Reviews for The Crown of Winter

[Sonm]

8.5/10
http://the-plague.net/opus1209.htm#forest
========================
Wow, it is amazing what you forget when you turn 40… Looking back, I actually reviewed Forest Stream’s debut album, Tears of Mortal Solitude, back in 2003. My one complaint back then was apparently the weak vocals, and I’m pleased to say things have improved in that area without losing ground elsewhere.

Trying to pin down one specific style that Forest Stream plays is impossible, as they carefully blend together death, doom, black, goth and folk metal, with plenty of symphonic keyboards and a combination of clean and gravelly vocals. The results could easily be a mess, especially with half the songs clocking in at over nine minutes long, but they pull it off quite superbly.

The title track is a journey in and of itself, following slow, brooding riffs with clean passages and textural keyboards, only to set off into stormy weather once again. “Bless You to Die” and “The Seventh Symphony of…” show the band is capable of harder and faster material as well, with a hint of early Emperor creeping into the vocals and riffing. “Beautfiul Nature” is an unexpected left-turn, featuring some half-spoken stream of consciousness lyrics and dreamy melodies.

Forest Stream are good at infusing their metal with drama and melody without sounding silly or wimpy. It is serious music that is dark yet beautiful and sweeps the listener away into its own richly emotional world. The Crown of Winter not only matches their impressive debut but fully surpasses it in every way.

 

[Sonm]

http://www.musikansich.de/review.php?id=7700
Ein kalter Wind weht an den Klippen einer vergessenen Bucht. Egal wohin man blickt, das einzige was zu sehen ist, ist ewiges Eis und zwei Berge, die am Horizont in die düstere Wolkendecke ragen. Das dämmrige Licht lässt einen Blick auf ein im Eis gefangenes Schiff zu, welches wahrscheinlich schon seit langer Zeit dort eingefroren ist. Das zugefrorene Meer erscheint wie ein Ödland, verlassen und unendlich weit...

Die 1995 in Russland gegründete Band Forest Stream weiß, wie man eine bedrückende und düstere Atmosphäre aufbaut. Und wie schon die auf dem Albumcover dargestellte Stimmung, handeln die Lieder auf dem 2009 erschienen Album Crown of Winter oft von Hoffnungslosigkeit und Trostlosigkeit. Klarer Gesang, ein tragendes Keyboard und akustische Gitarre werden mit harten Riffs abgewechselt, verlieren jedoch dabei nie die melancholische und depressive Grundstimmung. Forest Stream konnten sich im Vergleich zu ihrem 2003 erschienen Album Tears of Mortal Solitude nochmals steigern und entwickeln sich so langsam aber sicher in die Größenrichtung von Katatonia, My Dying Bride und ähnlichen Doom Metal Bands. Das Keyboard, welches teilweise an melodischen Black Metal erinnert, mag für manche Leute zu kitschig erscheinen, jedoch macht genau diese Untermalung der Songs durch das Keyboard den Sound der Band aus.Wer auf der Suche nach anderen „unbekannteren“ Doom Metal Bands ist, kommt um Forest Stream nicht herum.
17/20 (Highly recommended)

 

[Sonm]

Google translated... 9/10


Forest Stream is a Russian group that formed in the mid 90s. They have since released two long-term and two demos, these are "Tears of Mortal Solitude" in 2003 and this "The Crown of Winter". The truth is that one does not always have the opportunity to make criticisms of Russian bands, and bands who do not know too much of that country but I assure you that if all bands were coming from Russia as Forest Stream, would be happy to hear every day a new disk.

Archives Metal fans will see a very long label for this group: Black / Gothic / Doom Metal, as from sites that make their data reviews of this "Metal Look" but Forest Stream cake Doom group. Neither Stoner and Sludge. Doom Metal lifetime. The truth is that until I had the opportunity to write about this album had not heard anything from them, so that when you get the promotion I had to take with his earlier work, and I'm pleasantly surprised, with their prior "Tears of Mortal Solitude "Death more than I speak today. But this "The Crown of Winter" surpasses it in every way. An incredible master mix with beautiful melodies with the guttural voices deeper, giving a dark and depressing atmosphere. A mixture of clean vocals with guttural, some male vocals (something few bands do have a female in their lines, in this case his keyboardist) surprisingly worked. Mean times interspersed with slower parts, merging seamlessly with the change of voice with its careful production, which gives a very clean and precise sound to the sound of the band, which makes the atmosphere more realistic and fair, without neglecting the bleak atmosphere of his music.
As usual in this style, the songs are all long-term but, unlike some other bands, at no time come to be heavy or boring, possibly this is the variety that exists in absolutely every one of the cuts that make up this second album from the Russians. It's amazing how no matter decays in quality, all compositions are the same height ... And how high! Not recommended for you to have vertigo.
If I tell the truth, reading the biography of the group did not feel like having to listen too and preferred to do a review of any of the other demos except for this ... I was really wrong, since the first issue of the round I learned that it was a great album.
A great disc that clearly needs a listen by everyone who reads this. The truth is that I have never seen write a review as if the group make me pay for promotion, but I'm sure that will not leave indifferent to any fan of good Doom. Too bad these kids are so little known to the discazo they have.
Definitely, with groups like this, Doom Metal we are sworn in luck.

