can’t help but wish for more flavor.

Recommended tracks: Places of Healing, Nighttime, Sidewalk Hero
You may also like: Will of the Mountain, we.own.the.sky, Feather Mountain, Intrascendence
Final verdict: 6/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives

Label: Independent

Time’s Forgotten is:
– Jorge Sobrado (drums)
– Ari Lotringer (guitars, backing vocals)
– Juan Pablo Calvo (keyboards)
– Gonzalo “Chalo” Trejos (bass)
– Priscilla Ruiz (vocals)
With guests:
– Gabriel Gutierrez (percussion on “Sidewalk Hero”)
– Adriana Muñoz (harsh vocals on “Places of Healing”)
– Friends Choir (Luciano Calvo, Emile Calvo, Leo Gazel, Gloriana Sobrado, Henry D’Arias, Massimo Pericolo, Esteban Blanco, Jose Soto, Jussi Salolainen, Alejandra Diaz, Angélica Cozart, Sley Martinez, Andrés Calvo, Berenice Jimenez, Eddie Monge, Eddie Sánchez, Mauni Villalobos, Hellen Quirós, Capitán X, Ernesto Aducci, Fergie Sáenz, Adriana Muñoz)