For FORESHADOW vocalist and guitarist Patrick Loisel, the social tensions behind the band’s earliest songs remain familiar. Those songs return in newly recorded form on Here Down On Earth, the Canadian metal band’s five-track EP, released October 2, 2026, on major digital platforms.
“The lyrics were initially written in the late 1980s and address a lot of social tensions and environmental concerns. The current moral panics we see now are, to me, the continuation of what had me blow a fuse in the 1980s, so these songs re-emerging is like the best timing ever,” Loisel says.
The material was conceived in the late 1980s and first recorded as a demo in 1991. For this release, FORESHADOW recorded the songs again rather than remastering the demo. The original recordings used E-flat tuning; the new versions are tuned down to B.
“These songs were written in the late '80s and first recorded in the early '90s. We were already aiming for a heavier sound relative to that era's standards. I listen to current bands that are similar, and we sound as aggressive as if we were 35 years younger. We are aged 50 to 56; it doesn't show an iota!” Loisel says.
The EP combines death metal, thrash and groove elements, with lyrics addressing nuclear devastation, political oppression, environmental destruction, warfare and recurring social failures. Violence, intolerance and societal decline connect its broader themes. The announcement also includes a lyric video for “This Harvest That You’ve Sown.”
FORESHADOW’s history predates its formal launch in 1990. Loisel met bassist Clifford in 1984 and drummer Pierre Pitre in 1986, with informal jam sessions following during the late 1980s. Guitarist Patrick Knup, a longtime supporter and music store co-worker, joined in 1992 as the fourth member and second guitarist.
Initially rooted in thrash, FORESHADOW incorporated groove metal, funk, extreme metal and progressive influences. Members’ subsequent work includes involvement in Augury, Vantablack Warship, Arseniq33 and Clearwater Deathblow. The current lineup consists of Loisel on vocals and guitar, Kurtis Clifford on bass, Pitre on drums and Knup on guitar.
The announcement recommends the EP to listeners of Forbidden, Testament, Slayer, Carcass, Pantera, Helmet and Augury. It lists a total running time of 30:26 and the following tracks, retaining the closing song’s title as supplied in the track listing:
- Y? — 6:17
- Decretei — 3:40
- This Harvest That You've Sown — 4:39
- As Heroes Die — 7:01
- Here Down To Earth — 8:46
The release announcement also lists October 17 at O’Sim Irish Pub in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, QC, and October 24 at Turbo Haus in Montreal, QC. The EP is available through Spotify and Bandcamp.