Candlelight(2008)

Score: 9 / 10
http://queensofsteel.bitacoras.com/archivos/2009/06/01/forest-stream-the-crown-of-winter

 

[Sonm]

Миня!! Жуткий угар!!! Помнишь "Пришёл вечер, и чёрный человек завернулся в одеяло." Ты погляди последние строки сего ревью!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.metal-district.de/md_cds::::5400:forest_stream_the_crown_of_winter.html
8.5/10
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Some things are worth waiting for. The right woman, the better job or the second long awaited album by a cross-country completely unknown band. So it is at least in the case of the Russians FOREST STREAM, whose first work, "Tears Of Mortal Solitude" I was depressed Anno 2003 from a friend as a tip in terms of doomy melancholy sounds in the hand. He had not lied, it was really an impressive disc. The swan song of the former label but it was quiet around the band from a town north of Moscow. Therefore, it was uncommonly pleased to once again hear something from them, and then also in the form of their second album now, "The Crown of Winter" which was published by candlelight.

But enough blathering about the bush! Finally, an impression of the music should be taught, and that is very positive, at least for open-minded. FOREST STREAM celebrate deeply melancholic and angry tones, the style often in Doom, as often in the Gothic but also in death and black metal, not least, are settled. Here the trick is that this degree been able to simply walk to solve the enormous sense for good arrangement. Everything works together extremely thoughtful and well constructed. The album starts out rather dreamy, timid, developed with predominantly clean vocals, but piece by piece to the awesome-side, heaps of Death Metal outbreaks or in the best places blastet EMPEROR style all it's worth. It is, however, never lost the desperate mood that melancholy appropriate emotion from her eyes. Great cinema, because it is internalized albumübergreifende absorbing the atmosphere, and captivated by her. But this phenomenon to reach the men's and women even within individual songs, because time is really taken. Under seven minutes we could not do and never get bored, always follows the listener spellbound the complex and varied arrangements that can be captured by the mood.

Also convinced of the technical side, for all instrumentalists and singers know their job Somn dominated by the clear vocals over deep growls and Schwarzwurzelgekeife the entire range of sleepwalking. Thus one has the happy, especially when the transparent and balanced production is well in the music scene.

In short, FOREST STREAM have with their second album "The Crown of Winter delivered" an emotive, tiefmelancholisches showpiece, which provides the perfect soundtrack for the upcoming winter. I hope not again almost six years waiting for another sign of the Russians need to. Now I wrap myself in my blanket, and ponder for a good whiskey on the sadness of the world. What music is running, it is quite clear ...

 

[Omin]

Дада! Именно!
А мож..

Ополоныч завернулся в плащ и погрузился в раздумья...

 

[Sonm]

5/5 from AMAZON.COM
[ame]http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002C2S8GW/ref=s9_simp_gw_s5_p15_t1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0GXPME7E9Y13D5M8S6N3&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846[/ame]
======================================================
I only found this relatively obscure Russian Doom Metal band by spending too much time on metal forums when their first album came out, spending practically all my extra income on discovering the vast, glorious world of metal. "[ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00007IFRH/ref=cm_cr_asin_lnk"]Tears of Mortal Solitude[/ame]" has always been a jewel in my collection, it has always given me something unique that I never found anywhere else. Ever since then I have waited and waited for another album. Six years later, the day has finally come, after countless delays.

I have to say it was worth the wait. I absolutely love long, winding, atmospheric songs and Forest Stream has mastered all of these elements even more so than the first album. One of the first things I noticed is this album has a huge improvement in the harsh vocals. I don't know if it's just the production (which is leaps and bound better), but the vocals seem much more "in your face." There are also much more clean vocals, which is refreshing as well.

