Furnace Brings A Beloved, Gothic Melodeath Sound with A Lovecraftian Edge

Swedish Death Metal has a sound all its own, and while many have taken the sound and informed their own musical identities with the genre, in the end, the Swedes do it best, as evidenced with the Swedish tiro, Furnace and tehri new concept album, Dark Vistas (coming October 9 via Soulseller Records). The tagline given to me is quite fitting, and I will expound upon this concept, however, here is a concise way of initially reviewing the music:

“What if Paradise Lost, Deceased and any Swedish death metal band of choice came together for a full-on storytelling album? Well then you´d have FURNACE´s Dark Vistas. Comprised of members from Paganizer, Demiurg and Assassins Blade, as well as Cult of the Fox and Void Moon, this Swedish outfit explores a new melodic death metal vista of sorts. It’s still death metal, but it’s also much more. Delve deep into the Lovecraftian and cult-riddled mythos of FURNACE with Dark Vistas.”

Sure, this was a nice, cheap way for me to add padding to my review by stealing - er, borrowing - from a publisher tagline, but hot damn, do you blame me? Do you remember when you first heard Draconian Times, hearing the directions that Paradise Lost had toyed with, yet finally mustered (and mastered)? I felt that same nostalgia and whimsy when listening to Dark Vistas. Gruff vocals, chunky, driving guitars, chorused guitar interludes - you could tell me this released in the mid '90s and I would believe you. The sound and melodies alone conjure images from my late teens, Autumn, Halloween decorations, windows down, metal blasting - at no time was I bored during this album. The production, while slick, has an analog, “taped” feel, sounding like the greats from Peaceville. Tight production, yet a mix that keeps its spirit venerating the essence of those studios and sounds from the death/doom and melodeath beginnings; this bad boy was mixed and mastered by bassist, Peter Svensson (Bass and backing vocals) at Night Wind Studio, and this band is only three people! As the songs unfold, it genuinely feels like more people would be in the band!

Equal parts melodic, but with enough edge for even the meatiest of death metal fans, Furnace delivers an album tinged with as much earnest musical delivery as it is with forward-thinking conceptual storytelling.

Furnace, Dark Vistas releases October 9 on Soulseller Records, and you can pre-order the album here:

Americas: https://soulsellerrecords.aisamerch.com/

World: https://soulsellerrecords.bandcamp.com/

Album Credits:

Produced by FURNACE

Music by Johansson, lyrics by Svensson

Recorded at the Rotpit and Night Wind Studio

Mixed and mastered by Svensson at Night Wind Studio

Cover art by Juanjo Castellano

Cover layout and logo by Roberto Toderico

Photos by Lisa Ahlin and David Stranderud

FURNACE Are: