Day: July 28, 2017

Suicide Forest is the solo project of the American A. Kruger, who with Descend Into Despair comes to his first test on long distance, in fact constituted, however, by the union edited in cassette by Folkvangr of two previous ep. As the moniker and title of the album suggest, the matter here is a depressive black with a good melodic and atmospheric impact and contaminated by an equally welcome ambient component. Nothing new in the shadow of the crypts, then, but certainly a credible and effective interpretation of the matter, characterized by the usual lo-fi production but that still keeps the desperate screams of Kruger above the waterline, while the instruments underline mercilessly the pain and the helplessness of a life on the way to the final decay. Just the good melodic taste makes this album certainly worthy of attention, and all in all the vocal evidence not even too exasperated (apart from some howling scattered here and there) favors the assimilation of a work that, essentially, consists of three long tracks, The Embrace of Solitude, This Silence (peak of the work with its most dramatic atmosphere also punctuated by the piano) and Woods of Indifference, surrounded by five other shorter episodes of atmospheric ambient. Suicide Forest turns out to be another name to be highlighted by those who love these sounds, by virtue of good writing skills and an approach not even too stifling, however, it must be said that Kruger, unlike most of his counterparts, does not shy away from live performances by forming a real band for the purpose, and this is certainly a further note of merit even if, of course, will enjoy only fans overseas.

2017 – Fólkvangr Records