Forest Stream
The Crown Of Winter

The second chapter of the glacial Forest Stream opens with the sweet and distant musical infusions of the intro “Feral magic”, the link between what was (“Tears of mortal solitude”) and what is. "The crown of winter," if possible, turns out to be even more disdainful in its gray tones compared to the debut of the Russian band. The group, which now includes Kir on drums and Moloch on bass, decisively presses on the accelerator and crafts an album partly different from the masterpiece TOMS.

After six years of losing track of them, they return in 2009 with another work heavily influenced by their homeland, that Russia reflected in the sudden tempo changes of “The beautiful nature”, where once again keyboards and sepulchral atmospheres emerge. So far nothing new under the sun, but the change (which, in my opinion, is negative) can be felt before reaching the aforementioned song. However, firstly, there is the splendid fusion of the most symphonic black influenced by Opeth and Katatonia, finding its epitome in the astonishing versatility of the title track, the peak of the album and the career of the Russians. The beginning of "The crown of winter" raises hopes, but the tracks presented afterward are "only" a collage of the pieces contained in Tears of mortal solitude but with a predominance of growl and scream. The intimate moments, which made the fortune of the first work, find their space with difficulty. “Bless you to die” is emblematic of what has been said, seven minutes of black-influenced accelerations that have little to do with the band. This, like the following “Autumn dancers”, has the flavor of the unfinished, and the more thought-out moments almost seem to have to be there as a continuation of the previous album. A concept difficult to express in words, but that is understood from the first listening and heavily and negatively affects the entire work.

The feeling is that the group may have rested a bit too much on their laurels, offering a sound that naturally approaches what was done in the past, yet it does not appear "digestible". Going back to “The beautiful nature”, although it might represent the most experimental track of the plot, it is difficult to understand its beginning, as if it wants to extend the duration of the song. For this reason, and an undeniable "decline" of the pathos that was felt in the first album, The crown of winter does not entirely convince, despite the band’s unmistakable attitude and its complex songwriting.

It may have been the change of label (this CD is managed by Candlelight), or perhaps a recycling of ideas that is a bit too forced, but it remains a fact that this second chapter of the Russian band loses ground compared to the first. Another distinguishing element, which once again plays against The crown of winter, is the almost total absence of doom passages. A step back from the beginnings, and by listening again to the mournful notes of the sublime Tears of mortal solitude, one can await their new musical effort, hoping it will be better than this work.

Rating: 3 minus.

1. “Feral Magic” (2:19)
2. “The Crown Of Winter” (11:44)
3. “Mired” (9:27)
4. “Bless You To Die” (7:38)
5. “Autumn Dancers” (8:40)
6. “The Seventh Symphony Of Satan” (9:05)
7. “The Beautiful Nature” (9:24)
8. “My Awakening Dreamland” (1:38)