Country: England
- Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal / Post-Black Metal / Progressive Black Metal
- For fans of: Agalloch, Enslaved, Altar of Plagues, Woods of Ypres
Fen – Elemental Part One: Mourning Earth
Fen from London return with their eighth full-length, “Elemental Part One: Mourning Earth”, an album that opens a new chapter for the band. It is the first part of a double thematic work and at the same time a return to elements of their older sound, but with the experience and power they have gained over all these years.
From “Glacier” it becomes clear that Fen do not simply want to rewrite their past. The familiar atmospheric guitars and black metal outbursts are there, but this time more prog elements and heavier riffs come in. The track builds gradually and truly opens up toward the end.
“Tectonic” is one of the points that stand out. It has groove, a heavier guitar and several shifts within the first minutes, yet without losing the melody. Here the band’s evolution shows most, as the black metal ties in with more heavy metal rhythms and fuller playing.
“Massif” continues in a more dynamic direction, while in “Abyssal Plain” Fen leave more room for atmosphere. The guitars and production create a large, cinematic picture, without becoming overly overloaded. “Moor” closes the record with the same slower and more atmospheric character.
The first half of the album personally draws more attention, because it has more movement and shifts. The second, though, works very well as a calmer and darker continuation. At around 47 minutes, “Elemental Part One: Mourning Earth” does not tire you out and shows a band that now knows how to use its old sound without getting stuck in it.
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Tracklist
- Glacier
- Tectonic – 06:06
- Massif – 07:27
- Abyssal Plain – 05:36
- Barrow
- Moor
