Fester- Silence

Those of you that read the review for Winter of Sin already know my strong feelings toward that album. Their debut was without a doubt one of the most unique albums to come out in that period of time and due to the band's standout sound they didn't quite break into the scene. That being said those of you who have continued to put Fester on the backburner will be hating themselves the instant they put on either of their albums. This is good, real good.

One thing that made Winter of Sin was that it has a very distinctive sound. The band seamlessly blend a number of genres and in the process make something that can only be described as Fester. The music featured on Silence is far from menacing, they embrace a style that is dripping with mysticism and is surrounded with a very gloomy atmosphere. Many of the tracks on the album have a feel that can almost be described as laid back. "The Maze" is strangely very calming as well as a few others tracks featured on the album. Fester is one of those bands that make music that you can truly get lost in, the content here is simply mesmerizing.

With this album Fester takes a more traditional approach in terms of guitar playing. The riffs here wouldn't seem out of place on some of the classic metal albums that were brought to us in the late 70's/early 80's. In more ways than one Silence is less extreme in terms of sound than the debut is. Though the album is still heavy it is hard to describe it as aggressive. One of the biggest standout tracks on the album is "Voices From the Woods". The song features one of the most enchanting choruses in metal history and features melodies that are stunning. Much like on the first release the vocals consist of weak and distant black metal esque shrieks with the occasional clean thrown in. This style fits what Fester plays well and is extremely unusual. Those who are just getting into the band may have a hard time adjusting to the vocals but overall it is all a matter of taste.

Overall Fester has impressed me once again even with my ridiculously high expectations. Fans of music in general need to get both this and Winter of Sin, if you have functioning ears you will not be disappointed. In a world where you often have trouble distinguishing one band from another Fester is one of the few exceptions that by the time the first note is played you immediately know the band, album, and track that is being played. Without a doubt this band was far ahead of it's time and they deserve a lot more respect than they currently get.

Fester- Winter Of Sin

Fester was a death metal band from Norway that formed in 1989. Winter of Sin was their first full-length after a demo of the same name, they later on released one more album and disappeared for over a decade to later reform. Winter of Sin was released in 1992, while most bands in the area were beginning to turn to black metal Fester were pumping out music that could be considered blackened death metal in it's early stages. This is one of those records that has a major crossover capability. Fans of death metal, doom metal, and black metal can all find something to enjoy within the contents of Winter of Sin.

Picture an old school death metal release with a pinch of doom and the raspy vocals that black metal has become known for and you have Winter of Sin. It is hard to compare this album to any others that were out at the time because it honestly has it's own sound. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that this album is far ahead of it's time. Winter of Sin also has one of the most epic sounds to ever grace a death metal record around this time.

The fretwork on Winter of Sin is reasonably simple. The album is jam-packed with crushing riffs. The heavier moments on the album hit like haymakers due to the punch the bass adds to the overall sound. There are a few odd moments on this album that definitely make it standout. The most notable would be the solo on "Victory!!!" which features a nice little solo that is backed by a clean melody, the melody slowly builds up as the solo winds down, it gives the track an exceptionally creepy atmosphere. Moments like this keep things exciting throughout the entire record. All the tracks range from very close to well over five minutes in length, the band manages to get through the lengthy tracks without dragging even a bit.

This release is also very bass dominant. This element adds a very chunky sound to Winter of Sin that adds to the already doom-laden sound the band displays. It is great to hear the bass throughout the entire release and it adds quite a bit of depth to the sound. Bass is something that many death metal records lack and it is quite a breath of fresh air to hear it so clearly here. Skjolden was a great bass player and sadly he passed back in 2000.

Overall Winter of Sin is one of the most interesting releases in death metal from this era. When listening it is truly hard to believe that this is such an unsung classic. This is highly recommended to fans of extreme metal in general. The reissue of this album also features a live track recorded in 1991 and damn they sure did rip live. Let's just hope if they release new material they tour to support it.