Tracklist:
01. The Pit of Hell
02. Altar of Demons
03. They Darkned the Land of Nile
04. Fallen Angels in a Distant Earth
05. The Snake’s Deception
06. Before and After the Human
07. Reflected in a Mirror of Sins
08. Paradise Lost
This will be my second review of an Eighth Tower Records studio album, the first being the latest Sonologyst offering Apocalypse (read the review here). Eighth Tower Records is a sub-label of the Unexplained Sounds Group, both run by Raffaele Pazzella (read our interview here). Eighth Tower focuses more on dark ambient leaning releases, and less on the experimental nature of USG. Their slogan being, “Superspectrum sounds from Ultraterrestrial dimensions.” Paradise Lost is the sixth proper full length release, but there are also a number of compilations (one reviewed here), which contain a combination of exclusive and previously released tracks, each focusing on a specific theme.
“I made him just and right, sufficient to have stood, though free to fall.”
― John Milton, Paradise Lost
Hezaliel is a project out of Belgium by Steve Fabry, who is also known for his work in metal projects The Nightstalker and Sercati. His Hezaliel music, in general, could be described as a sort of tasteful horror ambient. Meaning there is darkness abound in this release, but it never pushes that feeling too far, never taking us into the more absurd territory of some other horror ambient albums.
Our first encounter with the theme comes in the cover art, which is a beautiful 1866 engraving done by Paul Gustave Doré for John Milton‘s epic poem Paradise Lost, which was first published in 1667. The poem, and so too the album, focus on the biblical story of the fall of man, namely Satan’s deceit of Adam and Eve, resulting in the end of paradise. So, while I’ve stated that this is a sort of horror ambient album, the themes are of a religious nature. But, with a theme such as the fall of paradise the religious and horrifying can come together quite easily.
The first half of the album focuses on Satan and the other rebel fallen angels, in their underworld. Thus the music is given liberty to be incredibly dark, as the soundscapes are basically recreating hell itself. Though, within this darkness there are moments of almost a dark bliss, such as on “Fallen Angels in a Distant Earth”, which includes what sounds to be field recordings of crashing waves, as if we are following the fallen angels on a walk along a prehistoric coastline.
Paul Gustave Doré – Engraving from Paradise Lost
The second half takes on more an air of sadness and regret. There are more likely to be fleeting melodies emerging from the background. The dense soundscapes give way to more peaceful qualities, as the storyline is generally pulling us toward a sad conclusion, which will play out over following millennia.
Hezaliel has crafted an album, in Paradise Lost, which is first and foremost an enjoyable listen. It has that perfect balance of active and passive qualities, giving it a higher level of replayability over an extended period of time. His techniques seem to have improved since his debut, In The World of the Anesthetist which came out on Kalpamantra in early 2017. Following the narrative of a tried and true classic, like Paradise Lost by John Milton, gives Hezaliel room to build a story with more details that are able to be understood immediately by the average listener.
Paradise Lost is one of my favorite yet on Eighth Tower Records. Hezaliel has shown that he is up to the task of creating dark ambient albums with depth and detail. The theme for this one seemed quite appropriate for a dark ambient album, and it also fit very nicely with the general aesthetic of Eighth Tower Records, keeping that focus on the “ultra-terrestrial” intact. I would recommend Paradise Lost to those that prefer there dark ambient to be a bit more active, but never abrupt or jarring. It makes for a nice reading companion, but it is also able to keep your attention during isolated listening sessions in a dark room with headphones. With a heavy focus on theme and an ability to show reservation when creating such dark soundscapes, Hezaliel will certainly be an artist to watch over the coming years.
Tracklist:
01. Hewn by the Hands of the Damned
02. With Seven Tongues, He Spoke
03. Choking on the Waters of the Firmament
04. They Will Reach from the Heavens (Cut off their hands)
Atrox Pestis is a new project by Grant Richardson. Richardson has been a powerful player in the death industrial scene as his main project, Gnawed. Since 2009, Richardson has been scavenging the depths of the Minneapolis underworld. Searching the dank tunnels beneath this city, Richardson found the voice for his music. Metal clanging and grinding, washes of reverberated drone, vocals distorted beyond recognition, these are the offspring of Gnawed.
Atrox Pestis gives Richardson’s immersion in post-industrial music a new outlet. For fans of Gnawed, you will find much of that same industrial/mechanical darkness. But the mood and execution have both been greatly subdued, in comparison to Gnawed. This is a proper dark ambient release. Devoid of any percussion or distorted vocals (though it does include some Gregorian style chants), Richardson focuses on a more introspective atmosphere. Where Gnawed shows the destruction of the world, Atrox Pestis shows the destruction of the mind, within this doomed biosphere.
Hewn by the Hands of the Damned takes on a religious element as well as one of societal/planetary collapse. On the release’s Bandcamp page, Chryptus added several Biblical passages which are worth sharing here:
Mark 9:43
And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched.
Genesis 1:6
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
These passages illuminate the album’s struggle with the current standing of mankind. Questions of what is evil, what is good, who are the enemy, who are the saviours? Should we deserve to be erased from history? Should we fight to correct our trajectory? How would that look? What laws would we impose, in order to bring about vast societal/planetary changes?
Hewn by the Hands of the Damned is Atrox Pestis first full-lenghth release. But, in 2016 and 2017 they released a self-titled C40 cassette on Maniacal Hatred (Richardson’s own label), and a split with Strigae on Phage Tapes. If you enjoy Hewn by the Hands of the Damned I would highly recommend going back to these older releases. Especially the split with Strigae, a project created by Leo Brochu, owner of Chryptus Records, another very promising new dark ambient artist, which I will be planning to cover more thoroughly in the near future.
While Atrox Pestis debut is going under the radar, a young project released on a young label, there has been no shortage of praise for this release from veteran dark ambient musicians. This is always a sign of a promising new project, as so many of the veteran producers from this genre will likely have a much more critical ear than the average listener. Hewn by the Hands of the Damned is the perfect release for listeners of the older industrialized dark ambient acts such as Svartsinn, Yen Pox, and others in this vein that are able to incorporate some harsher, more metallic sounds, while simultaneously keeping the album sounding smooth and polished. While you may find little in the way of new ideas on this release, you will find a producer creating at the top of his game. Let’s hope more listeners come along for the ride, as this project is not one to be overlooked!
Grey Matter Productions says:
Corona Barathri is a group of devout Luciferians from Russia and Ukraine who perform and record ritual invocations dedicated to the Diabolus. The group has collaborated with ritualistic musicians such as the infamous Michael W. Ford and under the banner of great ritual ambient labels like Black Mara Records. Nox Mali was recorded on the eve of the Great Sabbath and contains a collaborative track with fellow Luciferian ritual ambient group Antelogos, out of France. The track is 21 minutes of dread-induced hypnosis. The swirling and startling strings that sit atop a layer of thick and foggy drone set the mood. Ritual ting-shas, Tibetan singing bowls and a steady flow of light and airy chimes complement the atmosphere by inducing a sense of something greater being called to the forefront, as Latin invocations are both spoken and sung. Suddenly the mood shifts, massive pounding drums are introduced, terrifying the soul. Waves of thunderous distorted noise move in and out of audible range, as if the devil himself were breathing down your neck. All this, only 6 minutes into the ritual invocation.
A few words from Corona Barathri:
Flame borned by Darkness reflects in black hearts,
Spirit filled with Evil is embodied in black souls.
Devil’s tribe, Sons of Nahema,
Cursed by light, marked with the seal of Hell,
Heirs of the Great Abyss.
Night of Evil, Night of the Nights, Night of the Triumph of Evil Force, Feeding the Fire with our blood.
Samael is the Father of Sins, the Source of Death.
Childs Of Nahema – Sons of Perdition, Dark Warriors, curse to god, curse to the world, curse to mankind.
Keep Black Fire Burning!
Honor Satan with your shed blood, evil word and evil deeds!
One Heart – One Essence.
It’s been a while since the last Frozen In Time, these articles are by far the most time-consuming part of This Is Darkness, and I’ve pondered ways of improving on the structure. In a way this is the same as usual, but I am covering the time period since April and the selection of releases I’ve chosen will be more focused.
I include sections of album descriptions which I find interesting/relevant. If there is no album description I will write a short one based on my knowledge, or I will skip the release. Context is everything with dark ambient. So, I find it increasingly frustrating to see a flood of releases with no description/context. Hopefully, my increased selectivity will make the time you spend here more valued and efficient. When my opinion is expressed below, it will be italicized. All other opinions are of the label/artist.
I’ve started with recent music videos, then we have my chosen selection of the latest album releases, then a selection of interesting odds & ends; unrelated things which you might enjoy, and finally an overview of recent articles on This Is Darkness.
I’d be happy to hear any feedback on Frozen In Time, your praise or criticism can be helpful going forward with this general-news-element of This Is Darkness.
Thank you all so much for following This Is Darkness and for all your support!
Artaud 1937 Apocalypse – Letters from Ireland
by Antonin Artaud This is a powerful video promoting the new book released on Infinity Land Press.
Ashtoreth & Grey Malkin – “Pilgrim” “Pilgrim” is from their new collaborative album The Hare and the Moon.
Johnny Jewel – “Spiral Staircase” Johnny Jewel came to my attention with his dark jazz track “Windswept” in two episodes of the new Twin Peaks season. “Spiral Staircase” is from his latest album Themes for Television.
Leila Abdul-Rauf – “Hindsight” “Hindsight” is from her new release Diminution, out now on CD through Malignant Records and vinyl through Cloister Recordings.
Nordvargr – “Sweet Death Triumphant” From his new album, Metempsychosis on Cyclic Law. Video by Dehn Sora.
Templum N.R. – “The Unseen Tailor” This is a track from the new album Memoirs of the Recoilers on Aural Hypnox.
Vortex – Valhalla (live) “Valhalla” is from their new album, As Gods Fall, released on Cyclic Law. This live performance was captured at Leipzig Fire & Sun during the summer solstice of 2018.
New Releases
156– New Album Released (156 Collective – Cassette/Digital)
Binaural field recordings of Brooklyn’s Bed-Stuy neighborhood.
“Do or Die” is a 47 minute compiling of 10 A-sides of 10 field recording cassettes, while “Dead and Done” is 10 B-sides compiled.
“Do or Die Twenty Times” and “Dead and Done Twenty Times” are the original two tracks, with the same track over-layed backwards.
