THE BLACK FOREST

Easily the most muscular release from Agents of Mercy, The Black Forest reveals a greater willingness to expand on its musical ideas ("Elegy" with its exquisite guitar solo) and simply stretch out far more than the band did on its comparatively reserved debut. Black Forest essentially improves on the sonic template set forth on 2010's Dramarama. The jams are better executed, the lyrics more memorable, and the cohesiveness of the record far more unified. There's an actual band identity here, one that's clearly evolved from a Stolt-Sylvan studio project to encompass a broader musical universe filled with impassioned lyrical content and bolder aural dynamics. Quite eager to hear what's next.