Agents of a long-disgraced cult, displaced by ruins aflame and drowned by the vengeful opportune, haunt the mist-riddled shores with generational shame as the theatric command of Kópavogur, Iceland-based black metal quartet FORSMÁN mock the enfeebled state of religion on this all-pro debut album. Braced by ambitious production values and incensed by spiritual wrongdoing ‘Brenndar Rústir & Fuðrandi Fjörur‘ appears to envision a realm aflame in retribution within its spirited evolution of Icelandic black metal gesture. Stacked to high Hell with frothing, empyreal layers yet still generally rooted in familiar techniques here we find the band bursting out rather than brimming within introspection, a change which may surprise fans of the niche into doubt before potentially winning them back over the course.

Forsmán formed circa 2019 by way of folks best known for their station in Draugsól, Úlfúð, and Múr at that point, aligned in their intention to create work within the bounds of Icelandic black metal’s “formula”. Prepared through at least year of rehearsals and local gigs the band would find appropriate guide per their goals tasking Stephen Lockhart of Studio Emissary for the capture and render of their debut EP (‘Dönsum í logans ljóma‘, 2021). Ethereally kissed and oddly-phrased melodic soar featured alongside rattling tension generated both angst and melancholia as the band’s efforts took the grand strokes of bands like Sinmara to more of a blustering, post-rock gaze earning unsure praise from me in review. It was clear the band were ambitious, experienced enough to have all of their details lined-up and capable as live performers so it is no surprise they find themselves ~major label adjacent today.

The mournful, fallen-angelic drain of Forsmán past is replaced by a surprisingly maximal, bounding behemoth within ‘Brenndar Rústir & Fuðrandi Fjörur‘ as their compositions only become more congested, rippling with action and less outwardly faced with introspective tonality to start. Though I’d accused certain portions of ‘Dönsum í logans ljóma‘ of bearing “college rock”-like arc here the band’ve aligned behind a wall of noisome, writhing movement active from the first belt of opener “Drottinn fyrirgefur allt“, something more “arena metal” with consideration for the pinch harmonic punctuated phrase introduced at the song’s ~2:02 minute mark. You’ll understand this distinction by the time the disso-sweet push and keyboard/synth juiced whorl of “Svartir Svanir” ends wherein the band’ve doubled in voice, overflowing beyond of the strictures of the generation that’d inspired them, for better or worse.

Now joined by M.S. (Angrenost, ex-Svartidauði) on drums and with Misþyrming bandmate D.G. producing Forsmán enjoy an embarrassment of riches toward achieving their goals on their debut, advantages gained via their own merits as well as the insular reality of the region. That is to say that ‘Brenndar Rústir & Fuðrandi Fjörur‘ is potentially one of the bigger, glossier and ambitious sounding productions from this realm in some time. As a rot-headed fan of Icelandic black metal still inclined to discuss the merits of ‘Söngvar elds og óreiðu‘ with anyone willing I’m not sure bigger is better but rather that the voluminous, muscular roar of this album suits a band who don’t appear with any particular fealty or faction. The implications of this, or, a potential argument against it will surface on the delve into Side B.

Beguiling the ear with both sonic and compositional density throughout its ~44 minute spin ensures repeated full listens of ‘Brenndar Rústir & Fuðrandi Fjörur‘ will likely reward the investigative ear to the tune of numerous rides through. None of Forsmán‘s work is so thickly stated that it betrays musical depth but rather finding broader arc beyond moment-to-moment gesture will require a reasonable attention span. They mostly earn this necessary fixation within the longer pieces tacked up front (re: “Andvana” esp.) before shorter and increasingly dissonant-in-focus pieces comprise the middle portion of the record. These are potentially the least distinctly stated songs on the album at a glance but to a more familiar, well-inducted ear they deliver the melodramatic dragon-breathed hum the ‘Dönsum í logans ljóma‘-enjoyer will appreciate. “Lof mér líf þitt að taka” would end up being my favorite song of the lot whereas one could argue “Kynjamyndir” offers something decidedly different in pace and potion.

Smoke above, fire below — The two pieces which close ‘Brenndar Rústir & Fuðrandi Fjörur‘ bear equitant impact as the two that’d opened the album but with all of the momentum of the second half of the album feeding their ferocity. About ~1:45 minutes into “Hrae hins almattuga” a sort of I dunno, early Mastodon meets later Immortal groove is built and slashed about within the following minute, a point of pivot which continues to evolve within the piece. It may be the beguiling, unintelligible roaring in Icelandic that lends some gravitas to those ~7 minutes but in the context of the full listen it feels like a point of unraveling, a gripping of the hammer before closer “Barmafylltar fjoldagrafir” elaborates and expands that thought. To my ear it hits something like Norse black metal’s idea of heavy metal aplomb, less than stirring in terms of complexity or insight, but the greater roar of Forsmán is yet undeniably stated therein.

Whatever struggle exists behind the grim facade of Forsmán in their youth it isn’t necessarily a years-long struggle from the underground up, at least not within the usual slow (if ever) escalating curve. In fact what I’d been missing during my exploration of ‘Brenndar Rústir & Fuðrandi Fjörur‘ was a struggle, something to fight against beyond the dissolution of humanity itself. All of this is likely lost in translation, of course, but I’d yet appreciated the wrathful elegance and richly realized texture of their debut LP nonetheless. I’m not sure it is lightning in a bottle so to speak but any fan of Icelandic black metal per the past decade or so should find this work curious, compelling and believable in its greater gusto. A moderately high recommendation.

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