“Do Die Dead Done Forty Times” is “Do or Die Twenty Times”, and “Dead and Done Twenty Times” atop of one another.
Alone in the Hollow Garden– New Album Released (CDr/Digital)
Seven ritual musick offerings to the Goddess of Love inspired by Sumerian, Babylonian and Egyptian spiritualities, adorned with ancient hymns and lyrics by Aleister Crowley.
Alphaxone – New Album Released (Cryo Chamber – CD/Digital)
Alphaxone is back with his long awaited 5th solo album on Cryo Chamber. Explore empty space and float above silent planets on the Edge of Solitude. Lush synths combine with wide atmospheric drones, recommended for space drifters.
Cameron Day – New Album Released (Facture – CD/Digital) I’ve recently discovered these beautifully crafted releases on Facture. I highly recommend this one, and you should have a look at other offerings from this label, though they are not always ‘dark’.
Physically, structures will fall into disrepair without proper maintenance, but decay can occur on many levels: spiritual, mental, cultural. Power corrupts, but it also leads to downfalls, as seen with a dictator who refuses to stand down even when the bombs are dropping and the end is nigh. As if it were at some nightmarish New Year’s Eve party, Cameron Day’s music sings the distorted, drunken line of ‘out with the old and in with the new’. Ghastly grey areas and forever loops have come to replace the old, familiar verse of popular song: the first shoots in an indecisive, post-truth era. The collapse of a once-mighty kingdom can be ugly theatre, but the music’s decline is a thing of ashen beauty.
A drooping rose, or the artistic movement of ‘urbex’, which photographs and explores abandoned, decaying urban structures, oozes with a fading beauty. Cameron Day’s music jitters and stumbles, but these melodies are very much alive, still trying to pull through the pain. Beautiful (and sometimes familiar) song-bursts splutter and trip as they fail, like a well-worn record. The tape is distorting, crinkling and tying itself up in impenetrable knots. Choral music is not immune to this, either: a piece will loop and gently reverse, reverberating a rosy death in music that should be full of life.
Cameron Day’s tape loops are alienated things, taking on vacant expressions when removed from their original context (the looping trumpets on ‘Born On Christmas Day’ are tinted with rust). The icy sheen of winter, and the chilly draught of loose morality, lives inside the music, but there are two sides to every coin, and this garden ‘represents a possible peaceful future beyond the current institutions of power’. Resilient shoots reclaim a Victorian dereliction. The strings are weak and distorted, lying on their hazy deathbed of hiss. The Castle and the Garden is music for the immediate dislocation – for changing times.
The Caretaker – New Stage Released
(History Always Favours The Winners – LP/CD/Digital) This is the fourth stage in Kirby’s brilliant Everywhere at the End of Time, which can be purchased digitally on Bandcamp, with one small price covering the entire previous and future stages of this serious. Also on vinyl, but they move quickly, I bought a reasonably priced copy of Stage 2 on Discogs last month. Highly recommended! Kirby says of Stage 4:
“Post-Awareness Stage 4 is where serenity and the ability to recall singular memories gives way to confusions and horror. It’s the beginning of an eventual process where all memories begin to become more fluid through entanglements, repetition and rupture.” Reviews on This is Darkness: Stage 1-2, Stage 3-4
Coph Nia – New Album Released (Old Captain – CD/Digital)
Recorded almost two decades ago this obscure compendium by Aldenon Satorial for years remained a secret now regained to enlighten the pilgrims’ progress. A Collection of Dead Drones and Aborted Soundscapes as a subtitle for the album, sums up a gateway to the darker realms reflecting the inherent duality of being. From mortal sins to immortality the symbolic circle made of branches and roots encapsulates us to provide ancient esoteric vitality Coph Nia is famous for. Discover your Verus Pastor at the base of the tree where ‘Everything Is True’.
Corona Barathri & Emme Ya – Pre-orders Available
(Noctivagant – CDr/Digital) This is one of the recent Noctivagant releases that has caught my eye for its physical options and has been making a lot of noise in the occult music scene. Definitely worth exploring!
A new opus of the occult project Corona Barathri recorded together with Emme Ya (Edgar Kerval, Colombia), dedicated to the aspect of Principivm/Leviathan.
Council of Nine – New Album Released (Cryo Chamber – CD/Digital)
The latest Council of Nine album, Exit Earth, focuses on the Heavens Gate cult, 39 members of which committed suicide in Ranch Santa Fe, California, on March 22, 1997. They did this in waves lasting three days, they received a signal in the form of a comet known as Hale Bopp. Once every 2000 years a signal from the level above human appears.
Cut The Light – New Album Released (Black Mara – CD/Cassette/Digital) Aphotic, total darkness. A place where there is no light. The place where the demonic darkness reveals his strength. Like all Black Mara releases, Aphotic comes in a standard edition, this time in the cassette format, or in a special limited edition CD format, which comes with a hand-made magic book, natural black petroleum, and a black wax candle.
Dark Awake & Regard Extrême – New Album Released
(La Esencia – CD/Digital)
Regard Extrême and Dark Awake has managed to create the ultimate mythological concept split album about Ulysses and his adventures, inspired by the Greek Epic poem Homer’s Odyssey!!! Both bands worked on all tracks together, combining their styles and forces to create this opus. An album with a rare quality and class absolutely essential for any fans of Martial Industrial , Neoclassical, Epic, Ethereal, Dark Ambient etc..
The key parts of the Ulysses story are unraveled in a magnificent way both in terms of feeling and atmosphere.
Dead Melodies – New Album Released (Cryo Chamber – CD/Digital)
Dead Melodies is back with his second album on Cryo Chamber, The Foundations of Ruin. Following on from his last album, Legends of the Wood, we return to the isle of mist and dig deeper into the narrative.
“The wrought iron gate creaks open to the overgrown driveway. Up ahead, flickers of lightning make out the hazy silhouette of a large house veiled in a dense fog. Shelter! Finally, somewhere to rest your head after that terrifying ordeal in the wood.
The house, a ruinous crumbling remnant of better days stands lonesome in the unruly grounds; like a keeper bestowed with time itself. An ornate wooden door hangs broken on its hinge, the windows cracked and vines creep wildly from every crevice like tendrils from the netherworld. Something definitely feels wrong here, but with hours till dawn and the relentless storm wailing through the surrounding trees, the will to survive the night defeats all reason to fear this shady forgotten sanctuary.
Stepping inside the once stately ruin, the great hall teems with decay and an age of sedimentary dust covers every surface; any remnants of life that once knew this place are long gone. Doors and stairwells stem off in all directions. With a creaking silence and a deathly stillness consuming the air, you contemplate which way to go. But then, a noise… is someone there? The temperature drops and a familiar chill runs down your spine….”
Recommended for fans of soundtrack like experiences and cinematic dark ambient.
Desiderii Marginis – New Album Released (Digital Only) Vita Arkivet is a mini-album Desiderii Marginis quietly dropped a few months ago. This one, in my opinion is truly amazing and I’ve been meaning to give it more time and a proper review. Highly recommended! I’m hoping to see this beauty land on a vinyl somewhere, the 41 minute length really helps that along.
Dødsmaskin – New Album Released (Cyclic Law – CD/Digital)
On their latest album the Norwegian duo pushes some of the hard hitting, mechanically textured aesthetics of their previous release “Fullstendig Brent” to the forefront. A dystopian commentary on the risks inherent to the antagonistic nature of humankind, and how the overwhelming and uncertain scope of Industry 4.0 – of progressively more powerful technology and strong AI – may end up amplifying those risks beyond human control. Given this conceptual framework, Dødsmaskin have aimed to develop a sound palette that shifts between both droning and pulsating brutality that represents unstoppable forces in motion and bleak atmospheres that denote an age of growing futility and – ultimately – self-inflicted extinction. Mastered by Rafael Anton Irisarri at Black Knoll Studio, NY.
Dødsmaskin – New EP Released (Digital Only) This EP is self-released by Dødsmaskin and was available for free in its first week after release. Djevelens Intervall is more in line with their Fullstendig Brent album, harsh dark ambient, this time focused on invoking the devil, through music.
Druhá Smrt – New Album Released (Sombre Soniks – Digital) Egocideum is a composition in three movements, a completely new sound ritual work, but in some sense it is continuing the journey of Transcurrence and Occurrentium albums, the second and third chapters of a first trilogy. After a long time, we were able to find the discipline to delve further, as the evolution of our life-current flowed closer to the source of the spring.
The theme of the latest chapter of the second trilogy is ‘crossing the Abyss’ in terms of magick, or ‘bridging the gap’ in terms of existentialism. We realized this musickal event from the perspective of Druhá Smrt by using our full concentration and intention.
Eagle Stone Collective – Latest Releases (Eagle Stone Collective – Digital Only) Eagle Stone Collective is a net-label out of Albi, France that I have recently begun to follow. Their releases fall more into an ambient americana realm than dark ambient, but the similarities are close enough to warrant coverage here. I am supplying several of their latest releases which you should certainly check out, as they are “name your price” and support if you so choose.
Eidulon – New Album Released (Malignant – CD/Digital)
Following an 11 year absence since his debut, Idolatriae, Eidulon returns a radically different entity. Whereas Idolatriae was haunting and minimal catacomb ambience, Combustioni is otherwise now a daunting, full on apocalyptic industrial, auditory excursion, complete with crushingly ominous brass chords, fearsome horn proclamations, organ, and doom filled atmospherics. Contributions of murderous, gnarled vocals courtesy of Nordvargr and Luca Soi, as well as caustic noise from Italian heavy electronic practitioners Naxal Protocol (ex-Cazzodio) add a powerful element, often cutting through a blaze of swelling tones and pneumatic percussive pummel, the only respite coming in the form of collaborative tracks with Kammarheit and Caul, which sees Eidulon returning to the foggy gloom and bleak isolationism that populated the debut. Collectively, it’s quite the provocative declaration, shattering genre barriers and setting the soundtrack for a world of incinerated cities, global plagues, and nuclear winters.
Eximia – New Album Released (Cryo Chamber – CD/Digital)
Eximia presents us with a sound design and field recording heavy album about an alien invasion. You won’t find many harmonic elements on this album. It instead serves as a backdrop where Dominik has crafted a soundscape that sucks you into it’s atmosphere.
