In 2016, Far Beyond’s A Frozen Flame of Ice felt like a big deal. The sophomore outing of one Eugen Dodenhoeft saw his budding solo project, having originated as rough-hewn symphonic black metal, blossom into massively ambitious melodeath with a pioneering work of post-debut Wintersun knock-offery. It’s a somewhat clunky effort, but a lively and lovable one, and one whose charms have prompted several return visits over the last decade. While impressive and novel for its time, many a band has since come knocking at the sauna door, and the sheer quality of acts like Æther Realm, Atavistia, and Brymir have dispelled my desire for möre Mäenpää mäteriäl entirely. Far Beyond needed refining to keep pace with Dodenhoeft’s peers, and with The End of My Road being picked up for release by Prosthetic Records, I was optimistic for a culmination of his obvious potential. Instead, I find myself perplexed as to how the eight-year hibernation of a clearly skilled and passionate individual led to… this.
If nothing else, Far Beyond still sounds like Far Beyond, and Dodenhoeft captures a distinct sound despite his obvious primary influence. His otherworldly atmosphere of triumph over melancholy remains unaltered, and if anything, The End of My Road is more atmospheric than its predecessor. This is still melodic death metal to be sure, with the initially exhilarating opening of “From the Stars and the Crescent Moon” presenting as solid of a riff as has ever graced the genre. Bursts of speed such as this one typically feel short-lived, with the record favoring to immerse the listener in its bombastic vibes, born from synthetic choirs and strings layered over unassuming mid-paced material. If the aesthetic of that giant soundscape is all you want out of a Far Beyond album, then that may be enough to warrant a purchase.
THE END OF MY ROAD by Far Beyond
But for me, oh my god, The End of My Road is just boring. I typically place a finer point on my initial shots of criticism, but anything less blunt would not effectively convey my frustrations. Its songs often start relatively strong, yet quickly degrade into bland riffs which form the bulk of its bloated and disjointed structures. These compositions might have been palatable if they wielded the emotional ebb and flow that Far Beyond’s longest songs formerly possessed. With this record, they are defined by random shifts in tone and volume, accompanied by melodies devoid of impact and drama. The synthetic orchestrations and choirs draped over everything have increased exponentially to compensate, and are so prevalent that they add nothing to the music but an inescapable sense of artificiality. In its writing and aesthetic, The End of My Road is mind-numbing, and I struggle to recall a stretch of it that I enjoyed for more than a few moments.
What little enjoyment I might have mined from the depths of The End of My Road is stomped back into the dirt by its engineering. I had hoped that Prosthetic’s involvement would have rectified Far Beyond’s minor production woes; instead, they have been amplified and compounded with new issues. Where the guitars of A Frozen Flame of Ice were refreshingly raw relative to Far Beyond’s symphonic aspects, they now feel absolutely edgeless, and the overly cranked electronic and symphonic elements further dull their presence. The programmed drums fare even worse, being so diminished in the mix that they are more often vaguely felt than properly heard. It’s the clean vocals, however, which are this record’s death knell. Dodenhoeft isn’t exactly a gifted singer, but he formerly found success working within his limitations. Here, his cleans have not only taken a noticeable hit in power, but are also the loudest fucking thing in the mix, often feeling twice as loud as even the overbearing symphonics.
When I take a step back and tabulate my many gripes, I’m left genuinely dismayed at my own impression of The End of My Road. As with any negative review, my criticisms stem from a fundamental disagreement between myself and the artist on what constitutes good music, but so much of Dodenhoeft’s past material is so compelling that my disconnect, in this case, vexes me. And it’s not like this is a fundamental departure; the End of My Road is unmistakably a Far Beyond production, just worse. I don’t doubt that this album will retain Far Beyond’s cult following, and I hope that one day I can listen to it with fresh ears and join the inevitable chorus. I’m still looking forward to hearing wherever this project goes next, but based on this release, an eight-year release gap is now a much easier prospect to stomach.
Rating: 1.5/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Prosthetic Records Official | Bandcamp
Websites: farbeyond.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/FarBeyondMusic
Releases Worldwide: February 16th, 2024
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