EP REVIEW: Forsmán – Dönsum í logans ljóma

A new entity has emerged from the Icelandic Black Metal underground called FORMSAN, their debut EP is out now via Van Records.

Eruptions of volcanic guitars spurt forth a magma of desolate and dissonant soundscapes atop cascades of cast-iron drumming which is volatile and magnificent to accentuate the insanity of the guitars with. Haunting vocals appear in an equally deprived and mesmerising fashion as the instrumental parts, conjuring a wicked storm of what Icelandic Black Metal does best, a blend of discordance and melody, aggression and melancholy, all in a unique balance. Deathly intense and magnificently spawned, the opening of this record will certainly cause many to become ensnared by its voluptuous offerings.

The drawn out and yet to-the-point approach of this record may seem a contradiction, but by this I mean in 25 minutes we see a fully developed and beautiful sound that transfigures and warps naturally without wasting any time in the process. Across the 4 pieces we see plentiful musical diversity and yet a conciseness that is to be admired, stripping the recording of pretence or obnoxious dallying, rather a driven experience is given in fact. Naturally the sound is clear yet heavily layered, proving a dense and unforgiving yet enchanting and skilfully conveyed listen throughout. I will keep this review short due to it being an EP, not an LP, but do not be fooled into thinking this release lacks any magnitude due to its length. Another special slice of darkness from the abysses of Iceland.