“For centuries people have been looking at the stars, wondering if we are alone in this infinite universe, or if there is someone else out there. Would they be friendly and if not, would we be ready for them?
They came without warning.
Our weapons pointless against these behemoths covered by storm. When I lay my eyes at their divine beauty in all it’s power and destruction, I feel no anger nor sorrow, I feel awe. Our new gods have arrived.”
Harrogat – New Album Released (CD/Digital) Harrogat is a dark ambient artist out of Rome, Italy that I’ve been following for a few years. His music falls on the more active and horror ends of the dark ambient spectrum. Of note, is an appearance from Cryo Chamber veteran Enmarta, whose viola work is always a pleasure.
Hezaliel – New Album Released (Eighth Tower Records – Digital)
“I made him just and right, sufficient to have stood, though free to fall.”
― John Milton, Paradise Lost
Hezaliel is a project from Belgian musician Steve Fabry. It is one of his three. This is his dark ambient endeavor whilst the other two, The Nighstalker and Sercati, are carved of melodic black metal and gothic/dark metal, respectively. Hezaliel explores the darkest territories of Fabry’s inner world, the subtle ultraterrestrial frequencies buried under his personal “paradise lost”.
Inade – New Album Released (Loki-Found – LP/CD/Cassette/Digital)
With the all new album after 9 years, Inade return with another work that indicates a codifying of their sound world full of mysterious design, unspoken secrets and dreams of ancient origin.
The immersive arrangements and haunting voices are supported by crackling electronics painting a dark and earthly picture. Infinite eons have passed through the labyrinthine hierarchy of deep fusing drones, tectonic soundscapes, percussions and ritual instruments – sonically sculpturing that which lies deeper than matter, time and space.
The intriguing tone colour on The Nine Colours Of The Threshold is generally one of heroic majesty, a kind of epic intimacy, with light and sparkling fragments. It is the narrow, hidden tracks that lead back to our lost homeland, what contains the solution to the last mysteries is not the ugly scar that life´s rasp leaves on us, but the fine, almost invisible writing that is engraved on our body.
Inner Vision Laboratory– New Album Released (Winter-Light – CD/Digital)
“The inspiration for this album came from different science-fiction and post-apocalyptic books and movies, but also from the artists’ personal thoughts regarding mankind’s condition.
Relics is a musical illustration for the very distant future, where humanity has failed in its progress and moved to total annihilation. Relics are the only things humanity has left behind. Other higher advanced civilisations will come to visit our now desolate planet to collect these relics; these fading tokens of the past. They come to visit the Museum of Savages, who destroyed their own habitat and rendered their once beautiful planet uninhabitable.”
Leila Abdul-Rauf– New Album Released
(Malignant [CD] & Cloister [LP] – Digital)
The follow-up to Leila Abdul-Rauf’s 2015 highly acclaimed Insomnia album, Diminution sees the San Fransisco Bay Area-based, multi-instrumentalist take a more stripped-down approach to her uniquely haunting and shadowy soundscapes. While retaining a firm grasp on the feeling of urban loneliness and early morning solitude, Diminution’s tracks are generally longer than previous works and feel more spacious and open, where sparse melodies and gentle textural flow meet ethereal choral vocals, distant trumpet, delicate guitar, and luminous, yet melancholy drones and warm tonal drift.
All songs on Diminution were composed, performed, and produced by Leila Abdul-Rauf, mastered by Myles Boisen at Headless Buddha Mastering Lab, and the album is completed with stunning artwork by Matthew Jaffe and layout by Kristoffer Oustad and James Livingston. Diminution is another spellbinding work from Leila for those seeking solace in quiet and introspective music residing just on edge of consciousness.
Lesa Listvy– New Album Released (Cryo Chamber – CD/Digital)
Moscow based quartet Lesa Listvy debuts on Cryo Chamber with Way Home.
On this highly atmospheric release you get a mix of deep analogue drone, dark beats, ethereal walls of sound and subtle field recordings.
“Years ago the beat of the shaman’s drum pulled your tribe out of the motherland. Now as you make your way home everything has changed. The smell of burnt wood linger in the canopy of the forests, clicking machinery reverberate deep within. Trees malformed, technology fused with nature, the prophecy of the shaman was wrong. The ancient land now lies perverted by the swarm, but the tribe is coming home.”
Manifesto– Preorder Now Available (Reverse Alignment – CD/Digital)
Magnus Zetterberg is returning with a new haunting opus of darkest industrial ambient accompanied by Axel Torvenius wonderful art. Hive is a ghastly exhibition into the foul world of humanity. A soundtrack to devastation.
Releases 17 August 2018.
Mater Suspiria Vision – New Album Released (Phantasma Disques – LP/Digital) Not dark ambient, on most of their releases at least, but certainly of interest to dark ambient and horror fans alike, 666 is the latest full length album by this group which covers music and film. After the release of their last two films Phantasmagoria I & II, and a set of musical releases to accompany, Cosmotropia de Xam and Rachel Audrey return with a full length in it’s own right.
Moloch Conspiracy– New Album Released (Eighth Tower – CD/Digital)
“While the companions’ dread was reflected in the stones a way opened. The streaming water formed an ocean that crystallized the light from the incantations and spells of our guide. They discovered the cult that was upsetting the place and that was abandoning itself in despicable rituals from the depths of time”.
A metaphysical journey into a cave. Each track draws a path into an esoteric and mysterious story related to Mesopotamian myths. Cavernous drones alternate with glacial and cinematic passages, enriched by acoustic improvisations. Meditative, darkly elegant, the Moloch Conspiracy work often touches the impalpable consistency of avant garde music.”
Moss Covered Technology– New Album Released (Facture – CD/Digital) His Many Seas is a personal voyage, as the artist’s father was suffering from cancer at the time of the album being written. A well-travelled man, His Many Seas sets sail to quietly conquer and navigate another unexplored, painful continent: the frightening landmass of coming to terms with his father’s illness, steering through the trials of life as well as acting as a dedication to his father’s love of travelling. The illness itself heralded the beginnings of a new journey. Recalling the feel of the Arctic Ocean, His Many Seas thematically revolves around exploration, and the release includes vintage nautical Nories tables, Elisha Kent Kane – Arctic Exploration inserts along with ‘famous explorer’ double side prints.
Hand made book-bound CD covers (1260 g/qm FSC certified), lined inside / outside with luxury Italian paper from Florence, glass mastered CD (not CDR), vintage nautical Nories tables (circa. 1920) resting inside old glassine bags, vintage Elisha Kane Arctic Exploration inserts (circa. 1869), a collection of 9 x double sided A6 ‘Hassan’s Greatest Explorers’ prints, dried flowers. All rests inside luxury hand cut envelopes. Individually numbered / stamped.
MZ.412 – New EP Released (Cold Spring – 10″Vinyl/Digital)
The resurrection of the originators of Black Industrial.
NORDVARGR ᛣ DRAKH ᛣ ULVTHARM
2018 marks the 30th anniversary of MZ. 412. The long-awaited new album Svartmyrkr has been born and will be released later this year on CD and double vinyl.
But first, Ulvens Broder.
The limited edition 10″ Ulvens Broder is taken and adapted from the forthcoming album and features a very special B-side with Tomas from Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio. 412 x white vinyl – 412 x red vinyl – 412 x black vinyl.
IIII I II. Enki be proud!
Paleowolf– New Album Released (Digital Only)
Paleowolf continues the archetypal journey with the new thematic album. Fourth full length release Primal Earth delivers archaic, meditative paleo-ambient, and takes you on an atmospheric journey deeper into the obscure past. Witness the dawn of complex life on Earth – the mysterious and majestic Paleozoic-Mesozoic era. We embark on a voyage through the archaic Devonian seas and immense swampy forests of Carboniferous; across the amphibian Permian landscapes; up to the tropical Triassic, Jurassic and into Cretaceous – the final dominion of titanic reptilian beasts.
The vision you are about to experience is inspired by an ancient era when colossal reptilian beasts, gigantic insects, bizzare marine creatures and immense forests that spread all across the massive supercontinents, reigned this world supreme.
Primal Earth is a unique piece of art, a glimpse into the times before memory. This one-hour long soundscape invites the listener to completely immerse oneself into the fathomless world of ancient archetypes. They say that all that is left of these titans of Old are their remnants in stone and dust… But they are now here. And they live once again.”
光淵 (Pool Of Light) – New Album Released (ΠΑΝΘΕΟΝ – CDr/Digital)
Giant slabs of stones moving towards eternity under the bright bottomless sky. Aerial view of the huge valleys covered with snow, which is about to start melting, welcoming new winds and filling with new aromas. It comes and goes, the spiral, the return. What is time for something which is immortal? Only a cycle, the multiplicity of forms, each speaking its own language but every time about same thing…
Rafael Anton Irisarri – New Album Released (Umor Rex – Cassette/Digital)
The NY-based producer returns to Umor Rex with a new album, in which the musical discourse and the physical form of the release have an equal, crucial importance. Sirimiri is made of four long and mid-length pieces, each composed of different perspectives, processes and identities. However, Rafael seeks to blend subjective time with the listening experience. A sort of loop and repetition, sub-sequence-based sound. Following Eno, nothing happens in the same way twice, perception is constantly shifting, nothing stays in one place for long. If The Shameless Years was located between beauty and active tragedy, Sirimiri travels inside the beauty and melancholy of an observing eye, a quiet rebel insurrection. Another substantial difference is the distance from general and globalized concepts; in these unfortunate times, Sirimiri looks for personal sorrows, and places its focus on the particular. Even the names of the songs evoke this in small ways, like in “Sonder”, the feeling of realizing that everyone, even a complete stranger, has a life as complex as one’s own. Sirimiri means ‘drizzle’ in Basque, and we cannot find a better word to describe its content.”
Skeldos – New Album Released (Cassette/Digital) Ilgės is the latest release by Lithuanian ambient artist Skeldos. In his words:
The album was inspired by a poem by the Lithuanian writer Antanas Škėma titled “A Lie”, which talks about the hope that there is something important beyond the desolate routine. Two extended pieces awash in melancholy and longing revolve around a silent question: perhaps that which is crucial is really nearby?
Ilgės was recorded in 2015-2018 using acoustic instruments (accordion, Lithuanian zither, guitar) as primary sound sources, with their imperfect creaks and resonant echoes intended to make the vast sonic horizons sound close.
“Still, what lay behind the hundred twenty fifth door?”
