DARK FOREST is a Heavy Metal band from the United Kingdom. Fusing in a bit of Power Metal and some Symphonic Metal elements in the way they layer their sound, they create a larger sound than some of their contemporaries, which is very appealing to a wider variety of listeners. "Ridge & Furrow," their latest EP, was released by Cruz Del Sur Music on September 23, 2022.

With five songs and almost 25 minutes of music, including one short instrumental, there is enough here to convince you to listen to their earlier releases if you aren't familiar with them already. They have a very catchy sound, and the compositions are well written and performed.

"Skylark" opens the disc with some nice dual lead guitar work. The drums are nicely paced, sitting in the pocket for much of the song, but hammering out a few well-placed fills in some of the transitions. This is the longest song on the record and a great introduction to the band. It shows their prowess, even hinting at some NWOBHM style dual guitar solo work. Under all of this is a bass line that is incredibly accurate.

Moving on to "The Golden Acre," we get a more melodic piece with a slower intro that does have a nice kick into the main body of the song. This has an epic feel to the guitar riff, echoing a lot of Power Metal works. The vocals would fit into any of the genres mentioned so far. The voice is clean and clear with no distortion or grit for the most part. The highs are solid, holding well without sounding strained or forced.

The title track comes next. It has a muted guitar intro that gives way to a solid riff. The vocals again show much of Josh's range and the guitar work allows Christian and Patrick to both harmonize and challenge each other. Meanwhile, Adam just sits on his throne behind the kit and paces them like a seasoned veteran of many battles.

"Meadowland" is the instrumental, and it is a peaceful journey through a sonic landscape. There is a serenity written into this song, a joyousness of sound that is relaxing and inspirational. Happy guitar work leaves you feeling rested and refreshed. The flowing water and birds singing just add to the contentment you feel by the time the song ends.

The finale is a raucous piece called, "Under the Greenwood Tree." The drums are quite good, hitting heavier than in most of the songs, showing more of Adam's ability to handle the faster paced tunes as well. There are epic Power Metal sounding passages and lots of masterful guitar work as they weave in, around and through each other during most of this track.

Every song on this release has a nature theme to the title and the lyrics. DARK FOREST is obviously at home in the wilderness, and it inspired them, fueling a creativity that is heard throughout the entire disc. They are a very well organized and rehearsed band that has put out a really good record. The songs are creative and inventive, lyrically, and musically. It is well produced, recorded, and mixed, making it one that is pleasant to hear and fun to dig in to from an analytical viewpoint.