Via AOP Records
Out 31 July, 2026
Words by Daryl Daryl
Yet another album with perfect production, every instrument in perfect clarity, every pitch perfect. There is not a gap in the audio spectrum that has not been filled, no decibel left unturned. So is it just another album going against the tide of authenticity? In the case of Finsterforst, it’s that rare moment when perfect production actually is their authentic voice. Their musicianship and composition skills are breathtaking. I only wish I could speak fluent German.
The songs will make your head nod no matter how hard you resist. While the pace varies from track to track, it remains fixed at a foot-tapping speed to keep you locked in and cooking. The songs have the force of a Germanic march that will recruit you to their cause. They start the album with Obduktion and, like living life in reverse, the songs fill you with the excitement and energy of youth.
Epic songs with choral singing and orchestral instrumentation make up what Finsterforst call Black Forest Metal. The band has clearly worked hard to develop their own sound, and have earned the right to define their own genre. With every modern metal vocal style over folk metal guitar grooves and relentless drums, I couldn’t describe it better. It was only when the acoustic Fels began that I realised I was being taken on a journey as grand as the Odyssey. Every musical muscle in my body was receiving a workout in a soundscape so massive it could be a film score. As a testament to their songwriting skills, as I travelled through the emotional depths of the masterpiece Leere, I failed to notice its monumental 25-minute length. Astonishing!
The production of Christoph Brandes and Simon Käflein sounds great wherever and however I’ve listened to it. Headphones, phone, laptop and studio monitors, it just works. The higher the quality of the equipment you use, the more is revealed.
If I had a criticism, it would be that the drum sounds are those that have graced a thousand brilliant albums rather than being bespoke to this one. The bass sits slightly further back in the mix than I’d have liked, although with arrangements this dense it’s an understandable compromise. I also can’t pick out a favourite track, however hard I try to sing along. Fels is probably the closest after the first couple of listens. And the cover is still a surprise, not just another Brick in the Wall.
This is an absolute killer album that never puts a foot wrong. It comes across like a Seventh Son of a Seventh Son-style sixth album slayer. Beneath all the technical excellence lies something even more important: songs that demand to be played again. Finsterforst has just won a new fan with Still, and I can only hope they appear at a festival soon. With any luck they’ll speak English and I’ll get to flatter them. After the first listen, “WOW” spilled from my mouth. Now I’m off to check out everything else they’ve ever released.
