{{Short description|English folk metal band}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}} {{Use British English|date=July 2016}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Forefather | image = | caption = | image_size = | background = group_or_band | alias = | origin = Surrey, England | genre = Black metal, folk metal | years_active = 1997–present | label = Angelisc Enterprises<br/>Karmageddon Media<br/>Seven Kingdoms<br/>Eisenwald Tonschmiede | associated_acts = Folkearth | website = {{URL|forefather.net}} | current_members = Athelstan<br/>Wulfstan }}
'''''Forefather''''' is an English folk metal band from Surrey. They also incorporate elements of Viking metal and black metal. Since inception in 1997 the band has released seven studio albums.
==History== ''Forefather'' was formed in September 1997 by brothers Wulfstan and Athelstan.<ref name="karmageddonsign">{{Cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/forefather-sign-with-karmageddon-media/|title=FOREFATHER Sign With KARMAGEDDON MEDIA|date=23 September 2003|website=Blabbermouth.net|accessdate=2020-05-29}}</ref> Two years later ''Forefather'' released its first album, ''Deep Into Time'', on the band's own label, ''Angelisc Enterprises'', on which two more albums would be released by the band, ''The Fighting Man'' and ''Engla Tocyme'', in 2000 and 2002, respectively.<ref name="karmageddonsign"/> ''Forefather's'' fourth album, ''Ours Is the Kingdom'' was released in 2004 by ''Karmageddon Media'', on which the band's entire back catalogue of albums was re-released as well - remastered and with added bonus tracks.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/forefather-finalize-track-listing-for-ours-is-the-kingdom/|title=FOREFATHER Finalize Track Listing For 'Ours Is The Kingdom'|date=13 March 2004|website=Blabbermouth.net|accessdate=2020-05-29}}</ref> In 2008, ''Forefather'' released its fifth album, ''Steadfast'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/31375/Forefather-Steadfast/ |title=Forefather - Steadfast (album review 2) |website=Sputnikmusic.com |date= |accessdate=2020-05-29}}</ref> on the band's new own label, Seven Kingdoms,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://search.blabbermouth.net/news/forefather-completes-work-on-steadfast/|title=FOREFATHER Completes Work On 'Steadfast'|date=3 January 2008|website=Blabbermouth.net|accessdate=2020-05-29}}</ref> on which three years later the band's sixth album, ''Last of the Line'', would also be released.<ref name="blabbermouth.net">{{Cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/forefather-new-album-released/|title=FOREFATHER: New Album Released|date=29 December 2011|website=Blabbermouth.net|accessdate=2020-05-29}}</ref> In April 2015, the band released a new album, ''Curse of the Cwelled'', on St George's Day, again on their own Seven Kingdoms label. In 2017, they released their latest album, ''Tales from a Cloud-Born Land''.
==Current line-up== *Athelstan – guitars, bass, keyboards *Wulfstan – guitars, bass, vocals
Both Athelstan and Wulfstan also are former members of the folk metal project Folkearth.
==Discography== ===Studio albums=== *''Deep Into Time'' (1999) *''The Fighting Man'' (2000) *''Engla Tocyme'' (2002) *''Ours Is the Kingdom'' (2004) *''Steadfast'' (2008) *''Last of the Line'' (2011) *''Curse of the Cwelled'' (2015) *Tales From a Cloud-Born Land (2017)
===Compilations=== *''Legends Untold'' (2000)
===Singles=== *''Summer's Flame'' (2009)
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.forefather.net The band's official website] * [http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Forefather/781 The band's entry] on Encyclopaedia Metallum
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Category:English black metal musical groups Category:Musical groups established in 1997 Category:Heavy metal duos Category:English musical duos Category:Viking metal musical groups