By the time Forbidden released their debut album,
Forbidden Evil, on September 30th, 1988, the NorCal crew had some big shoes to fill. The Bay Area thrash scene had already given birth to many important and highly influential metal acts including Exodus, Death Angel, Testament, Possessed and, of course, Metallica (who had relocated from Southern California in 1983).
Forbidden had been kicking around the scene for three years up to that point, so they were well aware of the region s legacy and the need to come out guns blazing with their debut. And they delivered. Upon its release,
Forbidden Evil caused such a ruckus in underground metal circles that it made people outside the Bay Area once again stand up and take notice of what was happening on the West Coast.