I honestly don’t remember how many FS reviews I have written throughout the ages for various fan/zines. And, I don’t really know why I feel like writing a new one every now and then. Perhaps, I just miss the legacy of Czech scene.
Back in those years (yes, I am talking about late 90s), I was an eager listener of virtually every underground Czech band I could find and access. From noize bands to folky metal, or from atmospheric melancholic doom metallic goth rocky compositions to brutal death metal, Czech scene amazed in each of its move. Furthermore, the spirit of the underground had been so infused to the entire scene: endless correspondence with the bands, sending “well-hidden cash” in the regular mail, waiting for several weeks till your CDs arrive, exchanging amazing underground flyers… Tons of reasons can be given to account for why Czech scene was so active and “giving” back then. After that, naturally, because of the Internet boom, it has just faded away, and became a legacy.
Forgotten Silence was one the miracle bands of that era. They were so great that I haven’t met any metalhead who didn’t enjoy them, or who dared to criticize them from a negative perspective.
Senyaan was perhaps their masterpiece which introduced them gloriously to the scene, and was repeatedly used as a reference for the future generations as to how a “non-standard” and avant-garde metal album should be made. Forgotten Silence, not only exemplified this text-book procedure, but they also kept the success and tradition in their other works – nevertheless in a rather declining fashion in my opinion.
Senyaan is a concept album. It tells a story, chapter by chapter. It was one of the very first examples of female vocals in Central European atmospheric scene, and maybe one of the initiators of that vogue. Not-so-unexpected style of female vocals, on the other hand, has been contrasted very successfully with male vocals which are stunningly well sang in different styles. Sometimes, it whispers quietly with a relatively moody tunes on the background, sometimes it screams in agony and hope to try to make himself heard.
The musical technique of Senyaan is also superb. A clever mix of usual sounds with some avant-garde experimental tunes definitely create an surprisingly brilliant output. Some people tend to call Senyaan a rather atmospheric act. I slightly disagree with that perspective. After listening to it thousands of times, I have developed a rather fierce attitude towards the reviewers who call the pieces that they don’t get as “experimental”. This term barely explains what FS has achieved. Perhaps, yes, they experimented, but their experiments work, succeeded and moreover has started a new direction in the atmospheric metal.
Overall, the only criticism I could have put is perhaps the following. How could such a brilliant work not been re-released after 12 years?
-Can Baskent
VITALS:
Release: 1998
Label: Redblack Productions
Avantgenre: Stormy Atmospheric Metal
Duration: 98:06
Origin: Czechia
Official site: http://www.myspace.com/forgottensilencecz
Review online since: 27.11.2010 / 15:29:48
TRACKLIST:
Disc 1 : “…Of Growing Madness”
01 – Once Upon A Time
02 – Chapter I – The Oldest Sanctuary
03 – Chapter II – The White Oceans
04 – It’s Getting Dark…
05 – Chapter III – The Ancient Forest
06 – The Loneliness
07 – Diamonds The Night
Disc 2 : …Of Winter Insanity”
01 – Chapter IV – The Snowscreams
02 – The Snowflakes
03 – Chapter V – The Hills Of Senyaan Pt II
04 – The Moonshine
05 – The White Roses
06 – Chapter VI – (In) The Marble Halls III
07 – Chapter VII – The Strange Being
08 – We, The Strange Beings…
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