Metal Storm logo
A Forest Of Stars - Beware The Sword You Cannot See



8.2 | 282 votes |
Release date: 27 February 2015
Style: Atmospheric black metal

Owners:

201 have it
26 want it
1 trades it


Disc I
01. Drawing Down The Rain
02. Hive Mindless
03. A Blaze Of Hammers
04. Virtus Sola Invicta
05. Proboscis Master Versus The Powdered Seraphs
06. Pawn On The Universal Chessboard, Part I: Mindslide
07. Pawn On The Universal Chessboard, Part II: Have You Got A Light, Boy?
08. Pawn On The Universal Chessboard, Part III: Perdurabo
09. Pawn On The Universal Chessboard, Part IV: An Automaton Adrift
10. Pawn On The Universal Chessboard, Part V: Lowly Worm
11. Pawn On The Universal Chessboard, Part VI: Let There Be No Light

Disc II ["Valley Of Desolation" EP - Special Boxset Only]
01. Gestation
02. Catafalque Caravan Quandary
03. Plastic Patriarch Lynch Squad (Enduring December)

Additional info
Produced by Duncan Evans (Henry Hyde Bronsdon).

Staff review by
Auntie Sahar
Rating:
9.0
You know those people, somewhat pessimistic types, who say of music that "nothing is original anymore," and "everything's been done"? Well, they clearly haven't heard A Forest Of Stars yet, now have they?

Read more ››
published 11.03.2015 | Comments (33)

The gentlemen's club of A Forest Of Stars came again from the 1890's to bring us their fourth album of their unique take on atmospheric black metal.

Check it out on bandcamp!
Unless you prefer videos, then ckeck this and this!


Darkside Momo's picks | More picks ››

Found in 39 lists
Top lists



Comments

Comments: 29   [ 3 ignored ]   Visited by: 1043 users
17.12.2014 - 17:09
Rating: 8
Karlabos
Meat and Potatos
=]
----
"Aah! The cat turned into a cat!"
- Reimu Hakurei
Loading...
17.12.2014 - 17:28
Rating: 9
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
A double disc album could either mean something incredibly massive, or a lot of boring filler. Knowing these guys, it's (hopefully) the former
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
Loading...
17.12.2014 - 19:44
Rating: 8
Karlabos
Meat and Potatos
Written by Guest on 17.12.2014 at 17:15

What's with serpents eating their own tails on album covers these days?

If a serpent ate its whole self would it be twice as big or disappear completely?
----
"Aah! The cat turned into a cat!"
- Reimu Hakurei
Loading...
18.12.2014 - 00:42
J. N.
Account deleted
Written by Guest on 17.12.2014 at 17:15
What's with serpents eating their own tails on album covers these days?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouroboros
Loading...
26.01.2015 - 17:40
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Loading...
26.01.2015 - 17:56
Rating: 8
Karlabos
Meat and Potatos
^ 2015 officially started now
----
"Aah! The cat turned into a cat!"
- Reimu Hakurei
Loading...
26.01.2015 - 18:29
Zap
Guest
Written by Karlabos on 26.01.2015 at 17:56

^ 2015 officially started now

Couldn't have said it better myself.
Loading...
15.02.2015 - 21:04
riffraff.cai

fucking Awesome!!
Loading...
27.02.2015 - 18:32
Rating: 10
flightoficarus
Stamp Tramp
Nice to hear some more female vocals in BM. It's used plenty in gothic and power metal, but under-utilized in the more extreme genres. Adds to the already-present beauty, could have made more appearances. The proclamation-style vocals were definitely a grower, but are ultimately genius. There are moments where they progress into some really cool, evil sounding distorted growls like on "A Blaze of Hammers" and "An Automaton Adrift." Then there is "Proboscis:" the combination of the stage-worthy performance, indie-rock bass, and reverse track-sounding synth creates something totally hypnotic. I will say that the bass drum during the blastbeats sounds triggered and digital to me. Not sure if that is the case or not. The guitar work is fairly average for the genre. The strings and synths, on the other hand, are absolutely lovely. Also, good call on breaking up the last part of the album into multiple movements instead of forcing a 20-25 minute track on us. If the vocals were a bit more engaging, I could see myself listening to this more. Those who do like this vocal style may find this to be a 9 or 10. At $6.99 on bandcamp it's a steal. Full review here.
Enjoyability=9
Musicianship=9
Innovation=9
Overall=9
----
Daily underground metal recommendations at Metal Trenches.
Listen to the Trench Talk podcast.
Loading...
02.03.2015 - 23:25
Carl Berg
Carl Berg
Amazing music.
Loading...
04.03.2015 - 03:32
Rating: 10
Darkside Momo
Retired
Loving it more and more. Quite weird, even for AFOS, but goddamn great
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
Loading...
05.03.2015 - 19:29
Rating: 9
Unhealer
Eclecticist
Fucking loving this album, my favorite by them so far.
Disc II is a bonus disc for the deluxe version or something, right? Can't see those tracks on bandcamp.
Loading...
05.03.2015 - 21:35
Rating: 10
Darkside Momo
Retired
Written by Unhealer on 05.03.2015 at 19:29

