Last month, Belgian post-metal greats Amenra announced a pair of new EPs, De Toorn and With Fang and Claw, and unleashed the ritualistic song “Heden” off the former. Today (February 17th), they’ve offered up a taste of the latter in the form of “Forlorn,” a devastating cut that, unlike the previous single, doesn’t take nine-and-half minutes to crank up the riffage.
In contrast, “Forlorn” goes much more quickly for the jugular, diving into harrowing screams, sorrowful melody and tectonic grooves after just a 48-second intro. Which is not too say that’s all speaker-destroying heaviness — the dynamic eight-minute epic does occasionally take a breath with yearning clean vocals and swirling ambience.
“With Fang and Claw explores our earlier work, and merges with our contemporary being, setting the direction to what will soon become our MASS VII,” Amenra vocalist Colin Van Eeckhout commented of the EP opener, adding: “‘Forlorn’ made me contemplate our communal past. I reached back and looked at everything we have lived together, how we stayed together through thick and thin. I cherish every single moment we have still. We write it all down, record almost everything that slowly pours out of us. And in due time, we and all will disappear, until there is nothing left of us.”
“Forlorn” arrived along with a surreal short film directed by artist Amorphokyria, who also stars in the clip.
Both De Toorn and With Fang and Claw are due out March 28th via Relapse Records.