A new benchmark for other players in the so-called visionary extreme Metal scene.
We are in 1895. The mysterious Gentlemen's Club A Forest Of Stars presents its fourth opus in the form of a phonograph cylinder: "Beware The Sword You Cannot See."
With this work, A Forest Of Stars fulfills the promise made with its predecessor "A Shadowplay For Yesterdays" (2012). The compositions are bolder and more adventurous, eccentric and progressive, while remaining more melodic and accessible than ever before. Conceptually, A Forest Of Stars also references older themes while expanding upon them. While "A Shadowplay..." depicted moral decay through an individual fate, "Beware The Sword..." transposes themes of death and madness into metaphysical realms. As a result, the music of these sonic alchemists becomes more universal.
The effect of A Forest Of Stars' new album is comparable to that of the early mechanical reproductions of music at the end of the 19th century: the listening experience leaves the audience both perplexed and euphoric. Whether it's the captivating nine-minute opener "Drawing Down The Rain" (accompanied by an animated clip that surpasses even the impressive video for "Gatherer Of The Pure"), the expansive "Virtus Sola Invicta," which flirts with the finest moments of Scandinavian Progressive Rock through its folk-acoustic interludes, or the six-part "Pawn On The Universal Chessboard," which encapsulates and transcends the contextual essence of the band - "Beware The Sword You Cannot See" maintains tradition while innovating, developing an inimitable style in light of a complex yet always accessible concept… ultimately establishing a new benchmark for other players in the so-called visionary extreme Metal scene.
