FOREST STREAM

Progressive Black Metal with Post-Rock influences really gets my juice rising right now. Ever since discovering Agalloch, and latterly the wonderful Janvs, I can't get enough of it. As it happens, Forest Stream adds a subtle doom influence into the mix too. Singer 'Sonm the Darkest' (the only real downside to the band is the ludicrous monikers) does a nice Aaron Stainthorpe/Mikael Åkerfeldt pastiche, which is as good as vocalising gets. Musically, the band relies heavily on synths, which, although at first a surprise, is actually incredibly effective. Foregoing the usual synth trapping of following whatever the guitars are doing, 'Elhella' has created some wonderful, almost classical, synth arrangements. The darker, Black Metal-inspired elements, fair ever so slightly worse; but only because the rich doom tapestry of the clean sections are so sumptuous. The highlight of the disc is the title track itself. 11+ minutes of multiple genre styles, yet retaining a coherent thread throughout. Quite an achievement in song arrangement; it's often too tempting to shoe-horn the kitchen sink into a song only to create a confused mess akin to an aural 'Fresh Kills'. So too, their grasp of melody to provoke an emotional response is only equalled by Anathema and, as we haven't heard new material from them in six years, this is also very welcome. Forest Stream can, therefore, enter the elite group of artists I review that enter my usual listening rotation at home. I suspect we'll be hearing a lot from this band over the coming years. And with Candlelight behind them, I'm sure they'll get the exposure they deserve. Incredible.

LABEL:

FORMAT:

Candlelight Records

Album

THE CROWN OF WINTER

Review by Steve Cowan

RUNNING TIME:

59:57

RELEASE DATE:

24th August 2009

TRACK LISTING

1) Intro (Feral Magic)
2) The Crown of Winter
3) Mired
4) Bless You To Die
5) The Autumn Dancers
6) The Seventh Symphony of Satan
7) Beautiful Nature
8) Outro (My Awakening Dreamland)

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

Russia

"...their grasp of melody to provoke an emotional response is only equalled by Anathema..."