RECORDS OF THEIR YEARS: with Fórn guitarist Joey Gonzalez

Photo by Katia Sukhotskay

By pure coincidence, for the second successive week, we feature a band from Boston, and today it is none other than sludge/doom emissaries Fórn, who have returned with their highlyanticipated sophomore record, "Rites of Despair". A record of such quality that it in a frankly in a league of its own.  

With “Rites of Despair” having been in the public domain for a couple of months now, there has never been a more opportune time to feature them on THE SLUDGELORD, so I hooked up guitarist  Joey Gonzalez to discuss some of his favourite records.  Welcome to “Records of their Years”, 

THE SLUDGELORD: Favourite album from the year you were born?

Talk Talk, “Spirit of Eden” (1988) 

I actually didn't discover this record till either just before or just after I was entering my 20’s. I had kind of begun deep diving on a lot of atmospheric music and this album was elevator pitched to me from a friend as the “predecessor to post-rock.” I don’t think this album is that or even remotely post-rock to me. Post rock has always felt more to be about long build ups, carefully constructed to reach a point of overwhelming glisten, but this album is quite beautiful in its nature to deconstruct more traditional foundations and to place a great magnitude of emphasis on space, and sparseness, and an emptiness that can feel like chaos sometimes. It did me a great deal in teaching me song writing.

THE SLUDGELORD: First record you bought with your own money?

Green Day, “Nimrod” (1997) 

I’m counting this because it’s a pretty vivid memory in my mind, and even though technically it was my mom who bought this for me, it was a pretty special experience hearing something on the radio in the car and enjoying it with my mom, and we drove to what I believe was a Tower Record store, and I picked up this cd, because we had just heard “Hitchin’ a ride” come on the radio, and I wanted to listen to it. I also picked up alongside this gem, Blink182’s “Dude Ranchand” the Self titled Back Street Boys album, so least to say, 8 year old me was batting a 1000.

THE SLUDGELORD: Favourite non metal / rock album? 

Moses Sumney, “Aromanticisim”(2017)

This might come as a shock to maybe those who don’t know me, but in reality, I don’t have much metal/rock music in heavy rotation in my life currently, so the vast majority of music I have been consuming for the last 6ish years has been not that. As such, my “favorite” album in this broad realm is always changing, but my latest obsession has been Moses Sumney. This record hit me like a fucking truck, emotionally, and in terms of the production, to me it is flawless. I was introduced to this record By our engineer Alec Rodriguez so I have to drop his name here for this one.

THE SLUDGELORD: Album that most disappointed you?

I’ve been let down by some records when I was younger, but the older I get, I don’t really hold other peoples art to my standards or expectations. I am way more interested in the process of the creation of what I am consuming then I am if its living up to some expectations I’ve had, so I can’t say anything has ever really disappointed me. I have been let down by a couple of records, but I’m not going to list them here

THE SLUDGELORD: Favourite album of all time or if you prefer album (s) you’d run back into a burning building to rescue

Deftones, “White Pony” (2000)

Opeth, “Blackwater Park" (2001)

So when someone poses this question to me, I always feel like it’s hard to scope out something that has been a favorite of mine, or something that’s definitively my all time favorite. I always feel like the root of the question is like what are the “keystone” records for me in my life, and these two would be a good start. A lot of people may not know, but before I ever wrote a riff or anything, I played drums for a long time, and these are the two records I really learned how to shape my style around. These are two records I really felt were integral to me for really jumping head first into music. They’re some of the only records that elicit an honest nostalgia out of me anymore. If I had to add one more record, I would add pg.99 – “document 8”. Not only do the songs still hold up, but this band and record was my stepping stone into the ethics of art, music being an individual and part of a community, and what that responsibility entails. It’s just every bit as important to who I am as a musician now.

THE SLUDGELORD: Favourite album (s) of 2018?

Serpentwithfeet, “Soil” (2018) 

This record is painstakingly crafted, and it pays off in dividends on repeated listens, and it’s pretty much been all I can listen to lately. It’s almost obnoxious it’s so intoxicating. I’ve been searching for music that really elicits and invokes the feelings it’s crafted in wake of and listening to the record, the nature of it is obsessing and  a celebration of the feelings of grief and melancholy. It’s beautiful in the most painful of ways.

THE SLUDGELORD:..and finally The last album you bought?

Ilsa, “Corpse Fortress” (2018)

Ah, you thought I’d make it all the way without listing a single metal album, but you’re WRONG. Ilsa are some of my favorite people and they are easily one of my favorite bands doing heavy shit out there. Plus they’re from DC (*cough* silver spring*cough*), and we go back a ways. I love my boys, and this record rips harder than any other heavy music I’ve heard this year.

“Rites of Despair” by Fórn is out now and available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook