Label : Lupus Lounge/Prophecy Productions
Review by Luisa Mercier
I have to say that I stumbled upon U.K A Forest of Stars by chance, in a Facebook group that linked one of the songs off their second release and I was truly entranced by them. First two albums are more on the atmospheric/progressive/psychedelic side than the metal one, so they caught me with their fascination and calming mood. Third album is more metalish, black metal influenced, but the atmospheric features were retained together with distant growls and persistent guitar riffs, typical of black albums. Songs, as usual, are very long, so they can incorporate various styles as the opener “Prey Tell of the Church Fate” shows, even though being more metal related.The real highlight of the record is the following “A Prophet for a Pound of Flesh”. It starts as extreme metal song, but soon it develops into an acoustic mood with strings and after in a section that reminded me of dear old Nineties gothic-doom (“Ecstatic Fear” for example). There is even a little hint of electronica. A track for all tastes. Towards the end appear sweet female vocals, courtesy of violin/flute player Katherine. “Dead Love” is totally female-fronted and is a sad ballad, that recalls the early works of Tristania and The Sins of thy Beloved. “Man’s Laughter” is an instrumental electronic interlude that leads to “Underside of Eden”, another long groovy track, similar to “A Prophet for a Pound of Flash” with black metal and more melodic moments. I would like to point out the video for “Gatherer of the Pure”: it is an animated motion movie, really, really creepy and disturbing. The song is a long progressive track with psychedelic moment in a shoegaze/atmspheric black metal context. I also recommend the two “Corvus Corona” and the Eastern influenced “Left Behind as Static”. “A Shadowplay for Yesterdays” is a really complex album, not for a wide audience that’s for sure, but if you love underground, elegant, avantgarde music you can give a try.
Rating – 85/100
Tracklist
- Directionless Resurrectionist
- Prey Tell of the Church Fate
- A Prophet for a Pound of Flesh
- The Blight of God’s Acre
- Man’s Laughter
- The Underside of Eden
- Gatherer of the Pure
- Left Behind as Static
- Corvus Corona Part I
- Corvus Corona Part II
- Dead Love
Line Up
- Mister Curse – Vocals
- Katheryne, Queen of the Ghosts – Violin, Flute, Vocals
- The Gentleman – Keyboards, Percussion
- Henry Hyde Bronsdon – Guitar, Vocals
- Mr Titus Lungbutter – Bass
- Mr John “The Resurrectionist” Bishop – Drums, Percussion
- Sir Gastrix Grimshw – Guitar, Vocals
- The Projectionist – Live Lighting, Phantasmagoria and Projections, Music Videography and Photomancy
Links