OLD FOREST is a black metal band hailing from the UK and was formed in 1998.
With 5 previous full-length albums and a number of EPs and demos under their belts, the band has released their 6th full-length album, Mournfall, comprising of 8 new tracks and includes 4 demo tracks from 2001. The cover art is foreboding and gives an expectation of what is to come.
The first 8 tracks offer melodic interludes with a mixture of clean, melancholy vocals, and brutal whispering, almost Gollum like, but then burst into moments of fast, frantic drums and guitars, shifting to menacing vocals in a more traditional black metal style. Each change, allows the listener to explore a range of ambiences and provides a dark and exhilarating experience for the ears.
The songs are epic in length, which can make it a challenge to provide variety in both musical and vocal style, but Old Forest has mastered this beautifully sending you on a journey that grabs you right in the soul. Each track has its own tale, told in unison by lyrics, powerful riffs and rhythms, and contrasts in vocal style.
A folk-like instrumental track “Red Sky in the Mourning” takes you away on the lilting melody of a time long past. But is quickly followed by “My Haunting Vision” which has epic heavy guitar riffs and delicious nasty vocals.
It’s difficult to pick a favourite track on this album, but “Shadows Immemorial” and “Solitude Apocalypse” stood out to me and I was mesmerised from start to finish, even with both tracks being more than 5 minutes in length. The whole album is extremely clever in its ability to hold the attention of the listener with hypnotic melodies, epic and varied vocals, heavy doomy riffs and tempo changes.
The 4 demo tracks offer more of the old school black metal sound with less refined production, but these tracks are certainly not lacking in any way. Blast beats, doomy riffs, with pure black metal vocals, give you a sense of how the band has evolved over the years. Stand out track of the demos would have to be “Sussex Hell Hound”. A must-listen album for fans of atmospheric black metal! Definitely recommend!
Tracklist
01 – Tyrant Spell
02 – The Anvils
03 – Despair is my Name
04 – Red Sky in Mourning
05 – My Haunting Vision
06 – Solitude Apocalypse
07 – Shadows Immemorial
08 – A Bitter End
Bonus tracks:
Sussex Hell Hound 2001 Demo
09 – The Raven Looks On
10 – Black Alchemist
11 – Sussex Hell Hound
12 – Serpent & Saint
Old Forest: Facebook
Release Year: 2021
Label: Death To Music Productions
Category: Album
Country: UK
Reviewed by ForsakenMisery
