Review Summary: Chapter 5 - The Purity of Peace
"With the scent of damp ground and woodsmoke,
Nature’s incense unfurls
Sated by carrion, the watchers land and gather
Branches hang heavy as they observe
For their memory, for their pain,
For their very essence I walk the Crowpath"
On the fifth official release (and third full length record) of one of England's most promising metal acts, we see the band explore the lighter, elegant, post-rock territory of their influences. (Much to the chagrin of some of their listeners.) Post-rock/metal composition has been forefront in the group's song structure up until this point and since, and Dustwalker sees Fen achieve yet another wonderful synthesis of black metal and post-rock influences, evidently favouring the latter. (Many fans have taken to calling this "post black metal", as seen in my other favourite late 2000's group, Altar of Plagues.)
To clarify, my album version concludes with the gorgeous, stirring track, simply titled "Epilogue". (It seems not all versions do.) At eight tracks, (most of which are ideas-rich and robust in scope) and an hour in length, Dustwalker is an extensive, rousing experience. I have observed a fascinating pattern over the evolution of Fen's discography, which I will expound upon in my final review of their most recent album, but sufficed to say that this record principally embodies an uplifting, wispy airiness - the element of Air, in a manner of speaking. Somewhat removed from the wandering, contemplative, forested-borders-surround-marshy-fields of their debut, and even moreso removed from the wistful, gloomy, windswept shores of Epoch, Dustwalker is Fen's least mournful or aggressive album to date; nevertheless no less visceral or compelling than any of their work to this point, featuring some of their most compositionally impressive and convincing performances to date. (A bold claim, to be sure.)
"Embers settle on a sanguine shroud
With each cycle it sinks further
Beneath twilight’s burnished rind"
Five of the eight tracks are excellent, with a few being outstanding; two of the other three being solid and one that I would relegate as a b-side. From the crisp, thundering opener, the warm, progressive genius of "Spectre", and the rousing, triumphant conclusion of "Epilogue", Dustwalker spans an impressive range of sound and emotion. I can resolutely state, unequivocally, that "Hands of Dust" is my single favourite song, irregardless of genre, of the 2010's. (There are moments in that song that cause literal, physiological reactions in my body. I feel the screams "in my gut".) With that said however, this record is incredibly front end loaded, and though this band speaks deeply to me, I can definitely see the second half of the album dragging for others. Wolf Sun is the only track on this record that I feel does not belong, due not only for not standing up with the rest of the record, but also thematically and atmospherically throwing the album off somewhat.
All in all, the peaks of this album are palpable, chilling, and indelible. Fen comes as close to perfecting the crescendo as one could expect in metal. I could rate this in a strictly dry, song by song, detached manner, but that not only insincerely forfeits the subjective reality of the listener, but also ignores the auxiliary, somewhat intangible qualities of music. (Atmosphere, historical importance, art, seminal influence, viscera, emotionally compelling, Identity, etc) This band and album possesses something much more precious than mere track-by-track compositional strength; (there's no lack of that here, mind you) in a world awash with tired archetypes and endless competition, this group truly has a distinct and unmistakable quality - Their "own sound". This album stands firmly on its own individual merits, but like all things exemplary, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. More importantly even than that, for the listener, this album is a deeply moving experience, and will always remain with me. I'm uncertain I could confidently claim this is Fen's best work to date, but I can resolutely state that it contains some of Fen's career highlights thus far. Overall, it falls short of the teleological potential of its implied theme and ethos, (due to a track or two holding it back, or throwing off the overall sound) but the climaxes it achieves are distinguished, graceful, and undeniably moving.
Recommended Tracks:
Hands Of Dust
Spectre
Consequence
Epilogue
