It has been a while since the last Fluisteraars full-length, with «Luwte» having been released almost five years ago. In the years since then, the band broke silence twice, with the relatively harsh «Gelderland» EP in 2016 and with the enormous «Oeverloos» composition which comprised their side of the «De Oord» split with Turia in 2018. Next month, the band will release «Bloem», their third full-length. Per its press release, the record will quickly bring listeners onto a familiar “tonal register” only for this familiarity to be “skillfully deconstructed throughout the following tracks, moving between ripping blast beats and greater vistas of lush melancholy.” Below, listen to one of those following tracks, «Vlek», and read more detailed descriptions of what to expect from the band’s psychedelic infused black metal. As the beautiful cover art crafted by the band itself and title («Bloem» is the Dutch word for flower) suggest, flowers play a thematic role in the compositions, with the album said to conjure “old and reimagined folktales and legends in which flowers act as both symbols for birth and regeneration as well as crippling decay. The flower can be imagined as both an object of beauty in itself as well as a single glistening star in a whole night-sky of blossoming spring. The romantic naturalism on display within these five songs attest to a band wholly enamored with the forests and fields of the Gueldrian Veluwe; fully committed to capturing its seasonal shift like the romantic Oosterbeek painters before them.”

From the beginning, Fluisteraars has been known to experiment with influences of psychedelic folk. On «Bloem», this input is lifted into a realm of psyched-out rural black metal mysticism. In parts reminding the listener of old psychedelic rock by the likes The Electric Prunes, the minimal but extremely effective orchestration in some parts even touches on a production style reminiscent of Lee Hazlewood. However, what Fluisteraars offer here are not the very long and drawn-out compositions by which they are perhaps more well known, but captivating and moving songs, nowhere crossing the eight-minute mark.

«Bloem» is set for release by Eisenwald on February 28. It was tracked at E-Sound Studios during May 2019, recorded and mixed by T. Cochrane, and mastered by Wessel Oltheten. The album’s music and arrangements were done by M. Koops, who also performed its drums, bass, guitar, piano, tambourine, and timpani, whereas lyrics and vocals were handled by B. Mollema. It also includes guest appearances by T. Cochrane on trompet and trombone, by the Geldersch Man’s Choir, and by the Bennekoms String Quartet.

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«De Oord» (split with Turia), released on September 28, 2018.

«Gelderland» EP, released on October 28, 2016.

«Luwte», released on September 25, 2015

«Dromers», released on January 27, 2014.