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Marblebog's Forestheart is an album I was looking forward to get, the moment I knew it was coming out on Autopsy Kitchen Records. Actually, it took months before landing, so I was very happy to finally hold it to see what I'd been missing.

Brainchild of solitary artist Vorgrov, Forestheart was previously released back in 2005 on tape only. AKR was able to acquire the rights to re-issue it on vinyl and, most importantly, on CD format but strictly limited to 500 copies and I'm lucky enough to hold one of them! This album is a sweet Black Metal release, not of the vicious, hateful or purely Satanic style. Inspired by nature, as can be seen on the cover art and actually all over the artwork included, Foresheart deals with global population and the likes. "Opening" is an instrumental filled with ambient keyboards. "Closing" is also an instrumental, but that long lasting pleasure (13:32), starting with boiling water and spacey keys turns into a much heavier tune when a distorted bass repeats its somber pattern. Most of the compositions are of the generic Black Metal type with variation in pace, ambiance and always keeping a melodic touch with those ever pleasant arpeggios. My favorite track is "I Am the Forestheart", where not only Black Metal flows easily but, two musical breaks come into play to add a nice folksy tone, thanks to a crafty use of clean guitar work, wind and bird samplings, mouth harp and Shaman drums.

Forestheart has perhaps a bit of a rawer edge, but still cool harmonious elements are often found to bring a nice variation in their Black Metal arts.