EP Review: Finsterforst - Jenseits
Reviewed by Rick Eaglestone
Conceived during the Covid 19 pandemic and consisting of four parts, Germanys Finsterforst return with ambitious EP Jenseits
Opener ‘Kapitel I – Freiheit’ has a real wave of folk metal running through its core with battle charging soundscapes, full on choir vocals twinned with extreme elements, there are also tinges of the medieval which I particularly enjoyed as well as being sung in the bands mother tongue was very reminiscent of bands like Tanzwut & Subway to Sally.
Following this is ‘Kapitel II – Dualitaet’ which does follow on nicely from the previous track as it does contain a lot of the same elements and among is the prominent basslines are the first indications of a heavier direction which the band have dubbed Black Forest Metal, it doesn’t break out into a full-on aural assault, but its atmospheric laden tones certainly give off the impression that it might.
The most serene track of the album is also the shortest ‘Kapitel III – Reflexionen is largely acoustic and has the makings of sea shanty, full of cinematic and immersive tones forging into the album’s final offering the near sixteen minute ‘Kapitel IV -Katharsis’ which not only encapsulates the journey and diversity of Jenseits but highlights the level of musicianship with a diverse level of experimentation.
Over the near forty minutes immersive experience, one thing I particularly enjoyed was the attention to detail and the interlinking – Finsterforst means Dark Forest and is a reference to the Black Forest ‘Schwarzwald’ located in the band’s hometown.
The more I delved into the lyrical content the more I felt I was listening to film score, picking up on the subtle use of the accordion and just wave upon wave of subtle brooding from the quintet.
This is my first experience of Finsterforst, and they have certainly managed to produce something with many lingering twists and turns that inevitably come back in the form of earworms and I fully expecting to revisit Jenseits quite a few more times before the year is out as I have already found myself picking up new elements with each listen.
