Dark Forest - Dark Forest (Eyes Like Snow)
By Chris Barnes
January 23, 2009

Wow. I’m blown away by these guys, a true testament that the flame burns for true heavy metal still. I picked a couple of copies of this album up for the Hellride store on a whim along with some other stuff I needed from Northern Silence’s Eyes Like Snow imprint. Jumpin’ Jesus on a pogo stick! I haven’t heard the dual-guitar NWOBHM-sound interpreted this well since Slough-Feg’s Twilight Of The Idols. The two kids that wield the axes in Dark Forest have Classic Metal Guitar 101 down pat. Heck, they have 101, 102 and 103 down too. I’d even consider them Ph.D’d and double-degreed in Classic Metal Twin Axe Attack, no small feat.

The scoop on Deep Forest is that they are a British Heavy Metal band (fittingly enough!) founded by Christian Horton and a former bass player in 2002, with hard-ons for both Deep Purple and Iron Maiden. They played out quite a bit, including opening for vintage metal stalwarts Cloven Hoof which earned Christian a rhythm guitar position in that legendary band, a position he still holds. Dark Forest released a demo and a couple of EPs before recording and releasing their self-titled debut this year. And what a recording it is! Front to back it’s turbo charged with classic Heavy Metal interspersed with vintage Helloween-like Speed Metal moments. The guitar combo of Horton and James Lees is golden. Highlights include…well…. every track. It’s been awhile since I’ve heard one of those “Metal Brotherhood” types of songs like DF’s “Fight For Metal” and not cringed a bit, but I was flowin’ with this one, proud to have this blaring at stupidly loud volume out of my speakers.

I get the feeling that Dark Forest is truly Horton’s band and Horton’s passion –he’s credited on all the songs here, even did the cover painting. His brother-in-fret-flash James Lees is credited with the logo. If there was one criticism I had in an otherwise overwhelmingly adrenaline-pumping listen, it’s that Horton plays much better than he sings, but the fact that he puts it out there, makes the effort and sings clean makes this almost a moot point. The kid is a true talent. It’s also notable that Witchfinder General’s very own Phil Cope lends his soloing skills to the epic “Pipes of Pan”, adding even more British Metal born n’ bred cred to the band.

If I could see Dark Forest and Slough Feg on the same bill. I’d shit the bed. Dark Forest, to my ears anyway, represents the best of the new breed of traditional Heavy Metal bands coming up. They’re definitely one to look out for and pay attention to if you have any proclivity toward great traditional Heavy Metal. I’m hoping big things for this band. They’ve run through a couple of band members already, let’s hope they can maintain some semblance of stability to see them through at this crucial point.


Purchase Dark Forest at the Hellride Music Superstore

Listen to an MP3 of The Wizard Of Alderley Edge

Read the Hellride interview with Dark Forest

Visit the Dark Forest website at www.myspace.com/darkforestrealm

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Endless Mike

this band is fucking awful. shit drummer. horrid vocals. but somehow bands like this get worshipped on this site. I don't get it. I have a feeling people jock shit like this just for some weird kind of cred. it's not good.

I'd like to bring this around full circle to shit like The Lamp of Thoth. awful fucking band. they actually put two songs back to back with word "doom" in them. Wings of Doom and The House (of Doom). DOUCHE CHILLS ENDUCING. then follow that with the biggest pile of cringeworthy garbage Blood On Satan's Claw. if you can listen to the beginning of that tune and not laugh at it's awfulness, you should quit listening to metal. Kix rocked harder. you basically are rocking out at the Winger of doom.

the comparisons to Slough Feg aren't worthy. Slough Feg's drummer doesn't suck and the vocalist actually rocks. BLECCCCCH.

Haze

A Slough Feg/Dark Forest gig would be immense! Nice review, I'm gonna have to get off my fat arse and see these guys live (especially as their based not too far from where I live).

Chris

Wow. Bitter belly.

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quietus

Ehhh, another teenybopper drum critic,great. Regarding the Lamp, the song is just callled The House and when I listen to Blood on Satan's Claw I don't cringe,simply headbang,then drink and celebrate at one of the most brilliant records since whenever. Clearly you got your feelings hurt by someone related to TLOT ,there there.... Doesn't matter ,in five years none of it will matter as metal will just be a phase,fleeting moment for ya......

Harry, does Scalzi actually rock?

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Probably drop an acid tab first,I ain't gonna give a shit about them Ruskies. I'm going to go into my head tonight.

DoomDave

Very funny review. I am a previous member of Dark Forest, and have supported them since conception, and have no quarrels with them personally; they're great people, as great as people can be - which, on the whole, is disappointing.

Dark Forest are a great band, one of the best on the failing heartbeat of metal - the uninspiring pumping of failure-upon-failure of band which dares spew its face the on decaying buffet of uninspiring arse-clot. Or the wave of super-self conscious-retro sounding bands which makes me want to push innocent bystanders into on coming traffic.

And Dark Forest don't do none of that, as far as I can tell. Their energy works much better live, as well - especially the drummer.


