Time’s Forgotten – “Songs of Awakening”

Time’s Forgotten is a progressive metal band from Costa Rica that blends intricate compositions with atmospheric elements, making great music to listen to for fans. Their fifth, and latest studio album, “Songs of Awakening,” is being released on Melodic Revolution Records, on October 4, 2025. It is the band’s anniversary of their over 20-year musical journey.

“Songs of Awakening,” is about: “empathy, about letting go in order to begin again, and it’s about rediscovering yourself.” “We wanted to show the world that there is a way out, that something good is always waiting for us at the end of every path we choose. All we need is to learn to love ourselves a little more each day,” says Juan Pablo Calvo, the band’s keyboardist, rhythm guitarist, and producer.

Time’s Forgotten includes band members: Priscilla Ruiz, on vocals; Jorge Sobrado, on drums; Chalo Trejos, on bass; Ari Lotringer, on lead guitar; and Juan Pablo Calvo, on keyboards, guitar, and vocals.

For “Songs of Awakening,” the band enlisted additional musicians including:

Gabriel Gutierrez, percussion on track 5; Adriana Muñoz, growls on track 2; The Friends Choir, including: 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, and Adriana Muñoz, for the closing track “Forgiveness”.

“We didn’t want to sound like a mathematical equation, but we did want to incorporate some of those elements into this album,” says Calvo. “There are lots of electronic textures, driving grooves, layered instrumentation, and rich vocal harmonies. This is our heaviest record to date, but also our most vulnerable.” To close the album on a powerful note, the band assembled a choir of about 25 fellow singers—including friends, family, and members of other bands, for the song “Forgiveness”, emphasizing the themes of inclusion and togetherness.

“Songs of Awakening,” opens with, “The Shallow and the Deep.” It has an eerie, orchestrated opening, that proceeds slowly, until a drum salute begins. The drums continue unabated, until Priscilla Ruiz sings her first lyrics, “Trying to breath under water. Lying on the green field. Burning in the desert. I still look up for you. Praying for tomorrow. Getting over me.” Priscilla and this music are absolutely amazing, already. What an opener. The electric guitar and bass complete a couple of top-notch hammering riffs and then leave the soundscape in the masterful control of the keyboards. Priscilla Ruiz returns, to soft electric guitar soloing, “Digging deep. And deeper I go. One more time. Round and round. And around it goes this mad world without you. Ocean’s breeze let me find some peace. I’m tired of running. Warm spring breeze let me hold myself and find the way back home. Then you ask me for some time. But it feels like going with the tide. Let me try to understand.” An amazing start. Priscilla’s voice reminds me so much of Greek singer, Vicky Kapetanopoulou, of Part of the Theory. The music is more progressive and syncopated, and not driven straight ahead, like most of the modern metal or modern prog music you hear. There is variation…finally someone other than Part of the Theory gets it!

We all want to go to “Places of Healing,” and after this song you will too. This song opens with the gates swung open and an ocean of sound bolting from the freed space. Priscilla sings, “Understand how I feel. Why don´t you take my hand? And you’ll see. Who am I. Running through black glass on dry land. I know there are dreams that awaits us. There are places where we belong within our hearts. I know there’s a space for our true self. There are places where we belong our hearts burning strong.” She is surrounded by beating drums, bass, and electric guitars riffing all over the soundscape. Not as good a song as the opener, but definitely full of life and excellent musicianship. Adriana Muñoz, growls on this one as well, sealing its fate as one of my lease favorites. But her growls are not as unbearable as some I have heard recently. There is an early U2 sound to those blazing electric guitars near the end of the song, that just makes me want to give it a second chance.

“Departure,” opens with spacey keyboards and weird static charged noises, like a radio station being changed, or a robot trying to talk. Then, Priscilla sings, “Standing next to you. Give me one second of meaning. Show me light and shade. Under your timeless eyes,” to full-throated heavy electric guitar. Then Priscilla sings in Spanish, “Toda la Verdad. Está en un grito a tu nombre. Mírame otra vez el brillo acaba en tu piel.” She turns back to English, “Losing ground. Finding a state of grace. Lost myself. Trying to live your way. Crying out, crying out for you. Burning down, burning my soul again.” She breaks for some heavy metal guitar playing, and those, now pounding forcefully drums. Priscilla sings in Spanish, “El amanecer. Estalla en lágrimas solas. El último adios. Quedó dormido a tus pies.” A better song than the last. Challenging the bounds of prog and full-on metal. And I like it!

