Monuments to absence | CD | Fen

Insiders already know that the color of each FEN work reflects its lyrical and musical orientation. For the cover artwork of their seventh album 'Monuments to Absence,' the post-black metal trio from East Anglia used the color red for the first time ever. Consequently, FEN describes the content as an expression of anger, hopelessness, and despair. Their anger is born out of helplessness towards a human species that seems to be determined to destroy itself due to a lack of insight. The content is also reflected in the extremely harsh and dark sound of 'Monuments to Absence.' This is undoubtedly the most extreme recording that FEN has ever presented. But don't worry, the typical moments of atmospheric beauty, clean passages, heavy doom, and powerful riffs can also be found on 'Monuments to Absence.' FEN is named after the Fens, the desolate marshes of East Anglia. Their gloomy, melancholic landscapes have left deep traces in the sound of the English post-black metal pioneers. The trio was founded in 2006, when the British scene, following in the wake of FOREFATHER, produced exciting bands such as FEN, WINTERFYLLETH, and WODENSTHRONE, who combined black metal with local and Anglo-Saxon themes. When FEN released their debut album 'The Malediction Fields' (2009), the band fulfilled the hopeful promises aroused by their previous EP 'Ancient Sorrow' (2007). The trio elegantly merged traditional black metal with cinematic moments and subtle experiments beyond the supposedly narrow boundaries of their genre. With each subsequent album, from 'Epoch' (2011) to 'Dustwalker' (2012), 'Carrion Skies' (2014), 'Winter' (2017), and 'The Dead Light' (2019), FEN expanded both their musical range and their fan base, while also refining their easily recognizable and distinctive sound. 'Monuments to Absence' now stands as a black-red monolith, marking FEN's welcome return to a grim and harsh sound.