A Forest Of Stars
Opportunistic Thieves Of Spring

Musically speaking, I feel no fascination for conformity, I have no interest in those who lack the courage to take risks, in those who hide behind the comfortable barrier of the "already heard". On the contrary, my mind is stimulated by novelties, by those who can create something new, by those who know how to progress and evolve with coherence. I am not one who approves of mediocrity, I am not the type of person for a "political average". Musically speaking, A Forest of Stars is perfect for me and anyone who thinks like me.

Already with their debut "The Corpse of Rebirth" the English formation managed to make an impact on the scene with its extremely personal sound, unfortunately, due to production not always up to the mark, the album failed to fully convince. On "Opportunistic Thieves of Spring" the situation changes; the production is decidedly in line with the band's proposal, managing to enhance all the passages and all the instrumental interweavings, while remaining (fortunately) far away from the shores of pompous and bombastic.

"Opportunistic Thieves of Spring" is an incredibly elegant and mysterious album, capable of creating hypnotic and enchanting atmospheres, thanks also to frequent incursions of unusual instruments (for this genre) like drums, flutes, and the indispensable violin, which often delineate scores with an exquisite Middle Eastern flavor whose interweavings project into a magical and esoteric world. Apparently, musical influences of this kind might seem daring for a Black Metal band, surely the purists of the genre will wrinkle their noses while listening to this album, but in the end, that's how it is.

Overall, this work by A Forest of Stars perfectly aligns with the term "gothic", but beware, I am not referring to alluring maidens excessively made up, black lace, and choruses on the edge of pop typical of the currently defined "Goth" genre, rather I refer to the mysterious and unsettling atmospheres of a good late 19th-century novel, I refer to particular sensations that can only be described with such a term.

I recommend to all potential buyers to acquire the digibook version of the album, which boasts an exquisite aesthetic midway between a fairy tale of times gone by and a Renaissance herbal.