Review Summary: Another chapter beckons for In The Woods...
In The Woods… first came to my attention nearly 30 years ago, having originally been introduced to their debut "Heart of The Ages" by a school peer in 1996. This kid knew I delved in the darker side and handed me a taped cassette of this unknown Norwegian atmospheric black metal band. The mysterious and sinister "Heart of The Ages" was an introduction into a totally underground music scene and proved to be seminal release, pushing the boundaries of atmospheric black metal into blackgaze and avant-garde black metal. Fast forward 20 years and I was intrigued by their comeback album "Pure". Although it featured a new singer in James Fogarty, I gave it a go and to my amazement it was a totally captivating prog metal odyssey. Mr Fog did a second album with In The Woods… in 2018, now minus the Botteri brothers, with "Cease the Day" following Pure’s top quality progressive metal/rock template. Now Mr Fog has also left, leaving drummer Anders Kobro the only original member and beating heart of the band and a new chapter beckons for In The Woods…
Now having an affinity with a band comes with it both comfort and expectations. The album art of "Diversum" is quite inviting which added to my private hype. With new singer Bernt Fjellestad, the album immediately reminded me of Green Carnation’s 2020 album "Leaves of Yesteryear". This link in sound has deep roots as In The Woods… were formed in the early 90’s by Kobro and the Botteri brothers after splitting from Green Carnation. The early songs on "Diversum" have a melodic hard rock/metal grounding with deep flowing guitars seguing between various song arrangements. The main feature of this new incarnation is Fjellestad’s soaring clean singing, spoken word narrations and contrasting harsh vocals, often delivered in layered vocal harmonies as heard in "Moments" and "We Sinful Converge".
One of the most important tests I have for metal is song distinguishment and this album skilfully acknowledges such virtues and gives every song its own personality, be it a guitar hook or a memorable chorus or often both. These features remind me of releases this year from Soilwork and Amorphis, granted those being different musical exploits.
Whilst presenting a gorgeously produced melodic metal offering, the overarching theme of this album is one of personal darkness, desperation and searches for meaning. The Malevolent God as an example covers subject matter akin to Metallica’s "One", delivered in the signature modern In The Woods… flair with the added bonus of a neat guitar solo.
The following "A Wonderful Crisis" opens with a Ronald Reagan speech sample which also reminds me of another historical link in the band, that being a different Reagan speech sample in "Guardians of the High Frontier", a song from Mr Fog’s other band Ewigkeit. Alongside the opener "The Coward’s Way", "A Wonderful Crisis" is possibly the high point of Diversum, particularly when the chorus extends to “What Remains are Echoes of Her Pain…” and beyond.
Humanity continues the good song writing which features crunchy riffs for the most metal song on offer. This a prog metal/prog rock amalgamation with all songs having a moody and doomy disposition, which are given time to build atmosphere with length times in the 5-7 minute range. What’s also clear is this album follows the evolution of other long standing bands like Enslaved and Rotting Christ with songs "Master of None" and "Your Dark" continuing the natural maturation of In The Woods…
Credit to Kobro for continuing this wonderful metal band and assembling this new cast of musicians to add another fine chapter in this most interesting of discographies. This is an album to be returned to over and over, as I have with all In The Woods… albums as theirs is a layered and deep soundscape with the added value of surface catchiness, which is avant-garde in itself.