Sphäre Sechs– New Album Released (Cryo Chamber – CD/Digital) It is very interesting to see Sphäre Sechs release their album through Cryo Chamber, as I remember Simon Heath mentioning their previous album being his favorite release of that year. With Malignant Records schedule in hyper-speed for 2018, some of their label staples have over-flowed into other labels, this one finding its way to Cryo Chamber, and Dødsmaskin finding their way to Cyclic Law. I am happy to see a support network in place for situations like this, as fans we will win every time in these scenarios!
Sphäre Sechs is a project of Martin Stürtzer (Phelios) and Christian Stritzel.
Focused on the particle void of space this album reaches beyond the material. Recorded with a multitude of analogue gear this album has a warm saturated atmosphere with cold spacey overtones. If you like floating in cold space in a warm cozy spacesuit, this is your album. Recommended for fans of Space Ambient.
Stephanie Merchak– New Album Released (broken20 – 3″CD/Digital)
Broken20 return with the third in a run of 3” CD releases, Stephanie Merchak’s timely societal commentary cloaked in deep, foreboding drone, The Prospect of our Annihilation.
All four tracks were created using field recordings recorded by Merchak on construction sites in Lebanon. The recordings were processed beyond recognition to depict through sound an apocalyptic future where the earth has become inhospitable. Merchak writes: “This concept piece was inspired by some worldwide alarming news: the Svalbard Global Seed Vault partially flooding after permafrost melted, 1.12 trillion tons of iceberg breaking away from the Larsen C ice shelf and drifting to open waters, an Anthrax outbreak in western Siberia after an unusual heatwave melted permafrost releasing spores, a study by Chris Thomas and his colleagues at the University of Leeds warning that a quarter of land animals and plants may be doomed by 2050 due to global warming…”
She continues: “One of the culprits of climate change is the construction industry, which is one of the biggest sources of emissions and energy consumption. Humans keep building and replacing forests and green spaces with concrete thus endangering hundreds of species, increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and contributing to soil erosion. In summary, humans are destroying their home.” As the contemporary activity is extrapolated to an apocalypse in Merchak’s vision, so the field recordings are morphed to their logical conclusion. Hence sonically, the sense of mechanical dread is manifested in lumbering semirhythmic motifs that stagger on- and offstage like drunken actors, playing on unsteady stage-boards of atonal drone. In contrast to the glacial crawl of most dark ambient productions, nothing in ‘The Prospect of our Annihilation’ remains static for long – except the tone and its implied warning. Physical copies will follow on from the format of previous Broken20 3” CDs by Laica and Ordeograph, whereby the inner sleeve is crafted to disrupt its physical limitations, bringing forth further visual interpretations on the source material and its underlying message.”
Sun Through Eyelids– New Album Released
(Black Mara – CD/Cassette/Digital)
Hyperborea, the shards of the star race that reach us from the depths of time. Strength and power, immense energy somewhere far, far away, once much time ago. Hyperborea is in everyone’s heart. Total recall everything. You are a part of this.
Our search for Hyperborea is our desire to return to Paradise, the primordial spring of Human’s original existence. The importance of knowing the terrestrial location of a lost civilization at the northern regions is thus overshadowed by its symbolic relevance.
The Stone Tapes– New Album Released (Hare’s Breath Records – CDr/Digital) The Kingdom of Mercia is first and foremost a cinematic experience. Using a combination of string instruments, synth/drones, piano, saxophone, and spoken word, Matt and Kat Peach create an incredibly interesting and engaging atmosphere. Presented in a luxury “Evidence Bag” packaging. Super Limited Edition – Black vinyl-design CD-R in a brown card button & string sleeve.
Taphephobia– New Album Released (Cyclic Law – CD/Digital)
Ghostwood is the new deeply introspective album by Norway’s Taphephobia. Opting for a slightly cleaner sonic palette than previous releases, using less processed sounds, and a more natural sounding approach to his guitar work, Ketil Soraker pushes what is now considered as Taphephobia’s signature sound. In the vein of his previous Cyclic Law release Escape From The Mundane Self, we are submerged in a skillful combination
of lush ambient guitar passages, sonic abstractions and processed flute. Ghostwood is a most personal hymn to experiencing the solace of the northern forest.
Taphephobia & Kave– New Album Released (Cyclic Law – CD/Digital)
On this special collaboration album, both artists have showcased their unique take on atmospheric soundscapes. A soundtrack to vast, imagined uninhabited landscapes, unexplored and untouched by mankind. We’re given a bleak glimpse into a hidden world, both mentally and physically. The two long monumental tracks induce a calm, ominous and introspective setting, perfectly suited to drift within these envisioned barren lands.
Teahouse Radio– New Album Released (Hypnagoga Press – CD/Digital)
Teahouse Radio is a music project by Pär Boström, also known for his work as Kammarheit, Cities Last Broadcast, Hymnambulae, Altarmang and Bonini Bulga. (Quite the list, and all well worth investigating!)
Her Quiet Garden is the debut album, consisting of songs pieced together sporadically since 2004, and songs recorded in a creative frenzy during a few late summer days in 2016.
An album about summer houses and winter towers, about the changing of weather. How one feeling changes to another. The loss of a loved cat. A real garden becoming an imaginary garden. Depression as a pond. Years of therapy and music as the main counterpoint. About escapism. Psychoses. A giant who walked in and out of the world, decorating it nicely. An aural tale. Half in water, another half in the northern woods. Childhood through nostalgic binoculars. A wardrobe to another place, a gentle knock on the door in the oak tree.
Acoustic instruments are blended with electronic equipment, forming a sombre ambient music of tinkling tape loops and humming pedal drones. Final editing and mastering by Simon Heath. Read our new interview with Pär and Åsa Boström.
Templum N.R. – New Album Released (Aural Hypnox – Cassette)
We are excited to present the new release of the Templum N.R. ‘Memoir of the Recoilers’, c-20.
From outré dimensions the stare of fervent creatures descent. On this album the secret sect of the group has favoured a rather peculiar yet compelling approach. Minimally oscillating textures and immense melodies are accompanied with recited hymns read by previously unheard presence Madame Eternally Nameless. These songs are searching continually through the night, as spells calling to follow through the liquid mirror.
Memoirs of the Recoilers is enclosed inside screen printed cassette covers and comes with an 8-panel booklet. Limited edition of 98 copies.” Buy the album here.
Theologian & The Vomit Arsonist– New Album Released
(Cloister Recordings – Cassette/Digital)
This cassette contains two 30-minute pieces where isolating drones establish an underlying melancholy, while denser passages rise and fall within multiple layers of synth, tape noise, voice, and guitar…
Listeners will find themselves standing entranced within a silent and secluded world, among the most vile and pathetic surroundings.
Theologian– New Album Released (Cloister – Cassette/Digital)
Hot on the heels of The Icy Bleakness of Things, Theologian’s collaboration with The Vomit Arsonist, Cloister Recordings presents Reconcile. Timed to coincide with their live appearance at the DARKNESS DESCENDS festival, this 60-minute cassette (and digital) release contains brand-new material featuring input from Andy Grant (The Vomit Arsonist), Mike McClatchey (Lament Cityscape), Stephen Petrus (Murderous Vision), and Derek Rush (Dream Into Dust). The album was mixed by Mike McClatchey. The word “supergroup” has been jokingly bandied about in reference to this collection of artists, but the final product is indeed a unique composite of industrial sounds, reflecting another step in the evolution of Theologian.
Perhaps most notable is a return to an earlier, less harsh and distorted iteration of the project, with cavernous drones and thunderous percussion creating the sort of dense sonic environments found on the 2010 debut album, The Further I Get From Your Star, The Less Light I Feel On My Face.
Eschewing the long-form drone/ambient tracks of older releases, here we find Theologian attempting to approximate the immediacy and memorability of pop, using rhythm and melody to elicit slightly less sprawling emotional landscapes. The album’s eight tracks are interconnected by brief interludes, serving as touchstones along the journey to the album’s denouement. As the title suggests, Reconcile is ultimately about coming to terms with past versions of oneself, while examining the present and fretting over the future. Reviewed on This Is Darkness.
Ugasanie– New Album Released (Cryo Chamber – CD/Digital)
Ugasanie returns with his 5th album on Cryo Chamber. This time exploring the vast landscapes of Antarctica.
The snowstorm builds on the horizon as the ice crackles under your feet. The faint call of someone beyond the blinding blizzard.
A subdued and chilly album in the isolated style that is Ugasanie’s expertise.
Ugasanie & Xerxes the Dark – Preorders Available (Cryo Chamber – CD/Digital)
Ugasanie & Xerxes the Dark team up on this album exploring the darkest depths of the ocean.
The walls croak as you find your balance in the swaying research ship. A week in this storm is enough to make any mans stomach turn, but today you enter the depths of the ocean. You slap some pills into your food hole and climb to deck, the bathyscaphe stands ready. You’re 10 hours deep into the ocean when the power goes out. What the hell is going on up there? The darkness outside is thick, snake-like shadows worm around the vessel. Your trembling hand pushes down on the radio transmitter button, it’s dead.
For lover of deep drone and isolated soundscapes, you want to swim with the leviathan? This is your album.
Umu Tiamat– New Album Released (Noctivagant – CD/Digital)
This recent release on Noctivagant Collective has been catching the ear of more people recently as the album makes a bit of a name for itself, through word of mouth and such. Noctivagant put some extra work into this one, going a bit further than their usual CDr w/ folded card.
Joseph Mlodik of Noctilucant recently spoke in detail about the album on episode 3 of his Vlog ‘The Inner Sanctum’ which we’ve partnered with, here at This Is Darkness. You can see the episode here.
Visions & Phurpa– New Album Released (Cyclic Law – LP/CD/Digital)
Celebrating its 100th release, Cyclic Law presents an exclusive collaboration between label head Frederic Arbour’s long standing project Visions and Russia’s most enigmatic ritual formation, lead by Alexey Tegin, Phurpa. Merging Phurpa’s penetrating organic meditational chants and shamanic percussive elements with the slow-shifting, multi-layered textural drones of Visions, this unique joining of forces resulted in a vastly expansive and time bending opus. Channeled throughout are primordial sonorities to alter ones deeper psyche, a spiritual ascent unifying with the whole, the elemental cosmic life force that transpierces us, to the monad of creation.
