| | Full Review | Ratings (138) |
Give your Rating |
| 5.0 classic | Brandon Scott EMERITUS | February 26th 22 |
In retrospect, Fall of Rauros? last album felt like the end of an era. It was the culmination of a
linear progression for the band, one that started with the acoustic tinkering and scrappily
produced Hail Wind and Hewn Oak and then ended with a masterclass of folk-inflected black
metal, Patterns in Mythology. This isn?t to say their new record, Key To A Vanishing
Future is a million miles away from its predecessor(s) stylistically; no, within the euphoric
guitar leads and raspy proclamations strewn throughout the album you can still hear vestiges of
the ?old? Falls of Rauros. But now, they have so much more to offer. Key to A Vanishing
Gate is their most expressive performance to date, with the band achieving that magic
equilibrium between past glories and discovering a meaningful way to push their sound forward.
This sonic shift is the result of Falls?. centering elements that were previously relegated to the
peripheries of their blackened rtumult. Pre-release single ?Clarity? indulged in the band?s more
progressive inclinations while penultimate track ?Daggers in the Floodlight? is perhaps the
heaviest number in their catalog, with hints of death metal protruding through to the surface. As
?Poverty Hymn? - probably the song rmost reminiscent of their prior material- brings the album to
a close it?s apparent Falls of Rauros have stepped out of their comfort zone to deliver an
eclectic yet compelling album with Key to A Vanishing Future a record that should satiate
their current fanbase with the potential to expand it as well.r
3 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.0 good | Pikazilla | March 23rd 22 |
FoR release an incoherent, directionless mess of a record. Nobody expected them to keep up
their streak of excellency but neither did anyone think they'd go on to produce something so
underwhelming. Fans of Patterns should dive in with tempered expectations.
2 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | Comatorium. | July 13th 23 |
Pika with some of the most consistently worst takes on this site yet again
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | Xenophanes EMERITUS | March 31st 22 |
Might be the best example of this sort of sugary, lofty, and heavily produced black metal I?ve heard in a decade.
Bump |
| 3.0 good | 2ool | March 29th 22 |
giving a 3 to an "incoherent, directionless mess of a record" ok haha. album's pretty good
Bump |
| 4.5 superb | FunJan | March 29th 22 |
Incredible grower! I had high expectations and at first there was just disappointment. The first listens album was a 2-3 and now it is without a doubt 4-4.5! So much is going on on this record. Love it.
Bump |
| 3.9 excellent | Erwann S. STAFF | March 28th 22 |
Oh the atmosphere. And yet, this is the one FoR record that is the least reminiscent of the whole Agallcest scene - rather showcasing its delicacy through folkier tendencies - and dumb epic solos. These guys might have my favourite guitar tone in modern metal.
Bump |
| 3.0 good | PortalofPerfection | March 25th 22 |
I mostly agree with Pika, it's just too all over the place. Sounds less "new and spontaneous" and more like they're trying to find a logical progression from their last three albums and they're just not quite sure what to do with their sound at this point. That being said, some of the heavier parts and odd change-ups do work rather well and I find this about as enjoyable as their last three. I'm probably in the minority finding their debut to be their best work still. The raw, stripped down, genuinely emotional approach presented there, along with what I consider to be their most engaging songwriting considering the track lengths hasn't been topped (though Rotten Wood came close). They started down a different path with Shore and imo just haven't managed to nail things down since then (Patterns was close). I feel like if they took the best elements from Hail Wind/Rotten Wood and Patterns they would have the perfect album.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | DarkNoctus | March 25th 22 |
i think this is their most emotional record. it feels that way to me, for sure. their last one was more focussed but you can really feel that this one has a strong emotional undercurrent. it feels spontaneous and visceral. instead of really analyzing this record i find myself resorting instead to how it makes me feel and that's a very good sign. i'm loving it.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | zuzek | April 18th 23 |
| 3.5 great | Troggy | November 26th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | JTFly17 | November 15th 22 |
| 4.5 superb | Hawks | November 11th 22 |
| 2.0 poor | epmxcx | October 6th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | Risodo | August 10th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | vakuola | June 30th 22 |
| 3.5 great | ARDCWE | June 28th 22 |
| 3.0 good | Raust | June 28th 22 |
| 3.5 great | Sowing STAFF | May 24th 22 |
| 3.0 good | Trey STAFF | May 4th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | Chippe | April 22nd 22 |
| 3.5 great | jmh886 | April 14th 22 |
| 2.5 average | MAB | April 10th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | Veldin | April 8th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | Piglet | April 6th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | Elynna | April 5th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | pengui | April 4th 22 |
| 3.5 great | Atari STAFF | April 2nd 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | SuzyC | March 31st 22 |
| 3.0 good | TanMan | March 30th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | MonkMan | March 30th 22 |
| 3.5 great | Jeejee | March 30th 22 |
| 2.5 average | trilo | March 30th 22 |
| 3.5 great | Zakusz | March 28th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | DNiewen | March 28th 22 |
| 5.0 classic | Zoinks | March 28th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | 8genre | March 27th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | botb | March 27th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | mikep87 | March 26th 22 |
| 3.5 great | jhop | March 25th 22 |
| 3.0 good | qt | March 25th 22 |
| 5.0 classic | joitp | March 24th 22 |
| 3.0 good | bmelt CONTRIBUTOR | March 23rd 22 |
| 5.0 classic | JOK | February 1st 22 |
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