Review: Boreal – The Battle of VOSAD

Review by Rick Eaglestone

Boreal – The Battle of VOSAD

Record Label: Nebulae Artifacta

Year: 2020

Rating: 7/10

Two years in the making and crafted during a time of turbulence The Battle of Vosad is a literal life soundtrack.

VOSAD (Valley of Sickness and Death) refers to the Willamette Valley (Oregon), where creator AEF experienced turbulent times such as loss and homelessness

The Battle of Vosad was originally released on cassette in 2009 but AEF felt that this wasn’t quite right as there were various issues one of the main ones being quality so in 2018 he set about to put things right.

Boreal

The release is comprised of 4 tracks, opener “The Battle” at it’s core is heartbreakingly despondent, the instrumental beginning leads into a murky slowness that builds into “Battle II” which is an 11 minute journey of despair..

“Dusk” for me is the highlight as right from the very start I was pulled into the swirling atmospheric tones which blend perfectly with cold, raw elements.

Finally, “Dusk” encapsulates all the elements from the previous three tracks it may be shortest at just over 6.5 minutes still maintains the balance, emotion and terror

For me knowing the backstory of the release really gave me a sense of not only despair but left me the feeling that even though AEF himself may have overcome such adversity the music itself still comes from a place of grief – I don’t feel knowing / not knowing takes anything away at all as I have listened to this a few times and have come away with something different each time

The Battle of VOSAD will be available on 180-gram red vinyl in a limitation of 300 copies on or around Halloween 2020.

Boreal – The Battle of VOSAD (full album, 2020)