Dark Forest - The Awakening (2014) [Gorgatz]

Dark Forest - The Awakening (2014) [Gorgatz]

r /> Dark Forest - The Awakening (2014) [Gorgatz]



- I N F O -

The night is cold and damp. A horse gallops in the distance. Wolves howl at the moon. Blades are drawn and blood is shed. These are the images that should come to mind when listening to Dark Forest’s release The Awakening, but in actuality, the only images I can conjure up are those of five dudes in leather vests and bad haircuts playing average heavy metal.

Dark Forest are a NWOTHM (New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal) band from the UK and they are a dime a dozen. This puts a lot of pressure on a group such as this to stand out among their peers. There is no variety in Dark Forests’ music besides the occasional transition to acoustic instruments, making them replicators instead of innovators. This may please some fans for sticking to their “traditional” style, but there is no progression in a band’s songwriting when they continue to tread familiar waters.

The heavy metallers’ songwriting formula tends to follow the same pattern: riff, verse, chorus, verse, solo, chorus. It works well with the title track “The Awakening”, but quickly grows tiresome after two more tracks. Most songs blend together as they sound almost identical at times. One can usually only decipher unique vocal and guitar harmonies that stand out between each song, but that’s about it.

If there is something Dark Forest know how to do, it’s how to rock—these guys riff and solo throughout the album as if they came out of the womb wielding guitars. They certainly take a lot of influence from traditional heavy metal and judging by their appearance, they desperately want to live in the 80’s and coexist with the bands of that era. If that is case, then the production on The Awakening is certainly lacking. I don’t mean that it is bad but that it is too clean. If the production was more muddy and gritty, it would be actually be an improvement. The vocals are a bit difficult to adjust to at first, mostly due to the aforementioned production value, but they are decent for the most part. The vocal harmonies mainly match those of the guitars so there’s not much that will surprise the listener. Also of note is the last minute and a half of the album’s closer “Sons of England”: it is an acoustic outro that features gentle plucking and a solo that could have lasted another two minutes. Although it is disappointingly short, it is my favorite part of the entire album.

There is not much else to say about Dark Forest’s The Awakening. Songs come and go, as does the album. I could picture myself driving down the highway at high speeds with this album playing, but in any other context, the album is pretty forgettable. If you’re a fan of some sweet guitar harmonies that harken back to the greats of early 80’s metal, then this album should do just the trick. Otherwise, you can keep your vivid imaginings of horses, blades and blood intact with plenty of other NWOTHM bands.

From the band name, you might expect something bleak, grim, and frostbitten. From the album title, you might expect a cornerstone of early feminist literature. What follows is something that surpasses both.

Joined by a new singer and a new guitarist, Dark Forest (UK) present their third album: a power-ish love letter to the classic heavy metal sound of the late '70s and early '80s. They have chopped out some of the thrashier elements of their previous albums; The Awakening seems to have a more streamlined sound, but it still bears the mark of nostalgic longing.

Guitar harmonies seem like a dead art nowadays. They were cool when Thin Lizzy used them, but now they are a dreadfully overused way for Joey and Fritz Metalcore to 'liven up' some mundane riffs and seem slightly more musically literate. Too many folks these days think that guitar harmonies have an infinite novelty, when in reality they achieve new heights of banality by using them as a crutch. Dark Forest (UK) are not, fortunately, counted in this group. There are some sublime and well-constructed harmonies to be found on this album - they are bursts of Iron Maiden-y musicality, not rancid garnish.

There is a folksy feeling at times - not because of any obvious traditional elements in the music, but because of the earnest reverence for their musical heritage. This is heavy metal in the tradition of Iron Maiden, Witchfynde, Satan… That point in history when heavy metal, early power metal, and NWOBHM ran in the same circles comes howling back into view on songs like the title track and "The Last Season." Dark Forest (UK)'s music is similar to other revivalists like Wolf or Holy Grail, but with a slight lo-fi quality that makes it sound more genuine.

The Awakening opens and closes very strongly, ending with the powerful "Sons Of England" and leaving an aftertaste of subtle dolor. There is a certain dramatic intensity about this album, but at the same time it is a great piece of good, clean heavy metal fun. Anyone looking for some old school heavy/power metal should look no further.

I have followed this UK Black Country band for a long time since their demo days, I have admired and enjoyed their live performances for more times than I care to remember, but stone me…Dark Forest have pulled the genie out of the lamp with this release and I am rubbing my own hands with excitement.

The progression of their music has really gelled with this new line up and shows that if you work at your craft, the rewards are very fruitful. This is almost an epic metal release, made easier to describe as such by the really strong vocal delivery of Josh Winnard (previously of UK band Wytch Hazel). Winnard’s character enables the band to pull off tunes like ‘The Awakening’ and ‘Penda’s Fen’ like water flowing off a ducks back. The rhythm section is tighter; there is also more depth to the album production flowing with sustain that generously represents these modern traditional metal tunes.

Delving further into the albums tale (Dark Forest’s lyrics are always of interest – they are no metal clichés here!) you come to ‘Secret Commonwealth’. This further personifies ties to the band as you feel part of the story, it’s conveyed in such a way that gives the listener a sense of belonging and provides more than enough opportunities to raise your fist and bang your head in agreement. The vocal melody, the busy guitar work, the ripping solo work, this kicks ass my friends. ‘Sacred Signs’ is another track where you relish the guitar presence where key melodies are trading off the vocal delivery, whilst maintaining a tempo that simply can’t stop your resulting good mood, your foot tapping, your head banging, no matter how much of a miserable “person” you are at that point.

This is easily one of the most remarkable and genuinely exciting releases from a seasoned UK band. You can clearly hear the results of an in depth reorganisation and restructure as this sounds really fresh, a rejuvenation. I wouldn’t go far as saying it sounds like a new band, the Dark Forest character of old is still very much present, they have just worked their socks off and been handed a promotion to platinum card membership. Make no bones about it, ‘The Awakening’ is a pleasantly surprising release from a band that has made deserved progress over their career thus far, this album takes them to another level all together. It is so fitting that they should be supporting a band like Atlantean Kodex on their Autumn/Winter jaunt to these shores with Solstice as the music is indeed a touch epic, it’s a metal release to savour.

- T R A C K L I S T -

01. The Awakening
02. Sacred Signs
03. Penda's Fen
04. Turning Of The Tide
05. Rie Like Lions
06. Immortal Remains
07. Secret Commonwealth
08. The Last Season
09. Sons Of England

Format: Mp3, CBR 320 kbps
Genre: Heavy/Power Metal
Size: 124 MB