After a short, theatrical fantasy-style opening instrumental, a chilling piano opens the first song, setting the grim, cold, yet somehow charming, magical sensation the entire album is about to follow. Shortly, the heaviness is added that the listener has been anticipating, and the song twists down many different melodic paths. This song, which is the title track, is probably my personal favorite of the album. The instrumentals are just breathtaking and it is simply one of the most "epic" metal songs I have heard to date.

Simply "Doom Metal" fails to describe the pure diversity of this album. This album pulls metal influences from all realms. I would say it is Black Metal just as much as Doom - it is quite symphonic but not to the point of overdoing it, becoming cheesy. It is also not as slow as Doom Metal usually is. Some songs or parts of songs are actually quite brutal. In fact, the songs are overall heavier than and not as slow as their first album. Some songs on their first album tended to go on a bit long without much direction and were somewhat repetitive, that is not the case anymore. These songs have much more direction and complexity to them.

"Autumn Dancers" is possibly my second favorite track. It employs the perfect blend of everything Forest Stream has to offer, including some of the most killer melodic riffs while still keeping the song flowing with the rest of the album and utilizing calmer instrumentals. An instant favorite.

The intro of "The Beautiful Nature" is very interesting, almost a little annoying but turns out to be a very memorable final track for the album, emitting an intense melancholy and forlorn feeling before fading into the outro track, similar to how it all begun.

So, without a doubt, The Crown of Winter is one of my top metal albums of 2009. I can't put it down. I think Forest Stream is an extremely talented band and sadly, they remain so obscure. Every metal fan ought to give them a try.

 

[IcemanJ256]

I wrote that last one. Yeah, the page needed a bit more than that first review.

 

[Sonm]

As I grow older and more crotchety, I get more militant about my "no keyboards" rule for metal. Yet a few bands slip through, like Chaos Moon and Dark Tranquillity. In those bands, keyboards stand for themselves, rather than substituting for something (like strings, most typically). They complement guitars instead of fighting with them. That's the case with Russia's Forest Stream. Keyboards, in fact, are so dominant that guitars take a back seat. They crunch out chord progressions and lay down some leads, but that's about it — not much riffing here. To my surprise, I don't mind. The keyboards are ethereal, majestic, and "take me to another place." Normally I want guitars dry and upfront, but sometimes it's nice for music to spur my imagination. The Crown of Winter (Candlelight, 2009) evokes icicles and blue hues. I call this "fantasy fiction metal." It's pagan-ish black metal with Scandinavian melodic tendencies, and it's lovely.
http://invisibleoranges.com/labels/goth metal.html

 

[Sonm]

После выхода дебютной работы вокруг творчества Forest Stream сформировался круг мнений – мол, «отдают дань памяти лучшим дням дэт-дума», «качественно повторяют уже пройденное», что, возможно, отпугнет многих из тех, кого работа поначалу заинтересовала. Эти заблуждения следует развенчать. Forest Stream не ходят проторенными тропами и уж точно не играют дэт-дум. Их новый альбом наверняка заинтересует ценителей торжественного материала ранних Bal-Sagoth, мистичных произведения Evol, неторопливой Katatonia. Отпугнет – любителей жесткой гитарной музыки. Не уходя в авангард, Forest Stream переосмыслили и соединили атмосферный блэк, симфонический метал в трактовке Hollenthon и Therion, дум – да так, что одним словом определить эту музыку не получается. Альбом получился свежий, мелодичный и завораживающе красивый. Легкий для восприятия, но одновременно с этим нетривиальный. С интересной гитарной работой, чего чаще всего так не хватает коллективам, в музыке которых существенную роль играет синтезатор. Главное, что на «The Crown of Winter» нет ощущения затхлой приторности, которое, несмотря на многочисленные достоинства материала, навсегда отбило у меня желание продолжать знакомство с современными работами Amorphis, испортило впечатление от очередного диска Novembers Doom и уже упомянутых Katatonia. Конечно, «The Crown of Winter» не звучит так, будто вышел примерно 10-15 лет назад. Музыка Forest Stream мягка, нетороплива и спокойна. И лишь изредка экстремальный метал берет вверх. Тем не менее, композиции не теряют потрясающей атмосферы, с которой я впервые познакомился на «Starfire Burning…», «Saga of the Horned King» или «Lepaca Kliffoth». Чудесно спустя долгое время увидеть на высохшем древе той музыки новые ростки. Это, наверное, все, что мне оставалось добавить к сказанному ранее предшественником.
9/10
http://www.darkside.ru/album/21554/
THAT IS GOOD!!!!!!!

