FINSTERFORST is a Folk/Viking Metal band formed in Germany in 2004. They have released four full-length albums, and now present a new EP titled "Jenseits," which has four songs. "Kapitel I - Freiheit" is the first song. The opening vocal line is very well done, and the sad but strong harmonies set the tone for the sound that is to come. What follows is a heavy and commanding riff that moves slowly, torching the landscape as is passes. The cadence is mostly the sound that keeps the song within the Folk Metal genre...it swings.

It segues into "Kapitel II - Dualität," which is a nine-minute opus. It begins with another slow, heavy, and powerful grind, reminding me of the coronation ceremony of a king. The vocals point to this being a black magic ceremony, however. There are a lot of backing elements in the song as well...symphonics mostly, and the power they coax from every note is like that from a God. "Kapitel III - Reflexionen" has a clean guitar intro, with soft recorder notes. Immediately, you are faced with a reflection on your life. What does it mean? What good did you do? Where do you go from here? There are no easy answers, just questions to ponder.

"Kapitel IV - Katharsis" closes the album, and it's the longest song, at just under 16 minutes. The first few minutes are both regal and powerful, with heavy bass notes and melodies overtop. It pauses a bit before the half-way mark, before gathering steam for the final run. Ominous tones hint at something big around the corner, and the song carries forth the melody with INSOMNIUM like character. The vocals come alive towards the end, full of raw emotion, and that is climax that you want to hear as a listener.

Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with the album, and moved by the songs. When you consider the long career of the band, many of their peers have continued to make safe albums and consider their sound settled. FINSTERFORST are not content to rest on their previous works, however. Instead, they create an album that is rich in tradition, but also pushes boundaries further and takes their sound forward. The album exudes confidence, and although their niche in Metal is relatively small, it is also something that all Metalheads should experience.