I won't criticize Lamp Of Thoth, because I'll be burned and raped by their legions of undiscerning, mindless fans. Forced to listen to 'Blood on Satan's Claw' over and over, until eventually I crack and actually begin to like it. Or the slapstick doom of Reverend Bizarre - about as inspiring as a burning orphanage.

Only jesting,
Dave

Chris

That, my friend, is about as true as true gets, whatever the situation.

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quietus

Quote:
Originally Posted by DoomDave
they're great people, as great as people can be - which, on the whole, is disappointing. Quote.

People tend to hang around people similar to themselves, so if you are disappointed, well there you go.

The fact that you think the Lamp is awful and the Reverend is slapstick doom gives that situation a bunch of clarity.

__________________
"I tell you what I'm gonna do, I'm gonna go out tonite.
Probably drop an acid tab first,I ain't gonna give a shit about them Ruskies. I'm going to go into my head tonight.

beast

Having just read the review on here I have to say that we were at the album launch/gig last night in Stourbridge and Dark Forest are a fantastic up and coming young band with great ideas and music.

Copey and I watched the full one and a half hour set and it was a real pity that the venue didn't do them justice.The acoustics in there were crap and the band were hidden away in an alcove but we had a ball...just totally rocked out.

Christian is a true leader and the other guys seem totally committed to the cause...they are an act definitely worth seeing!!! Even the guest vocalist on their final number a powerful cover of Black Night was superb!

Ars

You don't like something, it surely must be shit when looked at objectively. And if somebody claims to like it it must be only cause they're trying to gain credibility? Right on, get a grip.

cirith719

Dude if you you don't understand the slight bit of comedy that the Lamp puts in their music then you don't understand doom metal at all.The Lamp fucking rules,If you want more serious musical content go listen to fucking John Mayer or something ass clown. My bad I was trying to respond to the Endless Mike, Quote not yours bro.I clicked yours by mistake.

'pataphysicien

hm, not exactly sure how you meant that, but I've had some issues with The Lamp on precisely the comedy aspect. and I think one can very well have a good understanding of Doom Metal without 'getting' or 'liking' that part of The Lamp. in a way I'd still subscribe to Doom being at it's best when it is personal, serious and miserable. my version of Doom purity I guess. on the other hand I've come through to love The Lamp for what they are (which really wasn't hard at all considering my loves in metal and comedy). and they are Doom, no doubt about it. just as RB were pure Doom, even at the most tongue-in-cheek moments. though if you look at my 'ideal version' of Doom, be assured that I could understand how people could be put off by the somewhat over-the-top, excentric, satire, howeveronewishestocharcterizeit-ness of The Lamp.

that bit about "strange cred" I'd like to comment on as well. the first post by the guy that didn't like Dark Forest sparked off something that's pretty typical here. basically just people marking "I like X, if you don't you're a false, don't entry". I'm not saying the first reply was a good one. it was quite horrible in fact and that's part of the problem. a couple of sentences but no real intention to discuss qualities of the music. obviously I don't count "the drums sucked" or "the song was awesome" as a very useful contribution. and that's basically the general point I'd like to throw out there.

a couple of months ago somebody that used to post here reviewed a couple of albums under another name, because he obviously felt that the little-nuanced praising of some bands/albums here would not allow deviating opinions. some would of course say he was trying to take "personal cheap shots", but that is not a discussion I'd like to get into here. although sadly that accusation seems to pop up often, regardless of there being truth to the claim or not (and that I won't try to judge either, also not in the above case, private matter). but it did pop up in this thread as well, and I think if you don't have some sort of evidence that's just one of the most unproductive reflexes. "you say something bad about my favorite bands, you must have personal issues with them!". get a grip, as someone said above.

so, getting back to the main point, I sympathize with the cause of that poster and not necessarily with any specifics of that case. I value being able to voice dissenting opinion and that is undoubtedly something a lot of people here could get better at. my ideal reaction to that unproductive first post would have been: "dude, you haven't really said much. please elaborate a bit more. saying this sucks, that sucks is useless unless you actually fill in what you mean!" that being said, as much as that post was lacking in content, I find myself sympathizing with the "weird cred" claim to some extent. just piling un-nuanced support on albums/artists is something that I can do without. saying "if you don't like it, you don't 'get' metal/doom/XZY" is just a way of showing that you're not willing or able to elaborate what you actually mean by that. so my desire for more nuanced discussions go both ways, to the yaysayers and the naysayers.

on topic: I did like the few songs I've heard of Dark Forest. it is definitely not enough for some final opinion though, so I'll wait and see how the album is.

cirith719

You make good points and I was being a pissy little bitch this morning because I had to get up at the ass crack of dawn.I love the lamp and I think I was defending them but came across looking ignorant.I'm so into things sometimes and I should think before I react.I think your posts make you look like one of the more intelligent people on this forum and I appreciate that you consider both sides of each argument before responding.In defending a band i like I came across looking like someone who does not respect other peoples opinions when they don't match my own and that is childish on my part.The bottom line is your right.

'pataphysicien

wow and cheers! that was a cool reaction. I had actually feared people would take it as condescending. thing is I'm also not above it all, but when other people do it it's easier to spot I guess. and it wasn't directed at you personally, it was more that it was an opportunity to air something I had been thinking about recently.