Firtan – Marter
Release Date: 30th September 2022
Label: AOP Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Black Metal, Progressive, Extreme Metal.
FFO: Ne Obliviscaris, Agalloch, Enslaved, Thyrfing.
Review By: Rick Farley
Since their formation in 2010, Southern Germany’s blackened extreme metal band Firtan have been serving up a unique blend of raging yet restrained soundscapes. Marter marks the bands third full length and second to be released on AOP Records. 2018’s highly acclaimed Okeanos helped garner the quintet to cult like status within the black metal community and enraptured audiences worldwide. Deeply rooted in the second wave of black metal from the glorious 1990s, the band extend their epic sound out towards a kaleidoscope of raging yet serene, atmospheric, and progressive dark beauty.
Marter is eight majestic tracks spread out over fifty-eight minutes, with a ninth bonus track on CD boxset and vinyl versions. Never feeling too long or fatigued, the record takes the listener on a journey that somehow feels much shorter than it is. This is in part to how they craft their songs. With a masterful focus on expressive and emotional songwriting; with several diverse elements within each track that fuse together so well. Each containing contrast between brutality, melancholy, and exquisite atmosphere. Luscious acoustic passages, strings, neoclassical solos and orchestral rich fields of poignant ambience, blend with thrashy black metal, frosty tremolo picked melodies, and incandescent blasting. The vocals range from raspy screams and midrange growls to monotone spoken word and Pagan like choral chants. The albums dynamics lean on the side of progressive, while never giving up the ferocity for too long. The layering of the music is complex but flows effortlessly, fluctuating black metal grandeur with vibrant spirit.
Production wise, everything integrates well and is mostly clear. The bass drum and some fills do get lost in the faster, heavier parts, slightly detracting from the experience. The guitars sound leans on the trebly side with minimal low end, but also having lavish, full melodies, acoustics, and synths. Aside from the drum loss, the album sounds appealing. On the thematic side of things Marter deals with the isolation of the modern individual who finds themselves torn between spiritual hope and existential failure. As a whole, it all touches on the visceral approach leaving the listener to conjure up their own emotions.
The quiet, deliberate moments of Amor Fati create entrancing bliss that adds powerful contrast to the darker, heavier parts. A string picked acoustic melody that feels recognizable leads to a rock like tempo before careening to a thick tremolo picked wall of distortion and backing synths. The surging riffs manifests an intense enmity, but the chord progression of the synths brings it to more doomier, sombre feelings. The screams are mixed between coarse and mid-tone growling, with a few hints of almost hardcore style shouting. The song at times gives the vibe of post black metal, keeping it modern and fresh. The frosty Menetekel is a raging thrashing black metal assault. The swaths of snake like riffs that make up the verse are seething with spite. An acoustic post rock break and exultant harmonies embody the level of diversity shown throughout. The wicked black and roll vibe from Lethe shows the band has restraint, not content with just continuously pummelling, but also to nefariously appal. Double bass fuelled chugging riffs midway provide headbanging moments worthy of fist pumping the air. There are layers upon layers of creative ambitiousness to be explored here. Morose, violent, grim, and exultant are all on equal ground within the songs structures.
At the heart of Firtan lies a black metal band whose eclecticism is contained enough to be ever flowing but consciously reflects aspects of musical diversity and naturally infuses them to create one giant melting pot. Extreme to the hilt but also captivating and inviting. Marter feels like a record that almost everyone could find enjoyable.
(4 / 5)
