A Forest of Stars – Beware the Sword You Cannot See (2015)

Delivering their most impressive offering to date, today we have A Forest of Stars (AFOS) and their fourth full-length release “Beware the Sword You Cannot See”. Further expanding their already very theatrical and unique sound, AFOS has crafted a very complex masterpiece filled with string instruments, solid percussions, and a very hearty foundation of Metal to pull everything together.

Opening with the chaotic “Drawing Down the Rain”, has a very schizophrenic feeling that it only gets more bizarre as the release goes by… and we love it. The bands heavy riffing and pummeling drums lay the perfect foundation for the plethora of extra instruments and multiple vocal styles that this seven person outfit delivers. With a distinct feeling of getting lost in somebody’s dark mind, tracks like “Hive Mindless” and “Blaze of Hammers” continue punishing the listener with abstract sounds and very cinematic atmospheric elements.

With Mister Curse and Mr. T.S. Kettleburner handling the male vocals and with Katheryne, Queen of the Ghosts proving the female counterparts, this release has a bit of everything for fans of truly experimental/Avant-garde music. Never slacking on the riffing department, catchy tunes like “Virtus Sola Invicat” and “Proboscis Master Versus the Powdered Seraphs” keep things nice and heavy in between passages of solemn flutes and violins.

In the six-part closer “Pawn on the Universal Chessboard”, we get a very eerie and metaphysical sounding ode to melancholy. The bands creative juices were extra milked in this one, providing one the best musical performances from the band. As the last few minutes of part 6 deliver melancholic violins and a very sorrowful tempo, we are confronted with the reality that this magical journey is near its end.

Overall, A Forest of Stars has clearly outdone themselves with such a majestically beautiful release. It is filled with lush instrumental passages nicely complemented by deranged vocals and very psychedelic/trippy moments. The band never lets go of their Metal roots and perfectly rounds off a majestic album with powerful riffs and pummeling drums. Setting the bar quite high, this album is a must have for fans of the band and any fan of complex and unique music.

Label: Lopus Lounge

Release: March 3rd, 2015

Genre: Atmospheric/Avant-garde Black Metal

Country: UK