Fen are a UK black metal band and this is their eighth album.
Following on from 2023’s Monuments to Absence, Fen have now returned with 47 minutes of new material in the form of Elemental Part One: Mourning Earth. As the name might suggest, this is the first part of two.
Stylistically, Elemental Part One: Mourning Earth combines atmospheric, progressive, and post-black metal elements, fusing them together naturally. After the intensity of their previous record, Fen have returned to their debut album The Malediction Fields for inspiration. As such, Elemental Part One: Mourning Earth has a greater diversity of delivery than the ferocious Monuments to Absence, and ranges from aggressive worldbuilding to delicate introspective depth. The resulting soundscapes are vast and atmospheric, but without straying too far into exploratory waters as to become lost.
Elemental Part One: Mourning Earth is a record that soars high into the sky and digs deep into the earth. The songwriting is well-crafted, with a dynamic feel that speaks of an unforced period of creation. Harsh screams are the main form of vocal, sitting alongside the occasional deeper roar, or moments of ethereal clean singing, (and more besides).
The record boasts its fair share of quality riffs, alongside having a nice crunchy feel to the guitars. There’s a fair amount of variety in how they are deployed though, from post-blackened build and release, to airy atmospheric journeying, to nuanced intricacy. There’s a decent amount of progressive textures too, which help add further detailing to the music. And then there are the more hostile aspects; Fen have not neglected their aggressive side at all. Overall, the songs strike good a balance between their mood-focused components and their instantly impactful ones.
Elemental Part One: Mourning Earth is a strong and enjoyable album, from a band that have clearly considered what type of music they want to present to the world. Fen have crafted a record that’s well-rounded and engaging, with lots to entice a listener in and hold them close.
Very highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 