 

[Sonm]

FS proudly presents! (by Caelum666)
==============================================
Hey dudes and dudette. I finally got my hands on this album here in Australia, along with a horde of other albums from CD Universe. But I must say, I've been pushing the Behemoths and Anathemas aside, because The Crown of Winter is just gorgeous. So gorgeous I actually did my weights workout this morning listening to it all.

I'm proud to say that you guys still are my favourite doom metal band, even if you do have the whole symphonic/black/death thing going on, but so many other bands do these days anyway.

The title track is effing elegant and sends me on a trip. I think I almost dropped my dumbbells.

I can't decide if Mired or Bless You To Die is my favourite. Mired because of the sing-along-ability, or Bless You To Die for the mix of carnage and tranquility. The progression at 5:00min in BYtD is groovy as!

It sounds like everything has been upgraded, more than "just-a-notch". But not too far away from that original ToMS sound. Way to go people. I'm very interested to know what gear you have been using, particularly guitars and bass. I am still amazed at the sounds you guys create with the XP-30. A lot of people are getting themselves the Korg Triton to give them all their answers, but I don't think Forest Stream need to venture down that path at all.

I admit I was weirded out at the "it's time to get oop, the time is, six-THIR-tee-two", but that just made me reminisce to ToMS on the intro track with the crowd samples.

A quiet band like Forest Stream in the ToMS days, the music had so much heart and dedication, and something that worry fans such as myself is "when this band gets signed to a major label and begins releasing new albums, will they lose heart?", no, you guys have not. I love this album so much that you're going to need to give me a few months before I write another opinion. After I've dedicated my life to have at least an hour or two of Forest Stream every week. Very inspiring work!

The change in direction in each song is done quite well, as always. I can't wait to sit down with my guitar and pick out the riffs in your songs in the next coming months, and try to figure out how such progression can actually work. I've picked Omin's brain about it before, and I might just do it again soon!!

I had the fortune of having my Sashenka read out the conversation at the beginning of the booklet. Quite colloquail, I liked it. Too often bands get pretentious with their booklets, like CoF etc. The way you guys refer to the people in the city as "the dead", is this a metaphor to say that although they are alive, they are living deathly repetitive, pale lives? If it isn't, oh well. That's the imagery that's sparked in me. Day-to-day life, it kills.

I keep reading that Sonm and Elhella used to do drums back in the day. As an avid fanboy, I wish I could see vids of this. That would be amazing. Not that I don't think Kir is a good drummer. He is "batshit insane, crazy as balls".

To all of you, THANK YOU.

 

[Sonm]

http://www.stereoinvaders.com/index...:forest-stream-the-crown-of-winter-&Itemid=16
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Very good one
9/10
in italian, but Google helps as well...
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Difficile, molto difficile sviscerare questo lavoro dei Russi Forest Stream. La band, attiva dal 1995, ha alle sue spalle due demo e un full-lenght rispettivamente del 1999, 2001 e 2003. La maturità espressa nel suo predecessore fu inequivocabile, come anche l’originalità, il gusto e le qualità tecniche della proposta. “The Crown of Winter” continua idealmente su quella via, della solennità ed atmosfericità che tanto ci aveva fatto innamorare del progetto. Come anticipato in precedenza, il disco è tutt’altro che semplice dato che - nonostante le ottime suite melodiche - i brani risultano strutturalmente complessi. Ci vogliono molti ascolti per carpire e poi assimilare tutti i particolari e sfumature, dipinto dai tratti definiti ma straordinariamente bizantini. Poliedricità che si articola tra il Doom Metal - per sviluppi lenti e delicati - il Black Gothic - per sfuriate ed oscuri presagi - e una capacità dei membri del gruppo di creare ambientazioni ricercate. Sei anni di silenzio hanno fatto si che molte impurità ed idee decantassero, per poi clinicamente essere studiate e comprese. Tempo che ha reso ancor più affascinante “The Crown Of Winter”, nel suo svilupparsi lento e meditato. Quel che maggiormente stupisce è il saper rendere ancor più efficaci i passaggi più malinconici e quelli più rabbiosi. Diciamo che gli estremi ora hanno ancor più rilevanza, diventando concretamente colonna portante di tutto ciò che sta “in mezzo” e che comprende quelle importanti novità viste in passato. Di grande impatto le voci clean, il loro saper tessere amletiche trame tra ruvidi e concreti furori. Un sussurro raggiunge il nostro cuore, corde che vibrano e che soavemente muovono specchio d’acqua che credevamo ormai immutabile. L’increspatura si infrange sulle rive della nostra sensibilità, il suo moto si fa continuo tanto da cullarci in un tepore di beatitudine. Forest Stream confermano l’attitudine e le capacità espresse in passato, comprova di essere solida realtà Doom di assoluto valore.

