Review from Heathen Harvest Webzine

March 29, 2017
From: Heathen Harvest
Published: March 28, 2017

Fragments Of A Fallen Star was originally independently released digitally in 2013, followed a couple of months later by a cassette edition through Shadow of the Stone. Last year, however, Canada’s Hypnotic Dirge Records were kind enough to finally reissue this sophomore effort as a digipak. Thematically, Fragments Of A Fallen Star is extraordinarily cohesive, from an album cover featuring a cosmic goddess of sorts with the universe in the background (an image not dissimilar in spirit to the 2013 Stella Natura logo) to the overall feel of the music, which begins and ends with the sound of a fire’s crackle, representing these fragments themselves returning back to the universe. It ultimately speaks to a more primitive consciousness wherein humanity was content to simply reflect on the great unfathomable vastness of the night sky while warming themselves by a fire. There was an awareness present in those days, of being on this floating rock that is truly experiential and therefore ineffable.

Mixing the raw bestial black metal of country mates Conqueror and the Northwest acoustic blackened folk of Skagos, Harrow creates a unique vision that has large cross appeal within the genre. This unique combination gives Harrow the ability to walk their own path while obviously being influenced by certain genres, and in particular their local peers. Being both the title track and the first song, “Fragments of a Fallen Star” is almost half of this four-track album on its own, and because of this it almost feels more like an EP. It certainly is the album’s showcase track and the one song that I think displays the band’s full range of abilities. Beginning with some entrancing noises, in time an acoustic passage with clean vocals seeps in, the kind of folksy ballad that is easy to hum along with. In time, it builds and builds into a swirling riff and erupts in a violent maelstrom complete with some seriously tough vocals that completely balance the softer section from earlier. A guitar solo reveals the traditional side of the band before a climatic false finish that leads to some primal screams and a drum piece that hints at Neurosis. I kept wanting the song to go somewhere else, but after repeated listens, as an ending it is quite strong and really shows the elemental aspects of the band.

“Keening” takes its time getting started, and when it does, the initial riff isn’t bad but the guitar has this strange sound that doesn’t quite sit well with me. There is a very repetitive lyric that is actually borrowed from a couple different local Northwest musicians/artists, one being Schroder’s—a performance artist, writer, and activist—slogan “Do Not Seek The Light.”  This initially threw me off guard, although it’s pretty cool to hear a lyric and know where it comes from, but it is not a strong enough line to carry a large part of the song. Alongside the guitar tone, the only thing I can really say this song has going for it is a decent riff, but it really never goes anywhere.

“Song of Seasons” makes up for this with an old-school approach that is very satisfying to the ears. The opening riff hits my sweet spot, and when it speeds up this is as fine a black metal song as anything I have heard. The drum work and all other aspects are solid, and I love the discernible yet still absolutely grim vocals. At one point there is a well-placed grunt that completely sold me as only the best can do, before a section where it is largely just the vocals erupting into a declaration of intent. I would honestly like to hear an album’s worth of material just like this, as it is solid and condensed, confident in its ability to be a song that sticks out for how good it sounds, not for reinventing the wheel. The acoustic section at the end fits well as the album closer, which is at first almost a complete 180 that includes a banjo performance. It really gives a sense to the idea of closure for the journey, although I don’t think the album is long enough to really warrant this.

Harrow has a lot of interesting things going on; their drummer, Jacob Moyer, is one of the most creative I have ever heard, and the spectrum of various guitar effects that Ian Campbell utilizes throughout are often dynamic and exploratory. Even for an album that doesn’t come off as an album proper, Fragments Of A Fallen Star can feel a bit drawn-out at points, but I also recognize that Harrow could easily write an album that showcases the talents of this band and puts them in the spotlight for years to come.

