Fyrnask - Bluostar

By Natalie Zina Walschots. Bluostar is the first full-length effort from underground black metal band Fyrnask, following a demo they produced in 2010. The subject matter of the album is based upon popular black metal symbolism surrounding rituals and nature.

By Natalie Zina Walschots. Originally published by Exclaim.

Artwork by At the Ends of Earth Design

Bluostar is the first full-length effort from underground black metal band Fyrnask, following a demo they produced in 2010. The subject matter of the album is based upon popular black metal symbolism surrounding rituals and nature. While the guitars on most releases of this type are thin, cold and buzzing, the guitar tone on Bluostar is considerably warmer, almost seeming to vibrate, evoking a dragonfly's wings. The production is clean, if a little hollow, and very unforgiving, making the instruments sound a bit thin and weary, at times.

While their longer, aggressive, traditional black metal songs are decent, the shorter, moodier, ambient and atmospheric pieces, like "Eit Fjell Av Jern," are so much stronger. These are brooding and ominous, with rich, sumptuous tones. These numbers focus on the strength of the human voice, letting the instruments lift and amplify that power. While the vicious, venomous passages ring a bit hollow, when Fyrnask slow down, they create some strange, lovely soundscapes.