 

[Sonm]

http://www.imperiumi.net/index.php?act=albums&id=9846
9+/10
================================== Old great finnish trolls worked on this one!!! Finland rules! Kiitos!=======
Neuvostoliiton raunioissa normaalit ihmiset eivät välittäneet musiikista". Näin väitetään orkesterin biografiassa. Ehkä ihmiset olisivat välittäneet jos Forest Stream olisi julkaissut the Crown of Winter -albuminsa aikaisemmin. Albumi on onnistunut ja se lunastaa edellisen levyn luomat odotukset ja enemmän.

Forest Stream on varsin hankala tapaus, koska selkeistä vaikutteista huolimatta Crown of Winterin musiikki ei sovi yhden kategorian alle. Musiikki sijoittuu black-, death- ja ambient-metallin välimaastoon. Levyltä voi löytää myös doom- tai gothic metalin ikkunoihin osuvia sävellyksiä. Lopputulos on kuitenkin tasapainoinen ja vaikutteista huolimatta varsin omaperäinen kokonaisuus. Bändin tapa yhdistää eri elementtejä toimii erinomaisesti.

Levyn kappaleet ovat pitkiä ja mukaan on mahtunut myös turhaa materiaalia. Levy alkaa parin minuutin mittaisella introlla, mikä ei kauniista tunnelmasta ja ensimmäiseen varsinaiseen kappaleeseen sopivuudesta huolimatta tee siitä millään tavalla käyttökelpoista. Varsinaiseksi ongelmaksi muodostuvat kuitenkin outrot. Puolet albumin varsinaisista kappaleista päättyvät noin minuutin kestäviin merkityksettömiin outroihin. Tähän verrattuna levyn lopetus hieman yli puolentoista minuutin outroon ei tunnu ongelmalta.

The Crown of Winter on keskinkertaisista puhtaista vokaaleista sekä edellä mainituista seikoista huolimatta silti loistava levy. Tunnelma pysyy kuuden kappaleen ajan täydellisesti orkesterin hallussa ja kuuntelijaa viedään melankolisesta maisemasta toiseen. Forest Stream vie kuulijan aggressioiden pakottamana syvälle jäätävään mereen mureasti öristen ja aivan yhtä luontevasti kuulija nostetaan majesteettisiin korkeuksiin herkän pianon ja puhtaan kitaran voimin.

Harvoin kuulee yhtä toimivaa vuorottelua aggressiivisen, black metalista vaikutteita ottavan materiaalin ja seesteisien kitaroiden ja koskettimien välillä. Nopeammat osat eivät paria poikkeusta lukuun ottamatta perustu riffien sahaamiseen vaan rauhallisempiin melodioihin rumputulen ja hieman nopeamman komppauksen tukemana. Neljäs kappele Bless You To Die on poikkeus ja jo alussa on selvä, että kyseessä on tribuutti Emperorille. Harmi sinänsä, koska kappale on vähiten tasapainossa The Crown of Winterin muuhun materiaaliin verrattuna.

Forest Streamin toinen pitkäsoitto kantaa yksinkertaisilla riffeillä, omaperäisillä sovituksilla, ilmavilla soundeilla ja näistä syntyvällä tunnelmalla levyn alusta loppuun. The Crown of Winter on black metaliin ja muuten raskaampaan musiikkiin tottumattomille helposti lähestyttävä kokonaisuus. Allekirjoittaneen soittolistalle levy jää näillä näkymin hyväksi aikaa.

