As far as creative pursuits that are tied to their native roots goes, Fionn Murray’s vison for ambient metal project Fós delves deep into the niche aspects of traditional Irish folk music that incorporates the vocal leanings of sean-nós. Fascinated by this particularly indigenous form of Irish folk music, that puts heavy emphasis on a capella vocals avoiding strict rhythm and metre accompaniment, Murray’s experimental approach to songwriting utilises these ancient folk traditions to craft a mournful and powerful sound. The originality of these traditional elements, combined with an atmospheric doom metal presence, can be first heard on the debut 2020 EP Rinne mé iarraidh offering something new and entrancing to the ambient metal genre tag. Now, 5 years later, Murray returns with Fós’ debut full-length album Nil mo chroí aon rud, adding a new sonic dimension to this sound.
Comprised of 8 tracks, the album opens with “Déistin”, a dark industrial infused 2-minute piece of music that sets a heavier tone than on the previous release. The slow cinematic use of distorted chords accompanying an electronic rhythmic pulse blends seamlessly into the first main track “Bádaí na Scadán”. This track opens with a dissonant series of distorted guitar chords and soon goes into a full orchestrated doom metal piece, followed by the soaring vocals of Susan ní Cholmáin, whose background in traditional Gaelic and Irish folk music are certainly decipherable, which creates an excellent balance of metal and folk.
The authenticity of Irish folk tradition can further be acknowledged through the native lyrical content that imbue a sense of longing and poetic evocation, taking for instance the lyrics for the third track “Táim i mo shuí”:
‘Le cumhaidh i do dhiaidh ní léir dom an bealach a shiúl, Is a charaid mo chléibh tá na, sléibhte ag gabháil idir mé ‘s tú. Deireann lucht léinn gur cloíte an galar an grá, Char admhaigh mé é nó go raibh sé ‘ndiaidh mo chroí ‘stigh a chráline
‘With longing behind you it is not clear to me the way to walk. My friend is my left, the mountains stand between you and me. Students say that love is a disease. Char I admitted it or that it was after my heart in torment’
The instrumentation on this track, however, juxtaposes the lyrical themes with a much more jarring and eerie construction of an electronic industrial soundscape that utilises warped bassy atmospheres and a series of drone metal-infused riffs to complement its sombre mood. Exploring this emphasis of dark ambient and electronic use further, “Trua” is an excellent rendition of sinister sound design that incorporates use of strings and feedback seemingly fitting before going into “Slán le Maigh”. This next track appears more versed in post-metal and doom song structures, crafted through sludgy guitar riffs that present an emotive energy whilst Cholmáin’s vocals sing a sorrowful and heartfelt accompanying melodic line that conveys sensations of longing and lost desire.
“Molly na gCuach Ní Chuilleanáin” brings the record into its final stages, producing a strong emphasis on the sean-nós vocals and Irish folk instrumentations that elucidates very minimalist sonic qualities. The sounds then gradually working their way into an intense doom-infused final third lifting the piece through immense distorted riffs and powerful rhythmic crescendos. The penultimate track “Maolaitheach” is a sinister guitar piece, accompanied by eerie dark ambient soundscapes, illustrating the sombre and melancholic mood really tying together both the previous track with that of the final track on this album “An Mhaighdean Mhara”. The deep resonance of this last song really drives home the evocative and sorrowful feel of this album through the seeming blend of Irish folk and the intensity of the slow trudging heaviness that amplifies a sense of poignancy.
As far as folk being implemented into metal music goes, it can be quite challenging to execute traditional instrumentation, customary performative traits, and region-specific nuances whilst maintaining the heavy end in the process. Yet, Fionn Murray’s acknowledgment of how the various layers of traditional music in his native surroundings should be performed allow for a record that resembles vast originality and depth. Alongside this, the artist’s well-timed use of heavier and more experimental characteristics, that incorporate stylistic divisions of doom, drone, sludge, sound collage, and sound art, ensures that each track is given time to breathe, allowing the album to flow with grandeur and underlying themes of poignancy.