You can read our review of the album as well as our interview with Frédéric Arbour, owner of Cyclic Law, and man behind Visions, Havan, Instincts, Skorneg, and Stärker, here.
Vortex– New Album Released (Cyclic Law – CD/Digital) As Gods Fall… celebrates the 10th year of existence for the German ritual cinematic ambient project by Marcus Stiglegger. It is the final part of the mythical trilogy that began with Kali Yuga (2013) and Moloch (2015). Inspired by the Nordic mythology of the Edda, this album revives the realm of the Old Gods in their final conflict. As before this musical reflection on mythology is used as a metaphor for a portrait of the present world out of balance. The tracks were composed after an intense journey to the ancient Viking relics of Scandinavia in 2015. Stiglegger says:
Breathing the air of history I felt ultimately connected to the past and heritage of the old Germanic tribes and their mythology, also understanding what this all means for what happens in the world today. As Gods Fall is a cycle of music invoking forgotten energies and lost wisdom…
For this album Marcus S. joined forces with many guest (including Michael De Victor of While Angels Watch), providing unique instrumental and vocal contributions. From pounding martial rhythms and hypnotic ritual chants via brooding drones to stunning and fragile melodic elements this album captures the essence of what Vortex stands for: ritual music. This release also contains a bonus-disc Helstrom featuring 2 unreleased Vortex tracks as well as remixes by Apoptose, Empusae, Phelios, Visions, Operation Cleansweep and more…
Wound– New Album Released (Cassette/Digital)
Experiments on sound matter – one dream at a time.
There is a weight of the clouds that is often not perceived; a weight on the shoulders and necks of you looking upward, yet inward. The shimmering lights cause a nostalgia flow for when everything seemed possible – a simpler time if only because of not understanding the limits. As the clouds flow, puffy whites, light-blue and pink smears in tandem, you see beyond. You gather your strength. The limits are still there but, under the starry ether, are you still sure you’ve reached them?
Other Sorts of Releases
Artaud 1937 Apocalypse – Letters from Ireland by Antonin Artaud
4th March 2018, marks the 70th anniversary of Antonin Artaud’s death, which means that the copyrights to his literary estate have been lifted.
Infinity Land Press is hereby proud to announce a release of Artaud 1937 Apocalypse – Letters from Ireland by Antonin Artaud, the first English translation for more than fifteen years. The book was translated and edited by Artaud’s biographer, Stephen Barber. You can buy the book here.
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Mortiis – Secrets of my Kingdom: Return to Dimensions Unknown
Created back in the 1990s and originally released in a highly limited edition form, Secrets Of My Kingdom provides an unforgettable insight into the otherworldly creations of dark ambient godfather Mortiis. An utterly unique and compelling collection of writings and illustrations (created by a number of talented artists), it significantly fleshes out the rich universe that is glimpsed within those early musical releases. Considered a legendary tome by fans, the rare original changing hands for literally hundreds of dollars today.
Considerably expanded with 100 pages of new material, this ambitious 240 page large format (30x21cm) hardback book contains the original in its entirety as well as previously unseen text and illustrations, an extensive new interview with Mortiis, plus words from peers, the book’s illustrators, musicians from the growing dungeon synth movement (including Mark Riddick, David Thiérrée, Albert Mudrian, Juha Vuorma, Proscriptor, Balrog, Forgotten Kingdoms, Chaucerian Myth and more). The book can be purchased here.
Zazen Sounds Magazine Issue #3 Again the latest issue of Zazen Sounds Magazine has sold-out within a matter of days. A great printed zine out of Greece, created by Nikolaos Panagopoulos of Shibalba and Acherontas. I highly recommend subscribing to their newsletter if you want to hear about the next issue before they are all gone. Panagopoulos says: “The third issue of Magazine is sold out. Few copies as always can be found in our distributors around.We shall return in Autumn with new plans and releases as we already work on them.Any question can be sent to: Acherontasvp9@gmail.com. At this same email also you can subscribe to our newsletter.”
Father Dagon Podcast: Season 2 Has Begun (3 Episodes Currently Available)
Father Dagon is a serial fiction podcast based on the works of famous weird fiction author, HP Lovecraft. Produced by Dread Falls Theatre, and original soundtrack by Seesar. Season Two airs June 2018, episodes released 1st and 15th of the month. Find us on Twitter @DagonPodcast or www.patreon.com/dreadfallstheatre
Latest Publications on This Is Darkness
Teahouse Radio / Hypnagoga Press – Interview Over the last few years we’ve seen a huge increase in the output of Pär Boström. Once known only for his oldest (main?) project, Kammarheit, Pär Boström has since created a multitude of wonderful albums, always more or less focused on dark ambient, as Cities Last Broadcast, Altarmang, Bonini Bulga, and now his latest project Teahouse Radio. Near the beginning of this recent bloom in releases, he partnered up with his sister, Åsa Boström, to start the publishing house/record label Hypnagoga Press, as well as collaborate on their first release as Hymnambulae. After my previous interview with them in 2016, not long before I started This Is Darkness, I thought it was time to catch up with the siblings and find out from Pär about the new Teahouse Radio album, and to get some general clairvoyance on the label and future releases from Åsa. Read the interview here.
Terence Hannum– All Internal – Book Review All Internal is a quick and enjoyable read. One that you could knock out rather quickly, if the story so engrosses you. I found my playlist of dark ambient awaiting review was the perfect accompaniment to this story, at certain times playing things on one end of the spectrum, but as the story took twists, I was adjusting the music’s themes accordingly. An all around enjoyable experience. I’m definitely hoping Hannum does more future work in this vein!
Read the review here.
Mortiis (Era 1 focused) – Interview Mortiis is hailed by many/most as one of the greatest originators of the now greatly expanding dungeon synth genre. His Era 1 releases considered classics, and highly sought out by the dungeon synth community, as well as by fans of the Cold Meat Industry label, in general, which was home to Mortiis Era 1. With a new round of concerts featuring Era 1 material, a re-issue of his book ‘Secrets of My Kingdom’, and re-issues of all many Era 1 albums, it seemed like a great time to have a conversation with the man behind Mortiis and pick his mind about the new book, his re-emergence within the Era 1 context, the Cold Meat Industry 25th anniversary festival and more!
Read the interview here.
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Artist: Theologian
Album: Reconcile
Release date: 16 June 2018
Label: Cloister Recordings
Guest artists:
Andy Grant (The Vomit Arsonist), Mike McClatchey (Lament Cityscape), Stephen Petrus (Murderous Vision), and Derek Rush (Dream Into Dust).
Tracklist:
Side A
{wound I}
01. Whittled Down By The World
{wound II}
02. Rough Hands Hew
{wound III}
03. Tetanus
{wound IV}
04. The Banality Of Evil
{wound V}
Side B
{wound VI}
01. Prion
{wound VII}
02. A Rope Of Human Teeth
{wound VIII}
03. Seratonin Antagonist
{wound IX}
04. Everything Is More Beautiful,
Because We’re Doomed
{wound X}
Theologian manages to find their way to the top of the list again with Reconcile. Since I’ve started This Is Darkness, Theologian has been in constant rotation here. Whether it is on the latest Malignant/Kalpamantra compilation, the latest Cadabra Records spoken art record, or his own proper solo release, Theologian manages to keep me entertained. I keep feeling like I am hearing something new, not returning to this artist, yet again, hoping for some variation in formula or style.
There are certainly many elements here of sounds that have been previously explored. But, we reach them from different places, and so they they feel refreshing. As I heard previously mentioned, Reconcile could be seen as the closest comparison to the first Theologian release, The Further I Get From Your Star, The Less Light I Feel On My Face. It has vast sections which are dedicated solely to dark ambient. Though, in the case of Reconcile, these can be seen more as extended interludes, between much more active tracks. Or, they are parts of these other tracks, drawn into a slow decay.
Photo by: Gretchen Heinel
The album starts with “Whittled Down By The World”, which is a brooding intro with heavy industrial dark ambient reverberations. There is a deep foreboding darkness, but at the same time, a sliver of light, however dimly flickering. But reaching its close, it quickly descends into a chaotic maelstrom of noise. This is the first indication of more violent elements yet to be introduced. Entering “Rough Hands Hew”, Theologian builds from a gentle ambient intro, first introducing the dominant synth line, and then the industrial percussive undercurrents. As the vocals enter, performed by Theologian here, they are used as more of an instrument, than a tool for communication. Though, we are, thankfully, given lyrics to all tracks which incorporate vocals. [This is something I appreciate and wish would happen more often in genres where lyrics are hard to discern amidst the orchestrated chaos.] Theologian uses a combination of singing/screaming to build what doubles as an added layer of drone, a technique used throughout the second half of the track. We are then, again, cast into a solitary ambient darkness, though the industrial elements of this scene are not far distant. As “Tetanus” builds to its climax there is a constant singing/chanting that sounds to be a combination of male/female vocals (though likely just Theologian in different ranges as there are no female artists in the credits), reminding me of the style of his Some Things Have To Be Endured album, but also, in a way, of acts like Empusae or Arcana.
The second side (of the cassette, that is) is a generally more subdued experience. It opens with some dark ambient elements which develop into some more industrial territory, as percussion and distorted guitar/synth elements intensify. “A Rope Of Human Teeth” incorporates a glitchy beat oriented foundation accented by lighter synth elements. “Seratonin Antagonist” takes us back into some subtle dark ambient territory with heavy industrialized textures, showing both sides of his sound in stark contrast, yet perfect fluidity; often making it hard for the listener to fully register when shifts into new territory are occurring. The album ends on a sort of death-synth-pop note, with another seemingly effortless contrast between the harsh and the beautiful.
Photo by: Gretchen Heinel
Hearing all the different soundscapes Theologian traverses on any given album, it’s no wonder his talents were tapped by the guys at Cadabra Records, to help orchestrate some of their greatest releases to date. Theologian moves between contrasting territories in a way that only a seasoned musician could manage. His willingness to show us equal parts beauty and crudity makes for an experience that doesn’t feel overwhelming in the way that many similar artists do for a portion of listeners. The devastation reaches its heights, abusing the listener along the way, but then returns to a calm, a respite before the next assault. In many ways this could be an analogy for life itself, brief moments of beauty and calm, amidst a sea of pain and hardship.
