Firtan may just be our new favorites. From veterans like Bethlehem, Nargaroth, and Desaster to newcomers like Ascension, Farsot, and Firtan — which translates to ‘godless’ or ‘wicked’ in Old High German — the Germans have reimagined black metal in their own way. This is particularly true over the last decade where the tenets of the genre have been stretched in all directions. That bands like The Ruins of Beverast, Lunar Aurora, and Firtan can (and do) coexist while still remaining true to black metal’s mores is a testament to the Germans’ ingenuity, innovation, and discomfort with orthodoxy.
To wit, Firtan’s new album (second overall) Okeanos is a riveting journey through violence, melancholy, introspection, and desolation. It’s the kind of black metal album made for a new era, where darkness and cold are no longer the only attributes of the expression. Tracks like “Seegang,” “Nacht Verweil,” “Purpur,” and closer “Siebente, letzte Einsamkeit” highlight Firtan’s growth. They’re indicators of where black metal could or rather will go.
Say Firtan of Okeanos: “In the course of all steps towards Okeanos, we managed to leave our comfort zone by writing pieces that were challenging both regarding our technical skills and our creativity. The result is music that sounds experimental and raw at the same time, just as we wanted it to be — progessive aspirations embedded in a multifaceted black metal atmosphere.”
** Firtan’s Okeanos is out July 13th on AOP Records. Pre-order link is HERE. Be ready to transcend with Firtan!
