![]() |
FINSTERE SONNE / BLACK SUNFlaming BessSymphonic Prog |
From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website


The narrative breaks conveying further installments to the story of Bess continue but whereas before they upset the musical flow, here they are almost welcome in relation to their surroundings. Elsewhere, although more or less sung vocals are occasionally present, the songs are sheer drudgery. Only "Ruhe vor dem Sturm" is remotely worthy of the FLAMING BESS name, with a fine build up on vocals by Lucy Wende, acoustic guitar and dreamy keys. Still it's far too little and you'd be quite excused if you didn't make it that far. There are so many low lights that I don't know where to begin, but let's say "Kampf um Dig Dagg" would have been rejected as theme music for a C grade low budget Cold War spy flick even if offered gratis.
I don't know the history behind the near decade absence and the making of "Finisterre Sonne", but it sounds as though they felt that they had to record something yesterday or the window of opportunity might never return. Whatever the reason, this black sun is the bete noire of the FLAMING BESS discography. Avoid at any cost.

Mel Halbauer is perhaps the best female singer the band has ever had, displaying both variety and a style that, in some stand-out moments, is decidedly her own, and Achim Wierschem's guitar playing has perhaps never been more daringly adventurous than here. The band's approach is progressive in the literal sense of the word: if you're adverse to modern beats, the heavy use of electronic sounds and samples, as well as the occasional gimmick, and the trip-rock of bands like Massive Attack or the newer The Gathering does nothing for you, this may simply not be your cup of prog.
That being said, composition or songwriting are decidedly scenic on this one, neither presenting much in the way of highs or lows, but instead going for cinemascopic routes that are well-suited to the band's storylines, which have always been journey narratives. On the other hand, there is a whole lot to discover on this one: slow and smooth jazz and grooves (Endloses Nichts) , accousticly driven rock-numbers, electronic extravaganzas of wildly shuffled beats, orientalisms and even some brief flirtations with heavy metal (Die Prüfung), all of which flow quite seamlessly into one another, making for three long track-like chapters.
The journey of Finstere Sonne, then, is not just that of Prince Arkana looking for a way to resurrect the eponymous princess. It is, in fact, the journey of a band firmly arriving in the new millenium - another kind of resurrection.
FLAMING BESS Finstere Sonne / Black Sun ratings only
chronological order | showing rating only
-
Glaessel
-
lord777lord7 (Kuehne, Axel)
-
Leon Marx
-
Mike Kennedy
-
CynthCrimson
-
freewheeler (Sergei Komarov)
-
Hiddenb1989 (HiddenB)
-
crimsogenes
-
noni (David)
-
ElFarero (Chico)
-
dannyb
-
ed14 (ILDAR)
Post a review of FLAMING BESS Finstere Sonne / Black Sun
You must be a forum member to post a review, please register here if you are not.
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).