 

[Sonm]

8.5/10
http://pitchline-zine.com/reviews.item.php?id=001489
Just nice one
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El año pasado Candlelight Records anunciaba el fichaje de la formación rusa Forest Stream. Con un disco a sus espaldas titulado "Tears Of Mortal Solitude" publicado en 2003 por Earache, ha pasado mucho tiempo para los moscovitas quiénes han permanecido prácticamente desaparecidos durante todo este tiempo. Con "The Crown Of Winter" que finalmente ha visto la luz del día, podemos disfrutar de una banda realmente personal dentro de la amplia escena rusa, y todo un punto a favor para los seguidores del Doom Metal más melódico y cargado de bellas atmósferas, recreadas por unos teclados mágicos de corte pianístico y largos pasajes instrumentales como el que nos brinda el tema-titulo "The Crown Of Winter" con riffs heavys que junto con una notable sección rítmica siguen fielmente a unas atmósferas repito geniales, para acabar fundiéndose en ellas. Del apartado vocal, siguiendo con el tema en cuestión, una voz melódica y pausada lleva inicialmente el peso aunque su equivalente gutural no tarda en aparecer para levantar el tema, destacando un buen dúo de ambas y algún detalle poco apreciable de una voz femenina ya por el final.

Empapándose inicialmente en sus ocho pasajes antes de mencionar solamente un par de ellos, la siguiente pista, "Mired" tiene una entrada épica, un bajo rapidísimo, una batería densa y un riff muy melódico que se corta en seco durante unos instantes al entrar la voz masculina, de nuevo ambas reflejan los muchos cambios de ritmo en cada pasaje ya que las guturales hacen que la canción se crezca, en esta en concreto mencionar también que las guitarras son las grandes protagonistas aunque seria un error no mencionar de nuevo el gran acompañamiento orquestal. Siguiendo me encuentro con una inesperada "Bless You To Die" de aires black metaleras aunque de su rama mas moderna, con un soberbio doble bombo inicial y unas voces desgarradoras interrumpidas por riffs sucios y con una voz limpia intercalando por momentos recordándome un poco a los norteamericanos Abigail Williams (salvando las distancias), del mismo modo que "The Seventh Symphony Of Satan", bastante parecidas.

Mientras, "The Autumn Dancers" viene a ser un intermedio de su antecesora aunque con un punto más melódico a las guitarras, compaginando con riffs mas oscuros. La voz gutural empieza a coger las riendas a partir de aquí y los teclados se van volviendo más y mas sinfónicos en resumen, a medida que avanza el disco se va volviendo más oscuro.

He acabado por hablar de casi todas las pistas, la verdad es que estoy ante un notable regreso el de los rusos, sin perder ni un instante de la calidad que les precede, el disco es variado, tanto los seguidores de los sonidos más doom, así como black, deberían de encontrar aquí algo que les agrade. El inmenso ambiente que desprende el resto es la guinda del pastel.

 

[Sonm]

17/20
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http://www.musikansich.de/ausgaben/0110/reviews/forest_stream.html
Ein kalter Wind weht an den Klippen einer vergessenen Bucht. Egal wohin man blickt, das einzige was zu sehen ist, ist ewiges Eis und zwei Berge, die am Horizont in die düstere Wolkendecke ragen. Das dämmrige Licht lässt einen Blick auf ein im Eis gefangenes Schiff zu, welches wahrscheinlich schon seit langer Zeit dort eingefroren ist. Das zugefrorene Meer erscheint wie ein Ödland, verlassen und unendlich weit...

Die 1995 in Russland gegründete Band Forest Stream weiß, wie man eine bedrückende und düstere Atmosphäre aufbaut. Und wie schon die auf dem Albumcover dargestellte Stimmung, handeln die Lieder auf dem 2009 erschienen Album Crown of Winter oft von Hoffnungslosigkeit und Trostlosigkeit. Klarer Gesang, ein tragendes Keyboard und akustische Gitarre werden mit harten Riffs abgewechselt, verlieren jedoch dabei nie die melancholische und depressive Grundstimmung. Forest Stream konnten sich im Vergleich zu ihrem 2003 erschienen Album Tears of Mortal Solitude nochmals steigern und entwickeln sich so langsam aber sicher in die Größenrichtung von Katatonia, My Dying Bride und ähnlichen Doom Metal Bands. Das Keyboard, welches teilweise an melodischen Black Metal erinnert, mag für manche Leute zu kitschig erscheinen, jedoch macht genau diese Untermalung der Songs durch das Keyboard den Sound der Band aus.Wer auf der Suche nach anderen „unbekannteren“ Doom Metal Bands ist, kommt um Forest Stream nicht herum.