Frédéric Arbour is probably one of the most important people in the dark ambient scene. Since the early 2000s, his record label, Cyclic Law, has released some of the most important and influential dark ambient albums in the history of the genre. Though, Arbour himself has always seemed to be one of the most quiet voices within the genre. Along with running the label, Cyclic Law, Arbour creates music in various projects including: Havan, Stärker and Instincts. His other project, Visions, has just released a brilliant new collaborative album with Phurpa, entitled Monad. So, now seemed like a great time to catch up with him to find out more about Visions, his collaboration with Phurpa, and the Cyclic Law record label’s past & future. Enjoy!
Interview with: Frédéric Arbour [See end for links to his projects and label.]
Conducted by: Michael Barnett
Michael: First I’d like to talk a bit about your new album Monad, a collaboration with Phurpa. After your last two releases as Visions, you decided to take a break from the project. Was this release with Phurpa aligned with those plans, or did this opportunity come as a surprise, changing your plans?
Frédéric: I guess it was neither a surprise nor planned. I had put Visions on hold for an indefinite period to focus on Stärker and Havan and a few other collaborations I have also been involved in, and this past year I felt I had to rethink my approach and sound and decided to focus on Visions again and go forward with new ideas.
Michael: How long have you known Alexey Tegin? How soon did you decide that you would want to collaborate with him and the Phurpa project?
Frédéric: I have known of Alexey since 2002 from a release under his own name titled Gyer. Also, having been close to Tibetan ritual music for many years prior, his unique take on this tradition immediately resonated with me. We were in contact some years later, and we were able to finally meet in 2014 while I was hosting a Cyclic Law night in Moscow, where Phurpa closed the evening. Alexey was also kind enough to invite us to his home and ritual chamber. We have since kept in contact, and have also released 2 other albums by Phurpa through Cyclic Law.
Michael: Did Visions and Phurpa come together in a studio setting to create Monad, or was this done electronically between Germany and Russia?
Frédéric: It was done through exchanging ideas and audio files electronically. Alexey sent me mantras which had specific intents, that I then processed and merged into what became Monad.
Michael: Were there set guidelines for your individual roles (i.e. Phurpa does all percussion, Visions does all drones), or was it a more fluid process?
Frédéric: It was quite fluid, there’s chants and percussive elements from both Phurpa and myself. I layered the drones and atmospheric elements throughout, and also did the final mixing and mastering.
Michael: How did you decide on Monad as the title for the album, and I assume the theme of the release as well? Should we assume this to be the Monad of Gnosticism?
Frédéric: It would translate to the totality of the whole, and its source, and the channeling of this primordial force.
Michael: Obviously, Phurpa is a very spiritually oriented project, backed by the strict adherence to the beliefs that Alexey Tegin holds. Would you consider Visions to be an equally spiritual project, or do you seek to harness more abstract ideas?
Frédéric: Spiritual, most definitely, with a strong dose of abstraction. At its etymological roots, the word abstract relates to being “withdrawn from worldly interests”. This is where Visions stands.
Michael: How did the similarities/differences in the religious/world views between Visions and Phurpa play into the creation of, and energy behind, this release?
Frédéric: Let’s just say that we both channel and explore the same currents through our musical means; and this is how / why our paths crossed and we’ve come to this collaboration. The result and energy it emanates speaks for itself.
Michael: With Monad released, will Visions continue to be a main priority for the moment or will you allow it to patiently lie in wait for your next inspiration?
Frédéric: This release is a prelude to the new album coming early next year, I’m working on new material that is soon approaching completion.
Michael: Let us turn the attention now to your role as founder and main operator of the Cyclic Law record label. In a word, how are things going at Cyclic Law at the moment?
Frédéric: Things are good, there are quite a few titles planned for the rest of the year and well into 2019.
Michael: You’ve recently made a huge move, transporting the whole Cyclic Law operation from Canada to Berlin. Would you care to speak any on the reasons for that move? How are things in Berlin, so far?
Frédéric: I’ve known for many years that I would at some point move to Europe. I’ve been traveling and touring Europe yearly for over 20 years now, and have always felt more at home on this side of the Atlantic. Berlin was a more strategic choice in terms of ease of relocation and for its very active cultural landscape. Things have been quite good for me as a whole here. I’m definitely glad this move came to its conclusion.
Michael: Obviously, during the previously mentioned move, the label’s output was a little slower, though it has considerably increased in the first half of 2018. Will you be planning to keep things moving at this pace for the near future?
Frédéric: Yes, moving took some adjustment, but 2017 and 2018 have been quite active with very interesting releases coming my way, and there’s quite a lot in the works.
Michael: I haven’t read any previous interviews with you, so I thought it would be interesting to hear a little bit about the start of Cyclic Law from your perspective. Those first few years, releasing the first handful of albums which ended up having such an impact on the dark ambient genre. What were your feelings starting up the label?
Frédéric: Well things started around 1998, when I purchased my first synth to create what became the Instincts / Bustum The Mystery Visions album, and subsequently what established Cyclic Law as a label in 2002. In those years, I had met Svartsinn, Northaunt and Kammarheit through the mp3.com platform. Things evolved from there, with the release of the Nord Ambient Alliance compilation and then releases by Kammarheit, Sophia, Svartsinn etc…
Michael: Did you have any intentions of still doing this almost two decades later?
Frédéric: Well you can never predict where things will lead you. But, my intentions to push this forward as long as it feels relevant have been there from the start, and I hope I can keep doing this for some time still. Things change, but the music still speaks.
Michael: Do you have any thoughts on the dark ambient genre as a whole, with the emergence of things like Spotify, Youtube, and too a lesser degree Bandcamp, that make it easier for listeners to absorb massive amounts of music, but harder for invested labels to pay the bills.
Frédéric: Well these are 2 things, content vs form. As for content, well the genre has evolved and I’m still surprised by some of the quality and craft some artists deploy. Even after all these years, there are still new ways to interpret and approach this genre. As for form, well yes, there’s a lot of material out there and for someone diving into this genre today the scope is overwhelming. Album sales are fluctuating and the streaming reality is what it is. We just work with the means we have and keep pushing forward.
Michael: Many people have quite rigid views on their favorite genres of music, whatever they may be. Do you see a great new horizon ahead of us, or do you think the golden age of dark ambient may already be in the rear-view?
Frédéric: Most musical styles have had their “golden age” and now it is through convergence of styles and ideas that things evolve. I’m okay with this for the most part. Classics will remain classics, yet there are more classics to be made.
Michael: The reemergence of vinyl has left its mark on dark ambient, as it has on most other genres right now. Cyclic Law got into the vinyl releases early on in this trend. For you as a label head, what are the ups and downs of vinyl?
Frédéric: My initial goal with the first releases was to give the CD format the aspects I had enjoyed of vinyl, the smell and feel of heavy cardboard, inserts, gatefold sleeves etc… this was at a time when vinyl was almost out of the picture. Yet, we were releasing vinyl back in 2003, before this “comeback” of vinyl. Now we can offer both CD and vinyl, and even cassettes. So, it’s interesting to be able to present all these formats. I maybe secretly miss the 8-track cassette days of my youth.
Michael: You played a big part in the startups of Kammarheit, Northaunt and Svartsinn. You found Psychomanteum, the first released project by Robert Kozletsky, now best known for Apocryphos, while he was still in college, only beginning to even realize his own talents. The list could go on. Do you have your eyes set on any artists right now that you think are incredibly talented which haven’t yet gotten the recognition they deserve?
Frédéric: Well yes, there’s always this aspect of running a label, to push the more established acts as well as unearth newcomers that one feels must be heard by a wider audience. Recently, Shedir from Italy has had a big impact on me, as well as a few others yet to be released: Cober Ord from France, Kristian Westergard from Norway, Purba from Russia, O Saala Sakral (ex Hadewych) from The Netherlands and more…
Michael: What can we expect the future to hold for Cyclic Law, business as usual, or any surprises on the way?
Frédéric: Well business isn’t quite usual here. There are definitely some surprises. But, I’ll have to keep the suspense for now.
Michael: Thank you so much for your time, Frederic. It’s been a great pleasure getting to pick your brain!
Frédéric: Thank you Michael, and for all your work. Your platform is a haven in a sea of insignificance.
Martyria recently graced us with their self titled debut on Malignant Records. (Read our review here.) Fans around the genre were quick to give them praise for the depth and sincerity in their version of ritual dark ambient. Comparisons to the Aural Hypnox roster, Shibalba and other well-renowned artists of this ilk are warranted. The Kalpamantra net-label, in association with Malignant Records, is releasing their annual digital Malignant Records compilation. As in the past, The Portrait Of Mortality is a combination of solo tracks and collaborative tracks amongst fellow label mates.
We are proud, here at This Is Darkness, to present to you an exclusive premiere of Martyria‘s solo track, “Epiclesis”, which will be featured on The Portrait Of Mortality compilation, set for release on 28 June 2018.
Martyria says about “Epiclesis”:
In Plato’s work entitled The Republic, the ‘Allegory of the Cave’ is presented, where a group of chained people live all their lives in a cave, facing a blank wall. Behind them, there is a fire that they cannot see. As a result, the shadows which are projected on that wall are perceived by them as reality. According to Socrates, the philosopher is like a prisoner who has escaped from the cave and discovers that the shadows are just a part of reality. Similarly to this allegory, a world of shadows is described in our track entitled “Epiclesis”. In this world, the shadows walk on a lightless path invoking the morning star. With each step, they make the shadows become weaker as they approach the fire of Prometheus until they are self-sacrificed in his fire, in order to transform the unknown into knowledge.
Band Name: Martyria
Country: Greece
Labels: Malignant Records, Urtod Void, Hammerheart Records
Members: George Zafiriadis, Lena Merkouri
Links: Official Web Site, Bandcamp, Facebook
Mortiis is hailed by many/most as one of the greatest originators of the now greatly expanding dungeon synth genre. His Era 1 releases considered classics, and highly sought out by the dungeon synth community, as well as by fans of the Cold Meat Industry label, in general, which was home to Mortiis Era 1. With a new round of concerts featuring Era 1 material, a re-issue of his book ‘Secrets of My Kingdom’, and re-issues of many Era 1 albums, it seemed like a great time to have a conversation with the man behind Mortiis and pick his mind about the new book, his re-emergence within the Era 1 context, the Cold Meat Industry 25th anniversary festival and more!
