Whereas “Escaping the Abyss” tended to draw more upon outside inspiration & influences, “The Death of a Rose” sees the band begin to develop their own identity & sound further when it comes to technicality which is even more awe-inspiring on this release. Therefore the original influences are still detectable, but to slightly less of a degree and work more to compliment the overall sound. So yes, there are still obvious comparisons to bands such as OPETH and ENSLAVED to be made as the compositional style & progressive nature of FORNOST ARNOR does bear resemblance to these bands. The comparison to OPETH is still by far the most striking and in particular to their early material such as “Blackwater Park”. Though it would be fair to say that FORNOST ARNOR err more on the technical side of things as this element is what really stands out as a strength throughout “The Death of a Rose”. The band also experiment more with the use of clean vocals, both female and male which add a neo-classical edge at times. The female vocals are sung in an angelic, folky style and work well to create an atmosphere full of both beauty and lamentation. The clean male vocals are also more varied in their delivery than on the previous release and this adds to the overall depth of the release, especially when laced into the heavier sections of songs. The schizophrenic approach to song structures also seems more pronounced for this release; the acoustic sections, heartfelt song & dark piano melodies appear more poignant when combined with the extra cold, fast blackened riffs, lead guitar wizardry, brutal death growl and a whole battalion of blastbeats!

“The Death of a Rose” comprises of eight epic compositions of which you can expect extremely high quality from all angles; both in terms of creative content and production. FORNOST ARNOR have achieved the sort of results equal to those of OPETH and basically carry on the progressive tradition from this Swedish band whilst also building elements from different genres into their sound so it ranges from Black Metal, Doom, Death, Jazz and nature-inspired Pagan / Folk Metal. The capability to equal OPETH in the skill stakes deserves great credit, however, for future releases it would be good to see FORNOST ARNOR develop their personal approach / techniques further. They certainly have the ability to do so and building on originality may just achieve perfection.

The similarity to OPETH is striking, though it’s obvious FORNOST ARNOR have incorporated a myriad of influences into their sound due to the complexity of the eight epic compositions on offer here. The growled vocals are the element most reminiscent of OPETH plus there is also often a clean vocal present which is sung in the same style of delivery as OPETH but is perhaps slightly smoother and more melancholic than OPETH. There are also a few elements that FORNOST ARNOR use that will surely intrigue the listener. For example; “The Tragedy of Delusion” features some beautiful female vocals that compliment the harsher elements of the album. There are also some complex scales and solos present that strangely bring to mind bands such as RED CHORD, MORBID ANGEL, GOJIRA or perhaps DECAPITATED which surely adds interesting and unexpected twists, these elements also contrast nicely to folky acoustic passages and ensure that the attention is always well and truly grabbed. Musically, FORNOST ARNOR is also close to later ENSLAVED in terms of progressive song-writing, inspiration coming from the natural world, ice cold atmospheres and a strong sense of dark, turbulent emotion.

Overall this is a band that shows great promise having achieved such excellent results at such an early stage in their musical career. Make no mistake, this is one to watch and it would be no surprise if great success and respect greets FORNOST ARNOR in the near future. For fans of AGALLOCH, IRONWOOD, ENSLAVED, OPETH, later EMPEROR, INSOMNIUM, MOURNING BELOVETH, NOVEMBER’S DOOM, MORGION, RUSH, PINK FLOYD, MYRKGRAV, HELRITT, etc.

VELNIAS use mature song-writing techniques (border-lining on progressive), making use of many moody acoustic passages and slow, sorrowful riffs that gradually build and shift throughout each track. Although it is possible VELNIAS may appeal to those who follow bands such as ENSLAVED, DRUDKH, AGALLOCH, OPETH, and suchlike, the formation of the songs on offer here actually have more in common with the techniques used by bands such as later ISIS and PELICAN, though VELNIAS offer a more melancholic approach to this style and of course a strong Pagan flavour. The Pagan sensibilities and themes are evident throughout the release, from the roughly performed vocals, to the aesthetics, track titles, band name, warm-sounding guitar and bass and also the unobtrusive samples taken from the natural world. This is basically a risk-free release as you know what should be expected, there is little doubt of this. It would be fair to say that this release is an ideal choice for those who are dedicated and perhaps obsessive followers of the Pagan / Progressive / Folk area of Black Metal as “Sovereign Nocturnal” is a more subtle offering than most in this genre though it is not without intensity, due to this fact the release may also be a good choice for those who follow Post-Rock and are looking for something a little different to their usual choice of music.

Overall “Sovereign Nocturnal” is a very promising and sensitively composed release from VELNIAS, however it is likely their very best output is yet to come (with “Sovereign Nocturnal” being their first official release following a demo recording). The band have well-established and strong ideas when it comes to the inspiration behind their work and so this focused attitude will no doubt continue to yield interesting and hypnotic results. VELNIAS are certainly what may be considered an “outsider” Black Metal band along with acts such as the arty and serene WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM who also base their works on nature. To sum it up; “Sovereign Nocturnal” is a superb choice for environmentalists, experimental Metallers and modern-day heathens.