A Forest of Stars break their silence

        A Forest of Stars, that Sheffield-based metal band that has masterfully interwoven black metal, folk metal, and psychedelic rock within a bizarre, steam-powered Victorian aesthetic, have at long last announced their upcoming return. In a deluge of new information released via Facebook after their vocalist Mister Curse recovered from an unspecified illness, the follow-up to the band's 2012 LP A Shadowplay For Yesterdays has a confirmed name, release date, track listing, and art.

       The record will be called Beware the Sword You Cannot See, and will see the light of day on February 27th next year (stylized '1895' by the band) through Prophecy. Thematically, the band (in true Victorian histrionics) had this to say:

For our fourth long playing wax cylinder, we have elected to slip down the rabbit hole of death. Cliche notwithstanding, the overarching concepts here are embroiled in the stumbling off of this mortal coil and the pleasures that go with said activity.
Premature grave population, enclosed spaces, panic, worms, maggots, creeping crawling things. Alongside these happy thoughts, we explore rot, mould, feotor, decay and dilapidation. The crumbling of minds, cities and epochs. Mental collapse.

In order to keep with the programme, we also stick our hobnailed boots into organised religion. Physically abusing angels and delousing the house of god.

        Beware the Sword You Cannot See's artwork is equally insane, echoing Hieronymous Bosch's depictions of hell, and involving a train made of flesh, skeletons wearing party hats, and angels shooting up. One of the images is posted below, but all three beautiful pictures can be found here. Incidentally, it was done by Alex CF of English post-metal explorers Light Bearer, a band fans of Cult of Luna will definitely enjoy.

Click to zoom in.

        Track listings, preorders, and more information to drool over can be found on Prophecy's website. A Forest of Stars have been one of my favorite bands for quite some time now, and this information is incredibly exciting.