Michael: The last year or so has been pretty crazy for you, it seems. Since your re-emergence in 2015, there has been a simultaneous flow of new fans to your Era 1 material, which culminated in the recent tour and appearance at the Cold Meat Industry 25th anniversary festival. In general, how have you been feeling about all this change?
Mortiis: Good. The only regret I have is that everything should have happened sooner. Especially the release of The Great Deceiver. But a lot of shit got in the way of that, so it wasn´t so much that we were dormant or inactive prior to 2015, we were just dealing with a ton of crap in the background. All that bullshit culminated in us getting rid of some, let´s say, obstacles in the “organization”, that had been wasting a lot of our time, especially in the couple of years leading up to the release of The Great Deceiver. From that moment on, you could almost physically feel the shifting of gears and actual forward movement.
Michael: More specifically, are you pleased to see your old work coming back to prominence so many years later?
Mortiis: To be honest I think it´s cool that people like my music, regardless of when it was made. I just think it´s cool to see people dig my stuff…I didn´t always feel this way…A few years back, I wanted people to feel the way I did, which was, invariably, that my latest music was the best…That´s not realistic, obviously. But I wanted things to be like that. Needless to say, an artist should always feel that the latest work is the best, but it´s not realistic to expect everyone else to agree.
Michael: After this round of 1st era re-issues, the touring, and the re-printing of your long sold out, and greatly sought after “Secrets of My Kingdom” book, what is next for Mortiis? Will the full focus return to Mortiis, the band, as opposed to Mortiis, the dark dungeon music guy?
Mortiis: We´ll have to see about that. I´d like to get another album out of the Era 1 style stuff, but brought into the light on current times. The band will resurface, because so much of my heart and soul has been vested into it, and the music and energy that it inspires in me, so I could never let that go.
As of right now. I am committed to a lot of shows for the rest of the year, and beyond that, I have many plans and ideas, and I´ll just reveal that along the way, when the time is right, haha!
Michael: Your own music aside, what are your feelings on this huge re-emergence of dungeon synth?
Mortiis: It sort of happened in my absence, and I wasn´t really made aware of it until I peronally came to terms with my musical past, which I had a lot of personal issues with up until about 2-3 years ago, when my mind became less foggy and judgemental about it. By that point, it seemed to have been growing to a decent size…It´s interesting that its happening now. Because, I don´t think my reissues had anything to do with this emergence. I think it´s a monster all on its own, so to speak. So it would appear it´s really just a very cool coincidence. I still haven´t been able to check out a lot of it. Although, I have done shows with projects like Old Tower recently, which sounds pretty cool me.
Michael: You’ve marked your stamp of approval on several recent dungeon synth releases, including Machina Coeli’s Gnosis, and at least one other that escapes me at the moment. I’ve also seen your name in the “thank you” sections of many artists’ albums. What do you think your position is within this new dungeon synth community? Are you keeping an eye on new projects, or do you mostly ignore these trends/communities and focus on your own work?
Mortiis: I don´t ignore them, I´m just not as good as I should be on checking them out. It´s all about lack of time really. I´m pretty swamped at the moment, and have been for some time… I see the forums online and I notice a lot of these names. So, I think a good portion of what´s out there, at least I´ve seen their names around, if nothing else. As for my position, I don´t know, I don´t really want to speculate in that. And, it´s not really up to me anyway, to place myself in any sort of hierarchy. If that makes any sense. I think I´m well respected by most people into dungeon synth. Although, I remember one douchebag being very personally offended at me for posting in a forum that was for French DS people only, which I missed. He got all worked up about it. Maybe he hoped for some sort of response. He never got one, so he was probably punching a screen somewhere. Hopefully it broke.
Michael: If you had one piece of advice to give new dungeon synth artists, what would that be?
Mortiis: Don´t post on French DS forums, haha! Nah, the French are OK, except this one dude, haha! To be honest, I´m not a DS expert, I don´t have it “all figured out” or anything. When I started out, I took a lot of shit for being an outsider visually, and making music that was hard to pigeonhole, so my best advice is to just keep at it. If it feels right, then let the world burn, fuck the critics, be yourself.
When I started out, I took a lot of shit for being an outsider visually, and making music that was hard to pigeonhole, so my best advice is to just keep at it. If it feels right, then let the world burn, fuck the critics, be yourself.
Michael: I mentioned earlier the CMI festival. How was that experience for you? Was it surreal to come back together with so many of these people from your formative years?
Mortiis: It was cool to meet guys like Tomas from Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio, Peter from Deutsch Nepal and Peter from Raison d’etre, as I hadn´t met them for years. Jouni, from In Slaughter Natives, I worked with a few years ago on mastering some of my music, so it hadn’t been that long since we´d last met, but of course it is always nice to meet Jouni. The experience was cool, I mean kind of scary, since it was my first Era 1 show in about 18 years, and I was doing things a bit different than the past anyway, so in a sense this was almost like a debut show. I think a lot of people got into it, but of course CMI attracts a lot of somewhat elitist types, with very specific tastes and with strong opinions on what they like and don´t like, so I think there was a clique of guys like that that probably had no time for me, to put it that way, but I knew that was going to happen. In that sense nothing has changed since the old CMI days when I used to go out and do shows with Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio, Raison d’etre, In Slaughter Natives, and so on.
Michael: You have been taking Era 1 on tour recently. What are your general thoughts on live performances of dungeon synth / dark dungeon music? Do you think this is an important aspect for any musician, or is it personal taste?
Mortiis: I think it´s all personal. Either you want to go out and play live, or you don´t. I´ve gotten used to it, so I´m always up for doing a show, as long as the promoters aren´t trying to pull quickies and pay peanuts and fuck you over, but I usually catch those fuckers out before the 3rd email, so they´re goners if it doesn´t feel good. We´re done at that point.
Regardless, I think all music deserves a shot at proving itself on stage.
Michael: You’ve re-released “Secrets of my Kingdom”, now entitled: “Secrets of my Kingdom: Return to Dimensions Unknown”. How has the response to this been from fans?
Mortiis: Very good. I think people really appreciate the additional work we put into it. There´s about 100 pages of bonus material consisting of unpublished texts, artwork, interviews, and so on…The response has been nothing but positive, from where I´m standing anyway.
Michael: Are you personally pleased with the final product and working with Cult Never Dies?
Mortiis: Yes, totally. Dayal is a pretty passionate guy about the product he makes, so he really pushes to make it the best it can be.
Michael: This book re-issue, as well as the era 1 album re-issues, contain artwork by David Thierree. Are you personally acquainted with him, or did you two only work together on these releases? Will you be planning to contract him for work again in the future? Also, I wonder if you have a favorite of his re-imaginings?
Mortiis: We´ve known each other for a long time, but we only really reconnected over these reissues I guess about 2 years ago. We´ve been in pretty steady contact ever since. He also worked with me on a bunch of pieces for my live show. There will be at least one more release coming shortly, that includes his artwork, and that one may well be my favourite. Other than that, it´s a hard choice. I think the Født til å Herske artwork looks brilliant, but the Keiser Av En Dimensjon Ukjent artwork has so many hidden signs and symbols and references, it´s kinda hard not to pick that one as a current favourite.
Michael: In your interview within the new book, you mention that most of this body of work comes from your teenage years, and that you don’t fully appreciate it as much as you might like. What were the changes/arguments made that brought you to re-release this book? Do you feel that this newer version has been redeemed of any potential flaws you saw in its original form?
Mortiis: There´s the intro from the original 2001 version, that was written at some point during the year 2000, and at that point I was very disillusioned with my ’90s output. All across the board: music, lyrics, etc… That had more to do with me sinking into a depression that was deeper and darker than I realized at the time. I can see that now, in retrospect. In the interview, in the book, that I did with Dayal across several 2-3 hour phone conversations, I did probably touch upon this a lot, too. Because, it´s the main reason Era 1, to me, was locked away in some deeply hidden mental closet, and I threw away the key, just to use a worn out cliché.
I don´t think the original book was flawed, it has many things about it that I like. But the new edition is better, improved in the sense that it´s physically larger, it has more content, and I personally shed a lot of light on those days, which we thought would be interesting to the hard-core fan, if no one else. All the material was written between 1992 and 1999, though the bulk would have been written between 1992-1996, so I would have been 17-21 years of age when most of that was written.
Michael: Are there marked differences between your fan-base for Era 2/3/0 and those of Era 1? Would you say one group or another has a sort of darker mentality?
Mortiis: Not sure. I mean, if I was to point anything out, I think metal people, for a reason I still can´t properly understand, beyond the fact that they may be connecting with some sort of primal atmospheric element in the era 1 stuff, seem to like Era 1 a lot more than everything else that came after. But it´s not a rule of thumb. I get people that are fans of everything I´ve done, then I get the sort of industrial/electronic/goth person that got into Mortiis post- Era 1. It really varies, but it´s not like I could point at a guy in the room and tell you what Mortiis records he´s going to be into.
Michael: I recently discovered your 25 minute music video ‘Reisene Til Grotter Og Odemarker’. Those dark and smoky corridors and stone towers were the perfect accompaniment to your sound and your image. Would you be open to doing something like this again? Or is this something that you lost respect for over the years?
Mortiis: I didn´t lose respect for it. VENOM did shit in castles, so how can I lose respect for it? Haha! I just completed filming for a new video to be used for some Era 1 stuff down the line. It´s not in a castle, though, but it´s pretty damn dark stuff anyway.
Michael: Can you remember back to a time when these ideas of “Mortiis” first came into your mind? Were you a child, imagining these dark images and soundscapes, or did this come to you later as you began discovering black metal and the darker side of the global community?
Mortiis: The first lyrics I wrote that became the Mortiis mythology, in the summer of 1992, were all supposed to be used for a planned Emperor concept album. That never happened obviously, since I didn´t last very long in the band after that. I had sketched out a dark otherworld in those 10-12 lyrics, and I brought them all with me, because I knew I wanted to base my music around them. That´s how it got started.
Michael: Politics are on everyone’s minds these days. No need to give an affiliation or ideology, but I wonder how you generally feel about this political landscape? Will it all calm down, and life go back to the mundane boring nature of the last 30 years, or are we headed for darker, more uncertain times?
Mortiis: Well it´s steadily been becoming more and more uncertain, and increasingly hostile and violent, and we have world leaders that seem more occupied with feeding fear and stroking their own egos, than actually going to work, so as it stands right now, I don´t think it´s looking that great. I hope things will get better. I have kids, and I don´t want them to grow up in some sort of dystopian, cynical future. But when people think they can run the world like a company, with no real interest in ramifications and the ripple effects of your actions…Who knows where things will end.
