I’m not going to pretend that I’ve listened to much Fen before. I’ve known of the band but they were always on that long list of “getting around to”, which is always growing more than shrinking (insert dick joke here). But Fen’s fifth LP, Winter, has come around and there seems to be no better time to jump in and listen to this band now.
And I can now say that I should have been listening to Fen a long time ago.
Winter is cold and bleak, as its artwork and title should be. And it’s not a short season either. Throughout six tracks and 76-minutes, Fen weave a tapestry of fierce blizzards, thick ice and a dead landscape. It’s an album that inspires visual comparison rather than just throttling your neck and spitting in your face. And don’t go into this thinking that a listen or two is all you need, because you’ll require way more than that. Winter feels like a season in the cold, but in the best way.
“I (Pathway)” is a seventeen-minute opener that lets the listener in gently. The guitar melody and moody bass underneath are welcoming enough. It’s even a little warm. But then the storm hits, Fen gets aggressive and the track cold snaps. From then onward, the album is icy, scenic, at times serene, and at times harsh. And what’s more, once this is over, it’s only the beginning of Winter.
There aren’t any tracks on Winter that don’t run the gamut of atmosphere and black metal. Only one track (barely) clocks in under ten-minutes. And Fen aren’t a band that dwell much, despite their long songs. Masters of mood that they are here, they use the time and weave intricate soundscapes. “III (Fear)” is a song that starts out like it is floating to ground like soft snow (the winter comparisons aren’t going away so just get used to ‘em). But it slowly accumulates and after about three-minutes the track ignites. But the sorrowful guitar lead remains. It’s a gorgeous track that gets very heavy.
There are also post-rock elements to Winter. The track “IV (Interment)” holds one of the longest sections on the record. It’s melodic and even a little droning before Fen gets heavier and starts turning on the black metal again (about six-minutes in). Though the track mostly hovers on the lighter side, sticking to the more melodic; something less heavy, with less speed but still just as much spirit (though not completely devoid of those elements, and yes, it’s plenty heavy way later in the song).
By the time Winter wraps up it, again, feels like a season has passed. It feels like spring might be on the horizon. And right now, it is. Fen might make you pine for those colder months though. As I spin this and the weather slowly warms up I already feel myself pinning for later October and the grasp of a cold November. Winter is an incredible experience and captures those icy, desolate days perfectly. Bare branches are caked in snow, the blizzards blow with blinding intensity, but there’s enough scenic serenity in this dead land to keep you coming back. And you should, constantly.
Score: 9/10
I'm here.
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