Tongues – Formløse Stjerner (Review)

Tongues are a black metal band from Denmark and this is their second album.

Tongues create quality extreme metal – just check out 2014’s Thelésis Ignis or 2017’s Hreilia for ample evidence of this. It’s been a while, but Tongues have now returned with Formløse Stjerner, a 40-minute odyssey of abyssal exploration.

Formløse Stjerner blends death and doom metal into a blackened whole that exceeds the sum of its parts. The music here is multifaceted and combines its various influences seamlessly throughout the album. A ragged, bestial aggression seems to be the base foundation, and onto this Tongues build terrifying structures of atmosphere and emotion.

There’s a furious brutality here that’s captivating, especially as it’s merged deeply with the other elements of the music. Atmosphere, melodic colour, and aggressive tendencies are woven together with skilled grace, resulting in songs that have a lot to explore, and many treasures to reveal. Tongues use dissonance to enhance their music, and this seems to slide in and out of existence as if traversing dimensions. Twisting, expressive melodies are formidable weapons in Tongues’ arsenal. Providing everything from bright emotion and fearful depth to unsettling sounds and corrupt shading, the leads and solos that are richly embedded in the music are memorable and striking. Harsh vocals that range from growls to screams and more are performed by a vocalist that has a charismatic delivery.

These songs are well-crafted and built from quality materials that come from select sources. The songwriting is atypical and idiosyncratic, resulting in songs that are detailed and fully formed. Across the four tracks Tongues create a textured tapestry of black/death/doom that’s rewarding and satisfying.

Formløse Stjerner has impressed. Tongues have revealed their best work yet, and it has absolutely been worth the wait.

Very highly recommended.