Reviewed by: Patrick Bertlein
 

Review from Aristocrazia Webzine

March 9, 2017
From: Aristocrazia Webzine
Published: March 6, 2017 

Guardare indietro puntando al futuro è ciò che stanno facendo i canadesi Harrow. La formazione guidata da Ian Campbell (voce e chitarra) ha visto infatti rinascere in versione cd il secondo album "Fragments Of A Fallen Star" lo scorso anno, pubblicato in origine nel 2013 in formato digitale e cassetta, grazie all'attenta Hypnotic Dirge Records; disco preceduto nel 2011 da "Wanderer" e poi seguito nel 2015 da "Fallow Fields".

Qua...

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Review from Metallifer Blog

January 7, 2017
From: Metallifer Blog
Published:
January 5, 2017
Original Link

Published: Harrow est un groupe de black metal canadien originaire de Victoria dans la Columbia Britannique. Le groupe a été actif entre 2009 et 2011 sous le nom de Wraith et à cette époque il a réalisé trois démos. A l’époque de Wraith il s’agissait d’un duo formé par Ian Campbell (Vocals, Guitars) et K. Brickell (drums). Ensuite il devient Harrow toujours avec le même line-up. Harrow sort son premier album Wanderer ...

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Review from Hallowed.se

January 5, 2017
From: Hallowed.se
Published: December 22, 2016

Harrow again, it seems like the Canadian band is releasing a new album following last year’s pretty boring release Fallow Fields. It proved however that this album was released before that album, in 2013 on digital and cassette. Now Hypnotic Dirge Records releases it on CD, which is, jolly nice of them. It kind of looks interesting with a cool artwork and descriptions of blackened folk metal and those kinds of things. I do think slud...

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Review from Dead Rheteric

December 20, 2016
From: Dead Rheteric
Published: November 2016

When it comes to atmospheric/Cascadian black metal, Hypnotic Dirge is usually a good reference point for finding bands below the radar. The statement holds true for that of Harrow, whose 2013 release Fragments of a Fallen Star is getting the CD treatment for the first time. Stylistically fitting in with bands like Wolves in the Throne Room and Agalloch, Harrow blend together a naturalist, folky approach with more caustic black metal that...

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Review from Lachryma Christi Magazine

November 22, 2016
From: Lachryma Christi Magazine
Published:
November 20, 2016
Original Link

Harrow just re-released their album Fragments of a Fall Star, previously released in 2013. This album came out first digitally and on tape, and now just came out as a CD. You may find the artwork below.

The album has four tracks, all of them with a high atmospheric touch to them.
First track, Fragments of a Fallen Star, has an intro with acoustic and sort of spiritual sounds, if that makes sense. Soon slowly starts transfo...

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Review from Occult Black Metal Zine

November 22, 2016
From: Occult Black Metal Zine
Published:
November 17, 2016
Original Link

Harrow  are  a  band  from  Vancouver  B.C,  Canada  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  cascadian  style  of  black  metal  that  is  also  very heavily  influenced  by  folk  music  and  this  is  a review  of  their  2013  album  "Fragments  Of  A  Fallen  Star"which  was re-issued  by  Hypnotic  Dirge  Records.

 Atmospheric  synths  start  off  the  album  and  they  also  give  the  music  ...

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Review from Don't Count on it Reviews

October 13, 2016
From: Don't Count on it Reviews
Published: November 23, 2013

Being put into the whole "cascadian black metal" movement can be the sort of thing that has either brought bands great success or failure. While there are some who claim that this movement has provided black metal with some of it's most interesting groups since the 90s, other would say that it's a movement based off the success of a couple of good bands. So I found it somewhat interesting that bands are still being put in...

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Review + Album Stream from Cult Nation

October 13, 2016
From: Cult Nation 
Published: October 8, 2013
*Note: Old review from the original self-release of this album

Droning synths, ambient field recordings, and sculpted feedback usher in Fragments Of A Fallen Star, the phenomenal second album from the as-yet criminally unknown Harrow, and they are indicative of what’s to come. This two-man black metal project from Victoria, British Columbia, draw from a much wider than usual sonic palette and a will to push beyond traditional genre con...

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 Released: November 8, 2016
300 Copies
Genre: Blackened Folk Metal

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