Fabled Lore

Nest is a band from Finland and they are an interesting one. Not in terms of their music, especially their early releases are not really outstanding, but due to an atmosphere which easily grabs those whose souls/minds/spirits have a fancy for certain arrangements and melodies. These catchy melodies on Fabled Lore are as such as one has to admire them in one way or another. Such is achieved best when sitting back in a chair and letting the melodies surround and take away the mind; to places of the imaginative; dream-like scenarios, surreal landscapes and fantasy worlds; with its music the band Nest explores regions of the otherworld.

Dominating the music is a combination of kantele and keyboards. Together they create a dense atmosphere which has some cheesy touch, but not excessively or beyond tolerance. As the compositions are kept simple, i.e. no complex arrangements appear at a certain period, the instruments have enough room to unfold their potential and the listener can concentrate the attention on these. This is fostered by the gentleness in which the music proceeds. Changes in tempo? Harsh breaks in the atmosphere? Creation of rising tension? None of these can be found here. No fluffy happy world is what the band had in mind, a slight dark and depressive note surrounds the whole demo. Take the lyrics from Land Behind the Mist, the first and only track to have vocals:

"A breath into the earth to form a dense mist, divide the land in two and hold old friends."

"Who knows why the mist never disperses. It is as thick as it was in ancient times. And the times are ancient, for the mist was old even when our grandfathers' grandfathers were young. Stories tell that the mist was not always there, and that we used to fare in the lands beyond, but those days must be long gone..."

The idea of having lost something, but on the other hand the impression of a scenario which derives from local superstition; somehow the music fits very well to it and over the course of the length of this release, the listener has to go through different types of atmospheres; some more cheering some darker.

Nest are most certainly not for everyone and I have my doubts that the majority of the metalheads (on the Metal Archives) would dig it and enjoy it thoroughly. Being limited to several layers and keyboards, with vocals which are hardly more than a whisper and speaking, with some rare glimpses of guitars, with drums whose play is often nothing more than some vague rhythm in the background, those metal enthusiast might have difficulties to find aspects that could fascinate them. Yet, the world does most certainly not end with them and accordingly is the music of Nest recommended to all those with a more open mind. It might be best to listen to their early pieces first and progress to their latest one step by step. This band from Finland has taken quite a progression over the years and their latest piece, Trail of the Unwary, is quite fascinating. 60 points for some easy listening music.