“Nighttime,” has a wonderful, dreamy electric guitar and keyboards opening, like some of my favorite Chameleon’s songs. Priscilla returns to sing, with soft beating drums keeping her pace, “In the middle of the night. Some fairy lights, and the rain. In the middle of the mountains, you light my path and take me home. Oh, I traveled the world and back. Oh, my useless words were so, so vain. In the deepness of your smile. There’s so much truth, so much life. In between the moon and back my love is strong so let’s go home. How many nights you were there in my dreams. I didn’t know you were there from the start.” An interesting, love song.

“Sidewalk Hero,” opens with cool keyboards and electric guitar innovations. Time’s Forgotten absolutely know how to open a song well. Priscilla sings, after some vocal incantations, “Is there something to decide? Too many ways to run too few to stand and fight for. Where did all the heroes go? Where is the girl who stood with fists up in the air?” Priscilla does more cool vocal incantations, before she sings, loudly, “I hear myself and recognize it. The strength that´s awakening. Into the night. I walk alone but never afraid. You showed me life. You showed me a way. You took my hand. And held me tight. Be brave and face the sun!” A powerful song of finding and believing in yourself. One of the best songs on the album. Stunning in its potency!

“Alight,” opens with drums left abandoned. You could feel and expect something like this coming on. It seemed the guitars and drums had been held subdued. Well, they get unleashed here. Juan Pablo Calvo’s voice can be heard saying a bunch of stuff that is almost inaudible. (Thankfully they sent me the lyrics). He says, “Day after day you plow through. Night after night still come true. Living on fumes, crawling on you. Kicking the dust from old floors. I tell myself this is enough.” Then, Priscilla thankfully returns, “I set myself so alight. Every reason every season every life. Transforming from within. I change the course of this night. Everything colliding and has been inside you right under your skin.” A song determined to fight on, against the day to day struggles we must all endure. Another of the best songs on the album.

On “Surrender, Priscilla sings some more in Spanish. And that is always a blessing. To hear someone sing in their native language is always best. The song has a mystical, spacey keyboard and electric guitar opening. Priscilla sings, “Hay espacio en el silencio. Un murmullo en la garganta. Una nota que no calla. Y en mi pecho una llama.” Then, she switches over to English, “Another waking up. Into a shade of gray. Was I alone? I guess I’m going down. Until the circle breaks. And find some meaning. There is a flame. Burning inside. Until we cry the tears, the tears we are meant to cry.” Powerful electric guitar chords, bass, and drums follow and support her. She returns to Spanish, “Hay espacio en el silencio. Un murmullo en la garganta., Una nota que no calla. Y en mi pecho una llama.” The immortal fight to survive a world, in the midst of some global paradigm shifts of extraordinary proportions. This song captures that feeling well.

“Forgiveness,” is the big closer. Priscilla opens it with soft vocals and the sounds of drums and percussion, “What if I told you? What if I told you. That the stars were all alight tonight? What if you come by? What if you hold me? So, the shadows go away. The night would feel so much more clean.” A great song that calls us out to relax and enjoy the time we have together, despite, or better yet, in spite of the world around us. There is a beautiful electric guitar solo before the choir joins in.

Every moment of this 50-minute masterpiece is worth your time. Time’s Forgotten’s “Songs of Awakening,” is a must purchase for anyone with a heart and anyone who wants to hear something new and different. Yes, there is metal, there is also some prog, and there is just straight ahead rock and roll. Everything you could possibly want in an album. Priscilla Ruiz, is another great find on vocals. This band is well equipped with star caliber musicians like Jorge Sobrado, on drums; Chalo Trejos, on bass; Ari Lotringer, on lead guitar; and Juan Pablo Calvo, on keyboards, guitar, and vocals. Don’t miss this release in October. Now, all that is left for me, is to try to get an interview. Yes, I really want to talk with this band. Over five records in; and they know who they are and where they are going. And all I can see is up!

Production Details: Music by Time’s Forgotten. Lyrics by Juan Pablo Calvo and Priscilla Ruiz. Recorded at various studios in Costa Rica. Vocals recorded at Lizard Studios, Coronado, Costa Rica. Mixed and mastered by Juan Pablo Calvo, Finca Eléctrica Records. Costa Rica.

Album Track List:

1. The Shallow and the Deep 08:15

2. Places of Healing 06:10

3. Departure 05:13

4. Nighttime 06:40

5. Sidewalk Hero 06:35

6. Alight 05:20

7. Surrender 05:46

8. Forgiveness 06:22

Band Website and Social Media Links:

https://www.facebook.com/timesforgotten

infotimesforgottenband@gmail.com