A Forest Of Stars
Grave Mounds and Grave Mistakes
Lupus Lounge
5/5
This is quite a surprise, as a new outing from A Forest of Stars was not something I had expected. Much like it’s predecessor, the album is quite abstract and theatrical, albeit this time around there is quite a bit of folk influence to be had as well. If I were to compare this feeling to a comic, it would have to be Alan Moore’s From Hell. “Precipice Proutette” observes many changes, with only a little bit of black metal as a backing section – just the way that it should be, I would think. There’s so much more to AFOS than black metal, even though they can certainly perform it, even if the vocals somewhat take a DSBM side here and there. In my opinion, the melancholy folk coupled with what can most certainly be identified as trippy prog leads certainly make for an inviting experience. It can be said that there is a post-black feel to this album, though not in the way that you might think. Because the kind of post-black that AFOS attempt here makes arthouse hipster black metal look like sidewalk chalk.
“Tombward Bound” opens with scratchy electronics, but later observes a feeling that isn’t unlike the kind of material that I would receive from Malignant Records. As synths illustrate what comes off as something unlike I’ve heard from the band before, frighteningly morose poetry comes into play that offers with it a spectacle that I can’t even put into words. Female cleans roll in to back what sounds like a man battling with his own mortality – this is just amazing. I didn’t catch this the first time, but it’s really something. You’ll need to sit down and listen to this cut at least a few times before you finally understand the barrage of emotions being unleashed here. As a matter of fact, I actually lament the fact that I will not be able to sit down with this one as much as I need to, because I have so many other discs that need to be covered, but a cut like this makes the disc especially brillaint. This was ten minutes of brain matter bursting out of my skull, with so many different shapes and colors all working together to create one cohesive mindfuck of a piece. That’s more than enough for me. But wait, there’s more? I’m not sure if I could literally handle anymore.
The next cut here is a starry folk-piece (at least, that’s how it begins) called “Premature Invocation.” I am guessing, as any magician would – that this would refer to summoning something early on in order to assist with a task that you may have been able to complete without it’s help. At least, that would be the newfangled Chaos Magick way of looking at it. Here, I’m not quite so sure about. Much like the cut that came before it, we are thrown into a dazzling and slightly frightening world where I cannot even discern the barrage of shouts that I’m receiving amongst what sounds like a ritual if I’ve ever heard one. I remember reading in older occult books that one should loudly profess their intentions and this might be a way of doing that for these artists. We’re talking about a band that has been drenched in occult symbols since they began, and this record is no different. But if you’re looking for the heavy stuff, you’ll see that “Children Of The Night Soil” opens with just that, before it brings me into some dreamy Yume Nikki soundscapes only to later bring frantic screams to the forefront, with a little more ferocity than we’ve had in the past. Angelic chants occur in the background as the performance continues in it’s theatrics until a moment of silence is observed. Following that, I’m once again awestruck. I’ll be honest, some of you might not get it – but this is such an incredible amount of passion. It’s an inspiration to me. “Taken By The Sea” changes up the tempo quite a bit, as it features mainly female vocals and what some might consider to be a dreamy, folky vibe. It seems like a sort of drift from the more frantic territory and is a welcome accompaniment at this point. I absolutely love where the jazz influence comes into play, making for a real easy listening cut that doesn’t feel like you’re waiting for the elevator to get to your floor. In fact, there’s almost a darkwave influence here, whether you want to throw in Qntal, The Dreamside, Dead Can Dance or Unto Ashes.
As we move towards the end of this experience (and it most certainly is an experience, rather than just a simple jam) we’re returned to the heaviness with “Scripturally Transmitted Disease” which I’d consider a wonderful play on words, as only the Brits do best. Amidst some memorable synths and powerful blasts, the vocal end gives off a now familiar outpouring of emotion, though just up until electronic synths decorate the piece a bit further to allow for a slight break before yet another onslaught. The female vocal end also comes back to spruce up the atmosphere a little more before the track ends out. I love the fact that her clean vocals duet with the harsh in some instances, making for a nice meld of irregular harmonies. The final track here features yet another potent title (at least for me) in “Decomposing Deity Dancehall” which reminds me a little of the Chrono Cross soundtrack in the beginning – a soundtrack that is an absolute must, even nearly twenty years later. As the guitars come into play later, we’re treated to one more severe stance of poetry from the frontman, who can often sound as if he is just reciting poetry. Though that’s fine, this is a pure explosion of the soul and a vehicle for subconscious meanderings that may channel a touch of synthwave here and there. In this particular instance, I’m simply amazed and don’t want this piece to end. My friends, this is just mesmerizing. It’s such a simple line, but incredibly hypnotizing. This is also one of the reasons I’ve jumped into synthwave music more than I have metal as of late. After the wave section, the piece finally moves into it’s final notes with only a slightly ghastly hum to complete the experience.
As you may expect, I am once again simply floored by A Forest Of Stars. I cannot even put sections of this album into proper words, so you will just have to pick up the disc and observe this performance for yourself. It is as incredible as their last, though features a different vibe altogether. I did not expect the band to be as large into synthwave as I am and those pieces certainly appealed to me beyond the impressive folk-influenced black metal sections and vocal theatrics. This might very well be one of my favorite albums of the year.