Instrumental Psych/Prog Trio TFNRSH Releases "Book of Circles"
TFNRSH is an instrumental psychedelic/progressive rock trio from Tubingen, Germany. The group has been creating music since the early 2020s, focusing on "synthesizing" their individual musical styles and influences into a signature sound. As it turns out, this particular sound is known for its complex, multi-faceted, and unpredictable nature, yet it still has a way of being utterly mesmeric and melodic for the listener.
TFNRSH released their debut album TIEFENRAUSCH in July 2023. TIEFENRAUSCH was well-received and even landed at #28 on the July 2023 Doom Charts. (Side note: I personally found it very cool to learn that "tiefenrausch" is a German word derived from the Greek for "the act of making numb", but it translates to "rapture of the deep" in English. This is perhaps a bit of a spoiler, but this feeling is essentially what you can expect when you listen to TFNRSH).
The band's newest album, Book of Circles, was released on January 17, 2025, and is considered to be a sequel to their debut. According to TFNRSH, you can expect more of their trademark bursts of energy scattered throughout their distinctive sound, only elevated to the next level. Furthermore, the band promises an additional layer of "wrath and a raw, visceral energy". TFNRSH elaborates,
"Bittersweet melodies blend with powerful riffs to create an atmospheric and moving synthesis that inevitably embraces the soul, offering space for limitless expression and blurring the boundaries of perception.
Welcome to the rapture of the deep!"
Book of Circles
1.) Zemestån
Zemestån, meaning "winter" in Farsi, has a deeper meaning behind its frosty atmosphere. According to TFNRSH, the song "thematically connects to Death of Freedom, from the debut album TIEFENRAUSCH, and addresses the protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022. After the violent suppression of the Iranian people's protests, the oppression continues seamlessly, resulting in a seemingly eternal 'winter' that must be endured."
Utilizing psychedelic and spacey elements, Zemestån follows a complex progressive rock pattern that skillfully communicates the plight of the Iranian people. In its airier, more delicate parts, the song illustrates a bleak mood, rife with hopelessness. In the denser, riff-driven areas, the pace picks up to add a layer of rage to the despair. By the end of the song, these forces culminate with soaring synth tones and wailing guitars, which inevitably feels like a symbolic crying out.
2.) WRZL
WRZL communicates with stark contrast and is an interplay among angst, peace, and passion. In the first half of the song, this distinction is most sharp, beginning with tempestuous riffs tussling with some futuristic sounds. Quite suddenly, "peace" enters on gossamer wings, placating the guitars into a calm, psychedelic interlude with her serene but coldly modern synth tones. This dance ultimately culminates in a fleeting moment of triumphant optimism, before rage seems to win in the end. At this point, you can quite literally hear peace and passion yielding to these darker forces.
3.) Zorn
Pounding percussion, eerie synth, and trepidatious guitar and bass hover above a lengthy spoken word part for nearly the first five minutes of Zorn. When the speaking stops, the instrumentals erupt, the anxious energy finally bubbling over. Very gradually, this temper gracefully transitions to one of victory. All things considered, Zorn feels like the long-awaited ascendency of hope over fear.
Interestingly, "zorn" is a German word that refers to anger, wrath, or rage. I can't help but hear a base of apprehension in the song, but when you think about it, that makes sense considering fear is often the root of anger. I think if my German was better and I understood more of the speaking word part, Zorn's deeper meaning would be clearer for me, but I'm still very content to hear emotion so accurately and powerfully depicted in the song.
4.) Ammoglyd
Ammoglyd, Welsch for "possible", also seems to ultimately represent victory over fear, but from a much different place than Zorn. Ammoglyd's beginning, while delicate and calm, feels tangibly sorrowful - the kind of despair one feels upon completely surrendering. Like Zorn, Ammoglyd very cleverly uses a slow and measured transition that, by its end, sounds like how I imagine true inner peace feels. Best of all, this shift happens so smoothly, you don't notice it occurring until you feel your own mood reacting. At this point, you can practically see the sunbeams beginning to make themselves known as the storm clouds dissipate.
Final Thoughts
First of all, I have to enthusiastically applaud TFNRSH for their clever use of contrast and "bursts of energy", as they aptly call them. This not only keeps the listener invested, but it so vividly renders the way in which real emotions and events occur, often without warning and with jarring intensity.
In that vein, Book of Circles, to me, is an introspective journey. It feels like holding up a mirror and looking long and hard at some of life's heavier emotions, particularly the power they have over us. TFNRSH sonically communicates these emotions in such a vivid way, as clearly as if they were painted with a brush. It bears emphasizing that this is done not only in the absence of visual cues, but also without lyrics of vocals to underline each song's meaning. While TFNRSH certainly created each of these tracks with a specific purpose in mind, it's ultimately up to you, the listener, to processes and translate them for yourself as an individual. It probably goes without saying that Book of Circles was a refreshing but thought-provoking meditative experience for me, opening up the door not only for self-reflection but to a deeper understanding of and empathy for the circumstances of those we share the planet with. As it turns out, this is a journey that requires no words, only an "embrace of the soul".
More About TFNRSH
TFNRSH Is:
Sasan Bahreini - Guitars / Synths
Stefan Wettengl - Bass / Synths
Julius Watzl - Drums
You can follow TFNRSH and listen to their music at the following links:
A massive thank you to the always awesome Broken Music Booking for the promo!
If you enjoy TFNRSH, you might also like Acid Rooster!
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