Forseti- Erde

When I started listening to the dark folk of bands like Current 93, it was the beautiful musicianship of Michael Cashmore that first drew me in, even more than David Tibet’s distinctive vocal style. Unlike the dreary acoustic strumming of Death In June, Cashmore’s work with Current 93 (and later his own project, Nature and Organization) served as far more than a backdrop for the singing. It was beautiful in its own right, full of old world timelessness and subtlety. The gods seem to have blessed Forseti’s Andreas Ritter with a similar gift for acoustic arrangements. His latest album conjures up images of shady pine forests and fog-shrouded mountain paths. It’s the musical equivalent of a Caspar David Friedrich painting or an autumn stroll through the Schwartzwald. Ritter’s compositions have improved, relying less on strummed guitars and more on diverse instrumentation. The fingerpicked guitars on “Erdennacht” and “Müder Wanderer” are gorgeous, while the quick thump of hand-drums adds a burst of energy to the sorrowful accordion melody of “Der Graue König.” Ritter’s singing is understated but effective, with an austerity that fits perfectly with the minor key guitar work, and he also gets help from a number of well-known figures from the European scene. Fire + Ice’s Ian Read gives “Empfindsamkeit” a sense of Anglo-Saxon solemnity, while Of the Wand and the Moon’s Kim Larsen reads German Romanticist Ricarda Huch’s poem “Sterne.” B’eirth of In Gowan Ring also makes an appearance on this album, playing cittern on the mournful “Dunkelheit.” While Ritter’s German lyrics might not be as accessible to American listeners as English-language acts like Death In June or Backworld, this record should be an indispensable addition to any fan’s collection. Forseti is without a doubt one of the best and brightest stars of the new dark folk scene.

For more information, visit www.forseti-netz.de (the photography is gorgeous even if you can’t read German