Fen: Of Losing Interest

And now for something completely different, Of Losing Interest, the latest effort from the Vancouver, B.C. band, Fen, is a radical departure from their previous effort, Trails Out of Gloom. Gone is the melancholy and downtrodden feel and in comes a revisit to Fen's past with a more metallic and heavy styling. Along with this harder edge comes a melodic and technical sensibility that was also found on the great Trails Out of Gloom record.

Of Losing Interest is filled with Prog-like technicalities, aligned with very organic and warm sensibilities. Steeped with a very Indie, Alternative vibe, Fen delivers 9 new tracks filled with delirium, pain and anguish and grieving. In other words, Fen are Fen but these new songs are delivered in a more metallic, shiny box. The lamenting is all there as you would hope for but so is the much more Hard Rock edge, which at first caught me by surprise. I was expecting a slower, much more brooding delivery as they had left off with the Trails record, but instead we get a much more upbeat and Rockin' record and that's a very cool thing.

Still very dark and almost ominous, Fen entertains on songs like "Riddled", "Snake Path" and the title track, "Of Losing Interest", while also bringing the guitar much more to the forefront of the songs and mix. A throwback to the gloomier side of Fen is totally, "Pilot Plant", with its slower tempo and pain filled vocals. Easily my favorite track on the album is the killer song "The Glove". It's an upbeat, groovin' song with a real Alt vibe with a driving drum beat (think Guns n Roses' "Double Talkin' Jive) and some really cool guitar riffing throughout.

Overall, Of Losing Interest is another solid effort from these Canadian boys and it IS quite a departure from their last roller coaster ride of depression, which I loved, but it is another chapter in the story of this band. Not really a departure as much as a visit back to a previous style in their repertoire, with an updated twist. Fans of Tool, Porcupine Tree and maybe even a band like System of a Down or Soundgarden will dig this record. It is a heavier side of Fen for sure, but their darker side is still well represented.

Track Listing
1.Riddled
2.Of Losing Interest
3.Nice For Three Days
4.A Long Line
5.The Glove
6.Drunken Relief
7.Light Up The End
8.Pilot Plant
9.Snake Path

Added: October 1st 2012
Reviewer: Butch Jones
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 2818
Language: english

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