Forests of Witchery

Thy Serpent are a band that seemingly slipped past the black metal radar. Nobody really talks about them anymore, and I'm sure Sami Tenetz drinks his own frostbitten tears like wine knowing that his superior band was kicked to the sidelines of history in order to make room for heavy hitters like Cradle of Penis. You could call them a supergroup, but given the relatively obscurity of all the bands each member was involved in I'd reckon that sentiment is a bit hyperbolic. But people should dig this up, because it's a solid slab of mid-nineties black metal, and it's a shame that more folks aren't talking about the Finnish outfit Thy Serpent and their stellar debut. After all, what could possibly provide a more stirring dialogue?

Firstly, I've got to mention that it's surprising that an album with as little acclaim as this one sounds as good as it does. The production is great. Not too much treble on the guitars, a very nice rubbery bass tone that you can actually fucking hear in the mix, and drums that have only a hint of reverb on them to lend a rather mammoth sound to the whole thing. The first thought I had whilst listening to this album was actually, "Damn, this sounds pretty good." But good production doesn't mean jack shit if the music isn't up to snuff. So how does it add up?

Quite well, I'd say. Thy Serpent are not out to be the most brutal black metal band out there. Nope, in fact they are probably in it for the bitches considering all the keyboards, rich melodies and languorous acoustic guitar passages stuffed into this album like the blackened filling of a twinkie from the unknown plains. But all of that stuff makes this album what it is: pretty. This is a very pretty album, rich with supple melodies that wrap themselves around your brain and serenade you into a blissful euphoria. Most of the songs are mid-paced, with the occasional dip into faster, more standard black metal fare. These fast moments are the weaker parts of the album, because they really aren't convincing. They sound like afterthoughts, and included more out of an obligation than a genuine enthusiasm for the riffs. You can sense that what this band really cares about is atmosphere. On just about every song, you get these drifting passages filled with jangling clean guitars, acoustics, and swelling keyboards that fill you with mental images of fun, foresty snake thingys. In fact, that's another good word to describe this album with: fun. The songs are memorable, as each melodic idea is fully developed and each song is written out with an extreme surgical attention to detail, and their confident swagger makes them infectious and fun.

In the vein of the unsettling antics of little league coaches, I want to slap this album on its young little ass out of pride. It's not often that I can mentally distinguish songs amongst each other after the first listen, but each song on this album has enough character to carve their own unique spot in your brain. Highlights include 'Only Dust Moves', a slow-moving piece filled with folksy keyboard arpeggios and big fat guitar melodies that make you want to crouch in hills concealed by emerald grass and descend upon unsuspecting brethren in a whiskey-fueled rage. The best part comes at the end however, with this massive melodic riff that has a piratey swagger to it and a touch of Celticy Celticness. It goes on for way too long which is awesome because it gives you ample time to stare off in the distance and pretend your way more majestic and badass than you really are. 'Like A Funeral Veil of Melancholy', an instant dance-floor classic, is my favorite song on the disc. It has the most acoustic guitar parts, the most keyboard flatulence, and enough sugary-sweet melody to make even Augustus Gloop a little queasy. Again, it is a mostly mid-paced fare, but occasionally erupts into some poopy riffs that do nothing for my soul. These bits don't matter, as the brilliance of the mid-paced portions overshadow the stench of the poo like some mighty strong Glade. 'Of Darkness and Light' probably has the best proper black metal riffs on the album, however, and makes for good listening when in the need of something aggressive but not overly brutal. 'Wine From Tears' provokes deep meditation on how serious Sami thought we'd actually take that title, and is perhaps my most listened to track on the album simply because it is a relaxing orchestral piece performed on a shitty Yamaha keyboard, and I listen to those often only to make myself feel better about my own relaxing orchestral pieces performed on a shitty Yamaha keyboard. It is lovely, though.

The overall performances on this album are pretty tight. Sami is a competent riffer and plucker, though expect no solos nor mind-bending, reality-shattering technicality. In fact, expect no technicality whatsoever. No, I'm quite certain a young feller with only a single year's experience on the guitar could perform this entire album. But the doesn't mean jack shit, because the songwriting is great (as mentioned before). Bass is competent, occasionally offering up some interesting harmonies and counter melodies but otherwise just kinda providing a basic low-end. The drums are quite good, and I'm thinking Agathon was the most technically accomplished musician on this recording. The vocals are just standard gurgly black metal vocals, nothing more or less.

It's a memorable, fun album with a couple masterful songs. It provides an enjoyable listening experience and a dense atmosphere, and it's completely inoffensive. Your grandma might like these guys. This is nothing that will shatter reality, and perhaps some of the songs drag on a bit too long, but overall I can't really think of anything I dislike about the album and love it every time I listen to it.

Recommended to those who get teary-eyed and nostalgic during thunderstorms and people who prefer cherry soda over regular soda.