Fen-Of losing interest

Ripple
2012

Fen's new album isn't totally what I was expecting from them given their past. This album isn't quite as dark and leans towards more of a hard rock direction than their previous work. However it may be even more dynamic and engaging. Again they plunge into every track with plenty of confidence and ideas. The style still isn't easy to pin down nor are they predictable, but that's quite alright with me. They pull together elements of hard rock, metal, grunge and prog-rock. The best part of this album is that they integrate the above frequently and yet somehow it always works out. I could pick almost any song as a good example of their approach, but I suppose "The Glove" would be a prime example of their skills. At just three and a half minutes it's one of the shorter tracks here, but it feels like a ton of music pushed into that time frame without seeming bloated. I am amazed at the fluid motion in which they lead the various sounds forward without flinching. This approach also made for every song to seem very fresh even after multiple plays. Taking on different styles like this can be an ambitious undertaking, but pulling it off can be tough because you have to have the playing skills and really be comfortable with the styles. Fen do all that and more plus make it look easy and sound spectacular.