Fuath strikes every five years.
With III, Andy Marshall (all instruments/vocals, Saor) joins the Northern Silence Productions roster.
We start off with a very raw, old-school atmosphere with The Cailleach and its initially melancholic touch, which then becomes much colder, more brutal and imposing, quickly sweeping us away in its flood of darkness that only slows down and becomes dissonant to let the ethereal growls reach us, similar to whispers shouted in this impenetrable fog. The aggression resurfaces, bringing roars with it between two waves of calm that punctuate our tumultuous progression into the surrounding darkness before we hear some keyboards that herald the end of the track, following a moment of tranquility with the virulent and shorter Embers of the Fading Age, which explodes naturally from its very first moments. Andy‘s hoarse voice accompanies us in the fury before the piercing harmonics take over, even announcing a moment of clear sound where only the blast reminds us of the violence that soon resurfaces before becoming icy again, but also haunting as it slowly evaporates to make way for Possessed by Starlight. The musician gives us barely a few seconds of respite before setting off at full speed, offering first a devastating approach, then a more catchy one, allowing himself a few melodious Pagan touches or drawing on solid Norwegian influences that draw us into the mystical and mysterious sounds that develop towards the end of the track. The rhythm suddenly cuts out, then The Sluagh restarts the machine with a new wave of ferocious riffs accompanied by their transcendent leads, which contrast naturally with the moments of hesitation that easily blend into the raging hurricane, forcing it to take a break before picking up again and carrying us away one last time with its suffocating tones supported by keyboards that only release us once we reach the end of the road.
Although still relatively unknown, Fuath regularly offers us works of ethereal and contemplative Black Metal infused with the icy and ancient mysteries of his art. The soberly named III takes us on a journey as much as it captivates us.
95/100