A FOREST OF FEY

Despite a cast of prog all-stars as guests, this album is formulaic "prog-by-the-numbers." There is nothing new hear, despite an admirable blending of styles (folk, metal, symphonic). The electric guitar chord playing is especially disturbing as it plays out in almost every song as if a studio musician is playing the same heavily-distorted guitar, chord by chord, as if from orchestral street music. No flare, no flourish, no soul. Several of the vocals are interesting, especially Melissa Hallick on the opener, "Childhood's Ghost"--I have to admit she and that first song got me hooked in enough to give this album a thorough listen. My other favorite, as predictable as it is, is "Drifter on the Edge of tIme." This and the other folk instrumental, "Forest Rose" are, to me, the album highlights. Troy Donockley (of IONA, not NIGHTWISH) adds some nice touches with his wind instruments--though I wonder on songs like "Garden's of the Lost" whether band leader Dean Marsh asked him to do his best IAN ANDERSON/J TULL impression (unless that's someone else on C flute). Clive Nolan and super guitarist John Mitchell's vocals-only contributions are negligible to the over all effect. In the end there is nothing new here. There is already too much of this kind of prog out there--Neo in the extreme. As pure as Dean's intentions were, this is the kind of album that has turned me away from the Neo-Prog sub-genre. For me, prog must keep its music evolving, not merely repeating old masters and old styles.

social review comments | Review Permalink
Posted Sunday, November 23, 2014 | Review this album | Report (Review #1314532)

Gandalf's fist are probably the band that excites me more than any other in the current crop of new prog bands. They have taken traditional neo prog, mixed it with some folk an a magic ingredient, with the result being similar but at the same time so different to anything else before them. The ... (read more)

Report this review (#1467263) | Posted by Kevman28 | Sunday, September 20, 2015 | Review Permanlink

Gandalf's Fist are fast becoming my favourite band, their new album is quite different from the last, but equally great. This one opens with a mother shouting for her child to stay with her and the voice drifts off into the background as the child wanders from the path. The album flows with inte ... (read more)

Report this review (#1319930) | Posted by Rushfan47 | Thursday, December 4, 2014 | Review Permanlink

Well what a surprise! Gandalf's Fist did it again! A Forest of Fey - I've had it on iTunes for about a week now and there's a lot of different sounding tracks here, each of which I have a different opinion but with a 100 words limit I highlight the three which I like best. Forest of fey: ... (read more)

Report this review (#1315778) | Posted by Calzino | Wednesday, November 26, 2014 | Review Permanlink

Don´t be misled because other reviews: this is a good CD to have around if You are in the mood of some neo prog. I didn´t know this guys before this recording but now I feel I have to get the other ones. The second half is waaaaay better than the first one and if You like Ayreon (specially ¿his? ... (read more)

Report this review (#1312080) | Posted by steelyhead | Tuesday, November 18, 2014 | Review Permanlink

Appearances by members of heavy neo-prog and prog folk powerhouses Arena and Gryphon serve as a kind of a stamp of approval from the larger prog community to Gandalf Fist's combination of olde englishe folke, folk-influenced metal (think the likes Iron Maiden and Thin Lizzy) and pshychedelic h ... (read more)

Report this review (#1301876) | Posted by Progrussia | Saturday, November 8, 2014 | Review Permanlink

Having listened to 'A Forest of Fey' numerous times now, I can honestly say that I rate this as one of the top rock releases of 2014. Whist the intro, interludes and outro sections help to wonderfully weave the tale of a young child becoming lost in a mystical forest, it is the songs themselves ... (read more)

Report this review (#1300330) | Posted by herschelchristophsky | Monday, November 3, 2014 | Review Permanlink

A Forest of Fey - translated into something like "a cursed forest" or "a magic forest" - something in between. The Album starts with some kind of a radioplay where we witness a mother (or a nanny?) with her child, and the child running off, getting lost. Seamlessly, we're sucked into the story, ... (read more)

Report this review (#1299883) | Posted by LittleLotti | Sunday, November 2, 2014 | Review Permanlink

Listening to this album for the last two days has been an absolute pleasure for me and with good reason. Let the music take you into a magical realm of a lost child and magical creatures and you have entered "The Forest of a Fey". Every song on this album is unique in its own way and I can see ... (read more)

Report this review (#1298780) | Posted by Gotrek1966 | Thursday, October 30, 2014 | Review Permanlink

English- Ayreon-Meets-Pastoral-Genesis? As a subscriber to both Classic Rock and Prog Magazine I was instantly aware that this album has divided opinion between the reviewers in each mag, with Prog giving it a Mixed review and Classic Rock's Geoff Barton singing its praises and awarding 8/10. After ... (read more)

Report this review (#1297615) | Posted by Ironfist | Sunday, October 26, 2014 | Review Permanlink

Now I am back with a review of a new record and it's time for a band that's totally new for me, the north English "Gandalf's Fist" which this year, has released their fifth studio record "A forest of Fey". Their last one(which I haven't heard) "A day in the life of a universal wanderer"(what a l ... (read more)

Report this review (#1295039) | Posted by DrömmarenAdrian | Wednesday, October 22, 2014 | Review Permanlink

I pre-ordered this ages ago after listening to the excellent "day in the life of a universal wander". Originally I was intrigued to have this as part of my collection, being the completest that I am I was especially interested in the contributions by Clive Nolan and Gryphon's Dave Oberle (huge ... (read more)

Report this review (#1294413) | Posted by franklogan1956 | Monday, October 20, 2014 | Review Permanlink

Well, here it is: the newest release from Gandalf's Fist. I discovered them between their "Road to Darkness" and "From a Point of Existence" phase, and was hooked immidiately by their enormous Pink Floyd influenced sound (see "Emerald Eyes" and compare it with "Echoes" or "Breathe in the Air"). Anyw ... (read more)

Report this review (#1292202) | Posted by Miss Anthropia | Wednesday, October 15, 2014 | Review Permanlink

"Don't leave the path" the intro section says, and almost instantly I felt like I have! This, all in all, seeks to be an immersive concept in which it partially succeeds. The musicianship and songwriting is strong and the female vocalist in particular elevate this album into "must listen" status in ... (read more)

Report this review (#1273604) | Posted by Razalduria | Tuesday, September 9, 2014 | Review Permanlink

MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE

As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.

You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).