Funeral Rain Press Corps

Norwegian pioneers in blackened death metal, Fester have revealed the cover art and tracklisting for their forthcoming new album, A Celebration Of Death. The band’s first offering of new material in 17 years, A Celebration Of Death will be out in early 2012 through Abyss Records. In an exclusive premier, Bravewords.com is now streaming the track “Rites of Ceres.” Visit this location to experience the return of Fester!
The cover for A Celebration Of Death was painted by artist Eliran Kantor (Testament, Sodom, Atheist, Sigh, Anacrusis). The rest of the layout was done by Joce of Industrie Chimere Noire (Portal, Ghäst, Total Holocaust). The core members of the band, bassist Jon Bakker (Kampfar), vocalist Thomas Andersen and guitarist/vocalist Bjørn “Tiger” Mathisen, all made the following comments regarding the album:

“A Celebration Of Death is a whirl of flavours hitting you all at once. All the varieties makes you spin the tracks over and over again. A real treat for the fans of Black, Death and Doom. The mix of musicians makes everything really original, but all in all Fester reeks through it all.” – Jon Bakker

“For me personally, A Celebration of Death has the ultimate lyrics evolving the theme of death, and it manages to pull all my aggression just to the edge, without turning over “ – Thomas Andresen

“Have you ever felt the sensation of darkness and death embracing you, and that you actually welcome it? Like love, death comes in all different shapes and sizes, and I really feel that we have captured our feelings around the theme. It’s darker and more melancholic than our previous releases, but it’s FESTER no doubt!” – Bjørn “Tiger” Mathisen

Tracklisting:
Rites of Ceres
The black tower
March of death
I’ll hunt you down
Metalized
Jeg spytter på deg
Last day of battle Pt.I
Last day of battle Pt.II
A Face for a funeral (bonus)
Rites of Mortiis (Remix of Ceres by Mortiis)

In addition to Bakker, Andersen Mathisen, A Celebration Of Death also features Audun Kleive (session drums), Raymond Pellicer (additional guitars, programming and synth), Eivind Aarseth (additional guitars), Guido Saint Roch (guest vocals on “Metalized”) and Mortiis (Dark Converter). For more on Fester, visit the band’s Facebook page. Norway’s atmospheric masters have returned to once again change the face of black/death metal. Prepare yourselves…

Genre: Blackened Death Metal
Label: Abyss Records

Abyss Records is one lucky label. They’ve picked up Fester, one of the truly original black/death bands from Norway, and are in the process of re-releasing some of stuff, including the classic Silence from 1994.
Reminding me a lot of Cynic’s work, with more blackened elements, there is a reason this album is an underground classic. It kicks ass!
The technicality of the instruments is a lot higher than most black metal, with some gorgeous sounding clean parts and evil distortion.
Vocally, Bjørn “Tiger” Mathisen is one of the most understandable blackened vocalists ever. You can actually hear what he’s saying, he is enunciating, and the style is not shrieked but rather a rough smoker’s voice; a cross between death growls and black shrieks. This has brought him close to the front of my favorite vocalists.
I definitely recommend this for fans of melodic black or death metal, especially fans of Cynic and Dissection.
8 out of 10.

Fester on MySpace.

Genre: Death/Black Metal

Label: Abyss Records

Fester! Norwegian old school death metal! I was excited when I saw the email containing this gem in my inbox. I LOVE obscure, putrid old school death metal, and the bands from the old Norwegian scene are among my favorites. Old Funeral, Thou Shalt Suffer, Amputation, Molestation, Cadaver, and of course FESTER! Their first album “Winter of Sin” which was reissued last year by Abyss Records, is one of my favorite death metal albums. It is because of that career defining album that Fester are associated with death metal.

It only makes sense that Abyss would next reissue Fester second and last album, Silence. Contrastingly, Silence is not a death metal record. Not at all. Literally the only shared trait between these norsemen’s debut and sophmore epitaph is the shrieking vocal style.

If it’s not death metal, what is it? Is this a forgotten Norwegian black metal record ala Burzum and Mayhem? I don’t know what to call this, actually. It’s melodic and very black metal influenced (not surprising, they are from Norway). It’s full of clean guitar and catchy melodies, for fuck’s sake! To put things in perspective, there are guitar leads on this album that would not be out of place on a Van Halen album.

I’m not sure what this can be compared to; the closest acts I can think of are a couple of underground black metal bands called Atavysm and Bitterfrost. If I had to put it in a genre, I would call it melodic or maybe even progressive black metal. Positive black metal, if I may have creative license. The songs are filled with a kind of emotional warmth I often get from Agalloch.

If you’re still not convinced of the oddball nature of this album, let me offer one final proof: this album is happy. By that I mean it’s very upbeat and optimistic. It has a generally uplifting mood, and makes me feel, well uh, good. Even the aforementioned black metal shrieks sound nearly euphoric in conjunction with the nostalgic, triumphant riffing.

Not that it doesn’t have ferocious sections and pounding drums, but it completely lacks the ferocity of Marduk, the melancholy of Burzum, or the regal evil of Dissection. Silence is a mellow ride over snowcapped mountains, on the back of your pet dragon, at sunrise.

Now, before I close this review, you may ask, is all of this positive or negative commentary? I’d be glad to spell it out for you: Generally, when a death or black metal band adapts such a commercial sound, I hate it, but it works very well for Fester. Silence is a classic of its own that stands tall and proud next to Winter of Sin. I would recommend this album to black metal fans as well as anyone who likes any kind of melodic metal with blackened influence, whether that be Agalloch, Dissection, or Arghoslent. I give Fester’s Silence a solid 8/10.

Fester On MySpace

Originally released in 1992, the reissue of FESTER’s now classic offering of Norwegian black /death metal, Winter Of Sin, will be available tomorrow (December 24th) on Abyss Records. Completely remixed, remastered and repackaged, the Abyss Records reissue contains all nine original tracks and a bonus live recording of “When Darkness Confirms,” recorded in 1991. Visitwww.officialabyssrecords.com to purchase a copy orwww.myspace.com/festernorway to stream select tracks from the album.

Winter Of Sin
Senses Are The True You
The Ancient Gods Wore Black
Entering
Victory!!!
Liberation
As The Swords Clinch The Air
A Dogfight Leaves A Trace
The Commitments The Shattered
BONUS TRACK:
When Darkness Confirms (Live ’91)

…if you really want to experience what it was like to have been a part of that inner circle that included Euro, Faust, Vikernes etc, then this album will give you a flavour with its totally underground don’t-give-a-fuck attitude. And that my friends, it what being truly evil is all about. - Battlehelm.com

Wow, now this is a nice little blast from the death metal past, now innit? – MetalArmyAmerica.com