‘The band features members from IN THE WOODS and CARPATHIAN FOREST!’ yells the press release in bold. This information is completely Vienna, in that it means nothing to me, but given the black metal scene’s love of forests (the whole guys in corpse paint lurching around in woodland is a cliché that never fails to amuse and seems to undermine much of the music by being unaware of its patent absurdity), I can imagine what they’re about.
Old Forest’s Facebook page (they’re as down with the new technology as they are with the ancient gods / demons, it would seem) lists their home town as ‘Brighthelmstone, Andredsweald, UK’, which is the Saxon name for Brighton, which once resided in ‘Andrew’s Wood’, and features pictures of, yes, grainy pictures of guys in corpse paint, and trees.
Formed in 1998, Old Forest’s debut album ‘Into the old forest’ followed shortly after, although the follow-up, ‘None More Black’ wouldn’t emerge for another nine years. You could hardly accuse them of rushing this one out, either.
They promise that the sound of ‘Dagian’ is ‘much more atmospheric’ on previous outings, while drawing attention to ‘the large use of keyboards, effects and weird voices’.
We’re looking at four tracks, each in the 10-15 minute region in terms of span. What this mean is that there are lengthy semi-ambient passages of twittering birdsong and trailing feedback, and intros that build layer upon layer of theatrical vocal over crushing power chords that last longer than an entire grindcore album. When ‘Morwen’ finally breaks, after about five minutes, it’s a dynamic surge which combines driving guitars, powerhouse percussion and anguished, guttural vocals, the whole thing being a shade reminiscent of latter-day Fields of the Nephilim.
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The album’s four pieces bleed together to forge a colossal work which transitions from subterranean torment to ethereal splendour, and flows remarkably well. It’s heavy – thick guitars, massively distorted, strings damped chug over dense, strolling basslines while lead guitar lines unfurl majestically. There’s a real sense of vision here, and it’s well-realised. It’s very much deserving of the ‘epic’ description.
I can’t help but feel that by aligning themselves so closely with the ultra-niche of black metal in visual terms, they’re limiting their potential audience, because musically, ‘Dagian’ is ambitious, accomplished, epic and eminently listenable. Definitely an album to listen own on its own musical merits.
Old Forest – Dagian Online
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