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New Music Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, AOR, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal
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Fen: Trails Out of Gloom
Fen: Trails Out of Gloom
Progressive/Alternative Rock
4.0/5.0
Ripple Music
www.myspace.com/fenmusicvancouver
www.fenmusic.ca
By Craig Hartranft, 10.25.2010
Trails Out of Gloom is an apt title for Fen's fourth album. There's a certain atmosphere of foreboding coursing through this work. At times, Fen seems two steps and a brick from doom rock, or maybe better alternative stoner rock. But even these descriptions fall short as you could add some post-grunge or even some mild heavy metal. And even with the darker gloomy side of Trials Out of Gloom or the The World is Young, there's an obtuse liveliness to Find That One and End of the Dream. With an oft despairing worldview for lyric, Fen brings ambitious melodies and clever guitar stylings to some knotty, but ultimately accessible, tunes like Miracle and the aforementioned End of the Dream.
But that essential melancholy lingers throughout like an early morning mist across a Vancouver fen. It certainly bookends the work with title track and the closer In Your Arms. I might advance that, if one would add some disturbing growls, Fen could sound like one of those atmospheric black metal bands, but with a spear of sunlight to add both warmth and a path out of darkness.
Yet, all this commentary pales in light of a listen to Trails Out of Gloom. This album is deceptively entertaining even with its sometimes despondent weight, and would suggest that it may become strangely addictive after several listens.
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In Short
Fen's Trails Out of Gloom is deceptively entertaining even with its sometimes despondent weight, and would suggest that it may become strangely addictive after several listens.
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