Fucking loving this album, my favorite by them so far.
Disc II is a bonus disc for the deluxe version or something, right? Can't see those tracks on bandcamp.

yep, for 500-copies special edition
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
Loading...
06.03.2015 - 11:27
Rating: 9
M C Vice
ex-polydactyl
Not as good as the 1st and 3rd albums, better than the 2nd though. Pawn On The Universal Chessboard is probably one of the best songs they've ever done.
They seem to be more progressive than atmospheric this time.
----
"Another day, another Doug."
"I'll fight you on one condition. That you lower your nipples."
" 'Tis a lie! Thy backside is whole and ungobbled, thou ungrateful whelp!"
Loading...
06.03.2015 - 18:25
Fallen Ghost
Craft Beer Geek
Stunning coverart, gotta listen to this only because of that!
Loading...
07.03.2015 - 19:42
Rating: 9
CyberSymphony
Ollie
Drawing Down The Rain and Proboscis Master Versus... are amazing songs. I hugely enjoyed listening to this, possibly more than their last album.
Loading...
09.03.2015 - 17:08
Rating: 7
PanzerPriest

Very good album. I agree with the opinion above that this album tends to be the best in this band's discography so far. My opinion is the same.
Loading...
11.03.2015 - 18:42
Rating: 9
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
It's really amazing how much this band has grown. One huge, mysterious puzzle of awesome is what this is
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
Loading...
12.03.2015 - 04:44
Fat & Sassy!

Had this on in the car tonight, and I had to convince my girlfriend that we weren't listening to Bal-Sagoth again. :/
Loading...
12.03.2015 - 05:30
Rating: 9
Unhealer
Eclecticist
I declare the riff at the end of "An Automation Adrift" the best riff of 2015, still nine months before the year's end.
Loading...
15.03.2015 - 00:59
Rating: 9
M C Vice
ex-polydactyl
I can hear some Ayreon and Ne Obliviscaris on this one.
----
"Another day, another Doug."
"I'll fight you on one condition. That you lower your nipples."
" 'Tis a lie! Thy backside is whole and ungobbled, thou ungrateful whelp!"
Loading...
21.03.2015 - 01:47
tibosax

For those who liked this album, you may be interested in Maladie's ...Still...
It also is a kind of avantgarde/prog black metal (but without the folky and psychedelic elements of A Forest Of Stars) and has the same spirit in terms of combination of very different atmospheres.
Loading...
03.05.2015 - 14:08
3rdWorld
China was a neat
Hands down album of the year.
Loading...
15.07.2015 - 22:55
Maco
Pvt Funderground
I only liked the first song, the rest of the album is a big meh.
----
Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
Loading...
04.09.2015 - 17:51
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Didn't do much for me, as I expected. I can see why people like it I suppose, but

Loading...
22.11.2015 - 01:35
metalmorph282014

GREAT!!! IS ONE THE MOST GREAT ALBUM THIS YEAR
Loading...
06.12.2015 - 00:04
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Awesome album atmo BM, avant-garde, I like female vocals here, mix whit male, its just a beauty together, decent album, band knows how work whit music, boath sex vocals, lyrics what is poetry and sounds, all goes together well ---
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
06.12.2015 - 19:26
Zap
Guest
A Forest Of Stars without boat sex is not A Forest Of Stars.
Loading...
07.12.2015 - 00:08
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Written by Guest on 06.12.2015 at 03:20

Dem boat sex vocals


it was probably some staffer who edited it and made it look so weird
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...

Hits total: 22076 | This month: 39