Dreams don’t have to die, and even stitches of our past that have been covered over due to time can be dug up and made prominent parts of our lives again. Likely those elements slowly have been pushing back up on their own, even unconsciously, until they’re too vibrant to ignore. 

Bergtagen is a project Jon Rosenthal (vocals/guitar/bass who you know from Starless Domain, Boreal, Twilight Falls and many more) worked on two decades ago, battling teen angst and getting more involved in taking on woodsy, atmospheric black metal that was blooming pretty hard at that time. Now, 20 years later, Bergtagen resurfaces with Rosenthal joined by Anthony W. (acoustic guitars, drums, bodhrán) to bring two of these tracks back to life with new, more mature recordings on “In Forests Eternal.” They also include their take on an Agalloch classic, which very much fits the vibe and sound of their original material. It’s a really immersive collection, one that shows you where Rosenthal’s musical brain was years ago and how that translates today. Plus, with the hint of more music from this project ahead, this is an ideal place to burst the first buds on the way to full explosion of life. 

“In Forests Eternal” opens with clean guitars flowing, drums booming, then the whole thing coming to life, soaring with engulfing melodies. Howls ensnare, Rosenthal howling, “Flying, feel the weight of the skyline, falling as the sky turns to black,” clean tributaries combining with explosive gusts, the drumming barreling into glimmering leads. The energies swim though the clouds, acoustics join in a wider flow, cold guitars leaving flesh chilled. “Oak Horizon” is steely and crashes to the earth, Rosenthal calling, “Empty, nowhere is this cold place, clutching closer, worthless, nothing.” Leads jar and dash, taking over your imagination, leading your psyche into thinking of cold walks along half-frozen streams. Immersive playing takes over, pushing blood into your heart, Rosenthal urging, “Feel this cold among the graves, hold this warmth in your heart,” as thorny chaos and rushing power mangles to the end. “You Were But A Ghost In My Arms” in the band’s take on Agalloch’s track from their 2002 album “The Mantle,” and it’s both a relatively faithful version but one that also has some of the band’s own strains and colors worked into the piece. Like, you’ll definitely recognize it when you hear it, but you also can’t miss their personal imprints they put on a song for which they obviously hold much reverence.

Bergtagen’s resurrection comes at a time when chaos has been sowed and division is reality, so “In Forests Eternal” gives us a major boost of something positive to follow into the future. This batch of revived songs has a wild spirit and brings a different energy into the era in which we’re participants, both musically and existentially. This collection proves no idea is ever dead, and it takes is the right inspiration to act as a spark.

For more on the band, go here: https://ampwall.com/a/bergtagen

To buy the album, go here: https://ampwall.com/a/bergtagen/album/in-forests-eternal

For more on the label, go here: https://nebulaeartifacta.bandcamp.com/

It’s going to be a while before cold winds return to destroy summer, when spookier tales come back into focus for so many people. For others, those visions always are in their heads, swimming through their bloodstreams, coming out in their art. The three members of Hoaxed very much seem like those type of people.

Their second record “Death Knocks” feels like it’s trying to be a serial monster-of-the-week adventure, and over these nine songs, the band—vocalist/guitarist Kat Keo, bassist/vocalist April Dimmick, drummer Kim Coffel—puts forth an effort that is as thought-provoking musically and is it visually. It gives a little something extra than most records you’ll hear, and their dark rock that veers ever so closely to metal sounds more realized than what’s on their debut and constantly keeps you engaged.

“Where the Seas Fall Silent” starts with a creaking ship, waves lashing, and then the adventure opens, the singing soaring, and a sweltering fog hanging over driving guitars. The bass prowls as harsh cries belt, the storm and thunder subsiding. “Kill Switch” chugs, the vocals feeling more hushed but direct, guitars scathing. “Here they come again,” Keo howls as bass plods, and then she continues with, “Out here, everything hurts, everything’s poison,” all musical elements swirling away. “Promised to Me” has darker leads, the melodies pulling back a bit, shadowy singing blending with the atmosphere. The pace builds up and numbs, strong singing whipping, burning into the clouds. “The Fallen” opens with battle cries, a synth glaze blinding, the signing pushing as the temperatures scorch. The drums rumble as the chorus rushes, hitting harder as layered singing mesmerizes, slipping into psyches.

“Looking Glass” is an interlude with synth and elegant sounds, fantastical playing sounding like a film score, moving into “Dead Ringer” that feels ashen at the start. The singing numbs as darkness grows thicker, a strong chorus adding muscle. Harmonized voices dash emotion as everything subsides to orchestral mist. “Wretched” has the bass galvanizing, the singing tingling nerve endings, the tempo growing tougher and more bruising. The band hits even harder, mashing as the drums pummel and wild cackling haunts. “The Family” is catchy and energetic, singing flooding and feeling more forceful, the chorus bursting with electricity. Blood pulses as the drums steady the attack, the guitars burning before disappearing into smoke. Closer “Killing Stone” has guitars flooding and the verses feeling jerky and fun. “Three knocks upon the stone, three knocks from a source unknown,” Keo wails, spilling spooky darkness into the room, the spirits rising and leaving this plane.

“Death Knocks” feels cinematic in a way that’s rough around the edges and constantly keeps you guessed both musically and thematically. Hoaxed are a tighter, more focused beast on record two, sounding even more confident and comfortable in this frame of mind. The promise they showed on their debut is feeling more realized on a record that can keep you engaged musically and visually.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.hoaxedband.com/

To buy the album, go here: https://www.relapse.com/collections/hoaxed-death-knocks

For more on the label, go here: https://www.relapse.com/