FARSOT is a black metal band from Germany who formed in 1999. “Life Promised Death” is their fourth full-length album; they have also released two demos, two splits, and an EP. This is my first time being exposed to their music but from my research it seems the band has a desire to make unconventional black metal that steps outside the confines of the genre. I, obviously, can’t comment on any previous releases but “Life Promised Death” definitely does just that. This is a very interesting album that remains engaging throughout.

It is also a moody album, with an ebb and flow that goes back and forth between depressing and ultra-depressing. Although definitely rooted in black metal, the music, as a whole, isn’t overly aggressive eschewing tremolo riffs and nonstop blast beasts for more layered textures. I actually prefer black metal to go against the usual grain so all that is perfectly fine with me. The atmosphere and music are very subtle, almost dreamy and definitely a mind fuck. But there are still plenty of riffs, fantastic drumming, and the bass absolutely slaps from beginning to end.

This isn’t really an album that you listen to and it hits you instantly. It creeps up on you, taking its time to carve a path into the very center of your psyche. After incorporating clean vocals, clean/acoustic passages, and keys, what FARSOT have presented us with is an album that is low-ley in its approach but never boring. The opening song, “Nausea,” is aptly named because it is definitely unsettling . The riffs, which remind me of the post genre or something by Agalloch, have a smooth but dangerous flow to them like something horrific that is impending upon the horizon. I like the clean keys, they have an unique tone and don’t overpower the music but definitely adds another layer.

“Into Vertigo,” is a hell of a song. It’s a long, winding psychedelic trip into hell. The middle portion of the song is a dream-like state, a moment where time seems to stand still but years later it can’t be recalled without a haze of fog over the memories. This beautifully dark segment is bookend by furious vocals and blackened but atmospheric music. “Stray Dogs,” opens more direct than the other songs. The riffs are excellent, as are the drums that compliment them, and they are a tour-de-force for the entire song. Still, the band finds time to stretch their sound with a clean instrumental section that leads into a psychosis induced romp.

The last song, “Lost Momentum,” is furious in its own right for the first few minutes before leading into a clean vocal passage that, in turn, navigates acoustic landscapes. It all flows well and sounds very natural, which is how the album is as a whole too. The melodic portion is moving and helps the song transition back into more blackened waters perfectly. All in all, FARSOT’s “Life Promised Death” is a nice surprise and an album that I can definitely see myself going back to throughout the year.