ALBUM REVIEW: Bloem – Fluisteraars

FLUISTERAARS are one of the atmospheric black metal scenes many hidden gems. Since the release of their Beringheim demo back in 2009, the band have carved out a cult following off the back of two excellent full length albums, cementing a solid musical legacy that has made them of the best acts within the Dutch underground, producing some fantastic music that only the heavyweights of the genre are truly able to match. Their latest album, Bloem, is another triumph for FLUISTERAARS and could arguably be regarded as their most impressive and imaginative release to date.

Tere muur kicks Bloem off on a jarring note, with the initial discordance giving way to a sharp and speed driven black metal melee with a solid, atmospheric bent. The guitars set a dark and focused pace throughout, peppered liberally with tight, demented melodies, with some brilliantly arid vocals carving through the mix and adding a hellish howl to the proceedings. It’s a fierce and powerful opening statement that create a bleakly epic tone for the rest of the record. Following track Nasleep has a far more classic black metal sound, with piercing tremolo picked leads and a noticeably rawer delivery that make the track a suitably feral affair. This isn’t to say that it’s wall to wall cacophony though; there’s some great moments of grandiosity here, in particular a soaring  motif that comes towards the end of the song.

Eeuwige ram utilises fuller chords, slicker lead guitar licks and a huge, expansive drum sound in order to create a monolithic sound right out of the gate. The music sets a steady tempo, which really allows the music to shine in a way that a blistering, breakneck pace wouldn’t have, which really aids the song in terms of ensuring it’s instantly memorable. The vocals also eschew the bestial shrieks of the previous two tracks in favour of a much cleaner, yet nonetheless impressive, singing style, which suits the music incredibly well, and injects even more diversity into an already eclectic and imaginative sound. It may not be the most aggressive, but it is certainly one of the most enduring numbers on the album.

Vlek throws the listener headlong back into the sort of quick and grim music that defined the first songs on the record, with venom soaked vocals, punishing percussive blasts and some great guitar work that is in equal parts ferocious and ethereal, striking the right balance between a shrill aural assault and almost shoegaze elements. Vlek is an absolute masterclass in how to craft fantastic atmospheric black metal, and ultimately proves to be the best song on the album, bar none. Maanruïne is a great climactic offering to bring this album to a close. Sliding seamlessly between mid-paced and chaotic tempos, it’s another impressive track that manages to tie in all the best parts of FLUISTERAARS‘ sound, from the airy, sublime rhythm guitar hooks to the monstrous black metal riffage, and even, much like the previous track manages to fit a great folky interlude into the middle of the song for good measure.

It may be a little early in the day to begin discussing a record as “Album of the Year”, but FLUISTERAARS have delivered a record so impressive from the first note to the last that it’s certainly worthy of being talked about in such a manner. Each of the five songs on Bloem is a stand out song in its own right, and even the weakest song on here would be regarded as the best track on many other albums. The blending of dark and light, and some subtle yet powerful folk flourishes, helps to keep this album interesting, and it’s hard not to get caught up in the music at many points.

Rating: 9/10

Bloem is out now via Eisenwald.

Like FLUISTERAARS on Facebook.