Finistère – Am Grauen Meer (Review)

Sometimes you impatiently wait for one specific release to hit you and it seems as if it takes forever until this music is unleashed. Other times, though, you browse your regular platforms, come across a release of a band that you did not know and just after the first few tracks you realize – how on earth was is even possible to have missed this band? The latter happened to me when I came across the latest release Am Grauen Meer by North German Black Metal outfit Finistère. Having debuted release-wise with their first EP Decline and Fall in 2021 already, this band was by no means a newcomer. Nevertheless, they seemingly went under the radar for quite some time – which is a shame, because the sound certainly is breathtaking.

With the release of their previous EP shrieks and howls in 2024, Finistère already showcased that they are capable of dropping quality material within short time spans. The sound on this EP already broadcasted what was about to come on their upcoming full-length. When entering Am Grauen Meer, the first track “Niemandsland” introduces the listener only with brief sounds of wind and waves before entering the sheer lunacy of the full soundscape that Finistère brings forth. Although still not yet directly linked, I immediately had to think of the openings of the major share of the albums of US Black Metal combo Yellow Eyes, who similarly implement different sonical frameworks on their records and open up only with a brief introduction of characteristic sounds that stem from the specific framework the given album moves within. Only within a few seconds and in combination with the impact of the artwork, images are triggered in your brain that project certain frames that are recurringly uplifted with nuances of sounds. Following the first track of Am Grauen Meer alone, you get the impression that there is a similar take going on, only wandering about in entirely different spheres. I really favor the capability of generating soundscapes only with minimalist effort. Am Grauen Meer instantaneously pushes the listener towards the sea, which is maintained throughout the full set of the album.

The effect of the beautiful artwork only underlines this entire function of the album. Taking a glance onto a set of stone arches in the middle of the water from afar, the listener is positioned with a vista that intertwines the emotions while listening with the perception of distant sheer size superseding the perceptive capability of mankind thus causing cognitions of sublime experience.

The specific kind of Black Metal that hits the listener on the entire album is coined by a very unique manner of production in combination with elements that I’d immediately link to the current characteristics of what is often associated with Dutch Black Metal. Recently moving on the very verge right in between Black Metal and Post-Black Metal, remaining in the era of Black Metal but flirting with the Post elements, this is also what emphasizes the majestic guitar sound on Am Grauen Meer. Thinking of representatives such as Fluisteraars or Silver Knife, the technique behind the tremolo picking of the riffing on this release conveys the impression of musical wizardry. Although the instrumentation is as limited as it usually gets when diving deeper into the “regular” structure of a Black Metal formation, it sounds as if there are quite a lot more instruments synergizing on those tracks thus summoning this incredible wall of sound. This factor is then confronted with the comparably short length of the tracks on the entire album. The songwriting is different when compared to purist Black Metal releases. Usually, when being faced with a sound as you can hear on Am Grauen Meer, listeners might expect just a few tracks that last longer than 10 minutes each. This, however, is not the case when it comes to this album. Tracks are at an average length of 4 – 5 minutes. This does quite a lot to the sound, which feels pretty intentional when embedding this fact in the overall impact that Am Grauen Meer has. By moving towards comparably shorter tracks, almost every song of this album has an intensely hasty and chaotic spirit. This goes perfectly with the overall sound and production that is present on this release from front to back. The listener is forcibly pushed into this sound, sonically deformed and shoved out of this maelstrom again. Eight times in a row. 

When diving a little deeper into the production of the album, especially the interplay between instrumentation and vocals plays a key role generating this sound that was just described. While some bands might put harsh highlights on the vocals of their band, Finistère decided to position instrumentation and vocals at quite a similar spot regarding volume. This fosters the effect that vocals and music are in a conflict. The words that you can hear fight through the breathtaking instrumental environment thus transporting a highly characteristic image. When listening to the vocals I have to admit that I had to think of mid-era Downfall of Gaia, when the band was just signed to Metal Blade and their vocals switched from Punk shouts towards gnarling hisses and screams. When mixing this vocal sound with the chaotic impression that derives from the frantic drums and the shorter lengths of the tracks, this lunacy of an overall sound that is present of Am Grauen Meer emerges. 

Apart from the fact that pressure is created by the structure of the songs alone already, the recognition value of the tracks is still upheld via different elements in order to not end up with a release that feels as if it just contained one never-ending track. Either brief beautifully majestic interludes finish up the sound (“Niemandsland,” “Arngast”) or melodic themes carry the entire track (“Treibgut,” “Nebel”). Although it already takes at least two or three tracks to finally grasp the finesse of this sound in the first place, the varying sound nevertheless maintains quite a purist (Post) Black Metal tone. 

It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that none other than Role from the well-known recording studio Tonmeisterei was in charge of recording, mixing and mastering this release. Being capable to overtake a pretty damn broad scope of different sounds and capturing those on recordings, the Tonmeisterei repeatedly pops up when it comes to good production. So far, the album was digitally self-released by the band and also found a 12” vinyl treatment that is still available. I highly recommend keeping this band on your scope because especially the output frequency shows that it will not take too long for new material to arrive. 

Boy was I surprised when I first encountered this release. And during the first few listening sessions, I still remained doubtful because I lacked the capability of grasping the factors that impacted the unique sound on this album. It took some time go get my head around this production, but eventually it showed me why I was into Am Grauen Meer right away. Forgive my numerous namedrops in this review, but those really helped me to understand my personal interest in this outstanding record. Am Grauen Meer can be described by pointing at quite some different Black Metal bands, but it certainly is not derivative of any of the sounds of these artists. This is what marks the blatant strength of this album.