EP REVIEW: Ridge And Furrow – Dark Forest
Over a magnificent period of 20 years, British heavy metallers DARK FOREST have most definitely made their mark in the music industry. Since their formation in 2002, they have released a demo, three EPs and five studio albums over the course of their astonishing career. To mark the anniversary, DARK FOREST are set to release their upcoming fourth EP Ridge And Furrow. This is the band’s first release since their fifth album Oak, Ash & Thorn back in 2020. However, it is evidently clear that DARK FOREST have multiple talents, as the official EP artwork was designed by guitarist Christian Horton – an ode to their self-titled debut album which was also designed by Horton back in 2009.
Despite the creation and production of the new extended play occurring right in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, it seems as though DARK FOREST were influenced by something totally different for this new body of work. The lyrical content of Ridge & Furrow is primarily inspired by the countryside, creating inner peace and tranquillity within us all.
The first track is Skylark. Starting off with a clever, bright melody, this song provides some much needed optimism during darker times. The lyrics could be a nod to living for the now, with vocalist Josh Winnard singing “Embrace the light / Embrace the darkness” during the first verse. As the song goes on, we witness some striking instrumentals which are so impactful. However by the end of the song, you start to observe that there isn’t a lot of variety melody wise, although the skylark sound effects at the end were rather poignant. The Golden Acre begins in a similar way, with some bird song introducing us to the track. As the song progresses, the melodies change accordingly to give us a sure fire taster of what’s to come. Inspired by IRON MAIDEN, there is most certainly a dramatized feel in the air with this one. Unfortunately, by the end you are left feeling spaced out and wondering what you have just listened to.
Title track Ridge & Furrow is up next, introducing us to some more fortunate instrumentals. This is a song that is intriguing on many levels, with the melodies throughout sounding like a slower version of BILLY TALENT, and Winnard‘s striking vocal range even sounding similar to Benjamin Kowalewicz for the majority of the track. This is definitely one of the better tracks on the release for sure. Meadowland really solidifies the peace and tranquillity you can feel being in the great outdoors; especially somewhere more remote. The gentle guitar picking throughout is truly special, almost bringing a tear to our eye. It would be sensational to hear more instrumental pieces from DARK FOREST in the future. The last song Under The Greenwood Tree really ups the ante. The mood is vibrant and enthusiastic, bringing further theatrics to the table. By the final note, you feel more than satisfied with the ending to this EP.
This is definitely a total mixed bag; one minute you are left feeling unfulfilled, the next you are feeling the complete opposite. We would recommend giving Ridge And Furrow by DARK FOREST a go if you are a true hardcore fan of IRON MAIDEN; if not, we wouldn’t bother.
Rating: 5/10
Ridge And Furrow is set for release on September 23rd via Cruz Del Sur Music.
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