CARPATHIAN FOREST - Strange Old Brew on sale

CARPATHIAN FOREST - Strange Old Brew
While their earlier material mainly displayed a band slowly coming to terms with a heritage that placed them in the shadow of Darkthrone, this band finally has decided to strike out from under the wings of their older compatriots and start experimenting. So while about half of this album is the normal black metal (grim, cold, raw, beautifully atmospheric) you would probably think they can play now in their sleep (all of it is great, nonetheless), at least fifty percent of 'Strange Old Brew' incorporates novel structures, sounds, styles, or attempts to mine the darkness inherent in all of their material for new horizons to explore. Many already think of this as a sort of 'transition album', and eagerly await their next opus, believing that they will consolidate their motives/overall style and write something to be wholeheartedly embraced, but in the meantime with 'Strange Old Brew' Carpathian Forest have not only marked a decisive turning-away from the Past in their creativity, but have also released what can only be described as an avant-garde black metal record, and one that displays (more than anything else) their strong songwriting skills and talent for incorporating non-traditional instruments and influences...as well as some seriously ambitious goals for the future. Excellent, and highly listenable.