Michael: Thank you so much for your time. Is there anything else you would like to tell readers, which I have overlooked?
Mortiis: Thanks for your interest. Check out www.mortiiswebstore.com for vinyl, CD, shirts and other merchandise. Thanks!
Tracklist:
01. Sunny Side
02. Reflection
03. Evening by the Lake
04. The Hedge
05. Obelisk
06. Swarm
07. Lost Compass
08. Way Home
09. Mechanism
In 2013, Cryo Chamber made a running start in the dark ambient world with the releases of new works by Atrium Carceri, Sabled Sun, Halgrath, and a compilation, Behind the Canvas of Time featuring many of the top artists in the genre. They continued to solidify their presence over the next few years with multiple releases by artists which would become label veterans, like Alphaxone, Ugasanie, Randal Collier-Ford, and Flowers For Bodysnatchers, to name a few. But, now about five years into their existence, Cryo Chamber is really starting to dabble in new territory. Releases like Wordclock – Heralds, the Miles To Midnight collaboration, and now Lesa Listvy – Way Home, all incorporate elements which lean more in the direction of more active musical genres. While staying true to the themes and general atmosphere of the label, the introduction of drums, saxophone and bass guitar, to name a few, opens the label up to a new group of listeners, while introducing their current fan-base to yet more novelty.
Lesa Listvy, or Леса Листвы, is a Moscow-based quartet, as Cryo Chamber puts it. But this is the only information I can discern, thus far, about the musicians behind the music. It would be interesting to know who plays what, but its likely that everyone does a little bit of everything. Along with the four members: Daniil Sheremet, Ryazantsev Dmitriy, Armenak Voskanyan, and Stanislav Smirnov, they implement the use of contributing artists: Max Tsibizov, Boro, and Ilya Orange (also without specific duties indicated). But this isn’t really a hindrance to enjoyment of the release. In fact, for me it’s done a bit of the opposite. I have found a bit of added entertainment in trying to discern what is live instrumentation, modular/digital synth or field recording. Though, in the end, I’ve found that this ultimately doesn’t have any bearing on my feelings about the album.
Way Home is an incredibly entertaining release. The closest comparison I could make to it would be Atrium Carceri, though this still doesn’t really do the trick. It is true that tracks like “The Hedge”, “Obelisk”, and “Swarm” all have significant stylistic similarities to some of Atrium Carceri‘s more percussion-heavy tracks. But, then something like “Evening by the Lake” moves off drastically from the trademark Atrium Carceri sound, that sort of industrial-infused cinematic ambient which almost seems to have a swagger about it at times. (A point I don’t know if I’ve previously mentioned about my particular enjoyment of Atrium Carceri; I would like to go into some more detail on that in the near future.)
“The Hedge” slowly builds momentum over its first two and a half minutes, before bursting into an energetic industrial percussion-laden second half. There are numerous intriguing sounds to follow throughout this second half, including some quite well inserted piano parts. “Obelisk”, again, holds many stylistic similarities to Atrium Carceri, this one starting active and holding its intensity throughout, though, in general, it is less energetic than “The Hedge”.
This brings me to “Swarm”. My personal favorite track on the release. And one that I was not surprised to see Simon Heath (Atrium Carceri, mastered Way Home), mention he keeps coming back to it for repeated listening sessions. This one has a thick atmosphere, as if one is deep in some catacomb or abandoned factory, but on Way Home this sentiment seems to be more representative of some dank heavily-forested swamp lands, as is certainly the case for the album’s cover-art. Taking the track titles and general feel of the album into account, I get a sense of “Swarm” representing the arrival of some non-human antagonist into the story. I almost get a Starcraft Zerg feeling from the music.
Technicalities and possible plot references aside, Way Home is a deeply enjoyable album. It can become incredibly active at times, as mentioned above, but it can also be reserved and beautiful, like on my other favorite, “Evening by the Lake”. This opens Lesa Listvy to a potentially large audience, having something attractive for the die-hard dark ambient fans, as well as those most interested in sonic discovery and adventure. It also makes for quite nice background soundscapes, as it never becomes overly invasive during its most intense moments. I’m pleased to see Cryo Chamber testing new territory; and Lesa Listvy should give listeners enough reason to feel comfortable discovering whatever is to come next.
Tracklist: (Original Version @ 45 rpms) (Thunderdrone Version @ 33.3 rpms)
01. Kokoro
02. A Swarm of Butterflies
03. Demeter and Persephone Run From Hades
04. Winds of Vāyu
05. Me-Olam, Ad-Olam
06. Dance of the Ophites
07. Starlit Mire [Zero Kama cover]
08. To My Sons and Daughters
09. Chödpa
Adel Souto, originating from Miami and now living in Brooklyn, NY, must be a name familiar to those who knew the Feast Of Hate And Fear zine, of which he was the main editor, and Antibothis occultural anthologies series, to which he has been a noteworthy contributor of the first issue ; his new zine is titled Musica Obscura, and besides, he keeps publishing one-off zines, books, articles on esoteric and occultural subject matters, and compilations of “throwaway poems“, that are said to be “unedited stream-of-conscious scraps, which purposefully have to fit 8.5 x 5.5″ pieces of cardstock ; handwritten, using a marker. Called “throwaways” due to being almost immediately left behind on mass transit, or in heavily trafficked areas. To date, over 1000 have been written (with only about 200 documented), and abandoned around Miami, Philadelphia and New York City“. Those throwaway poems, not unlike Tristan Tzara‘s dadaist writings, are signed using the pseudonym Adel 156. With such extensive activities as a writer, I wasn’t even aware of the musical side of his outputs – until now.
156 is a collective project, that Adel Souto conducts, featuring occasional or regular contributors. Presented as blending Einstürzende Neubauten, Test Dept., Z’ev and Crash Worship – with such references, I must admit that expectations were high. Thus, I downloaded (free downloads) the albums 1.5.6(2011) and Steel Rarely Stands Alone(2015) in order to get more familiar with 156 and explore other soundscapes prior to immersing myself in the discovery of Memento Mori. Concrete sounds, almost field recordings, okay, but not the boring type of easily recorded and mannered artsy random material that several modern composers supplied us hundreds of hours with, rather tones of intimistic memories with quite a ritual and atmospheric edge. Minimal found objects manipulations. Flirting with both softness and rawness. Crash Worship and Z’ev, yes, definitely, and Test Dept. too, but more in the vein of their earlier recordings, rather than their later developments. Same with Einstuerzende Neubauten, back to those glorious days of caving under highway bridges, and before the departure of FM Einheit. There is even a cover version of Karlheinz Stockhausen‘s “Cycle on the Radio” as last track of Steel Rarely Stands Alone. The qualities of the recordings matter a lot with such sound works, no disturbing white noise hiss in here, and indeed, the environment where those recordings were done is crucial ; the self introduction of 156 mentions that it is “often being described as a drum circle in a rusty junkyard” : exactly. Rhythmic escalations are inducted in parts, whereas other moments are more floating. Further on, the self presentation of 156 also states : “having tribal elements, the music can often be used in shamanistic practices, as it comes from the soul, and is meditation music for metalheads“. Having more punk and minimal electro roots myself, i cannot say what’s up for the metalheads, but it is indeed appealing and meditative, leaving deeply marked reminiscences after listening. And as far as coming from the soul and being used in shamanistic practices, this is where Memento Mori enters the stage.
Recording sessions initiated in 2012, up until 2016. All the music on this release was made using exclusively human bones, or breath passing through human bones, which include skulls, femurs, vertebrae, bone whistles, and kangling (Tibetan thighbone trumpets). Zero Kama or Metgumbnerbone (rather Drëun than Ligeliahorn, by the way) immediately come to mind – which is obviously legit, as there is a cover version of Zero Kama‘s “Starlit Mire” on the B side of the 10″. “Starlit Mire” was maybe the highlight on Zero Kama‘s The Secret Eye of L.A.Y.L.A.H. album cassette on Nekrophile Records (released in 1984 on Nekrophile Rekords, then reissued by French label Permis De Construire as a vinyl LP in 1988 and as a CD in 1991, and finally reissued by French label Athanor as both LP and CD in 2014), this album, itself, being a masterpiece and a milestone in contemporary ritual/tribal music. Thus, the challenge is rather hazardous, perilous, risky, to refer to such a revered piece of worship. Others have tried before and eventually failed, there has even been some homage compilation, with good and bad moments. Okay. At the risk of sounding pompous, what may I propose? To my perceptions, Memento Mori by 156 must be the most achieved and prominent companion to The Secret Eye of L.A.Y.L.A.H. to date. Away from paying homage or imitating, it rather feels like a furtherance of it. Not a continuation, furtherance. Keeping in mind that Zero Kama had been conceived and executed in the context of Vienna, Austria, early 80s, whereas these recordings from 156 emanate from New York City in the 2010s.
Also, keep in mind that in such specific areas of musical expression, ritualization of the process and intents are even more important than the results themselves. This day and age is fully indoctrinated, perverted by rationalism and hygienism. Although most would pretend the opposite, death still is somehow a taboo. Involving human bones in whichever creative process is still perceived as an heresy. Even illegal in some countries. Remember that you will die : whichever the way, trying to be consequent or not, human condition and the hedonism inherent to it is rendering oneself submissive or dominant, dull or enlightened, destructive or protective, whatsoever, in the end we all die, and that is the most essential remembrance to anyone’s lifetime probably. What kind of inner state is likely to be attained, or obtained, once one’s reaching the ultimate step in life? The temptation to quote Brian Eno is now high : “Just relax, you’re always at the beginning of something“. Woops. And when the Memento Mori 10″ has reached its end, just relax. You just have to play it again. At 33rpm instead of 45rpm. Such is the way of dancing with the Ophians under the auspices of Naas. Enjoyers of the Bandcamp downloads won’t be left out, as “Thunderdrone Versions” of the tracks are featured, those being, the 33rpm versions of the original 45rpm recordings – with intact ceremonial qualities.
The physical vinyl edition comes bone-colored and we are grateful. Mastered by James Plotkin for both the vinyl and the digital release. That James Plotkin of O.L.D., Scorn, Namanax, and Khanate fame, who collaborated with K.K.Null, Sunn O))), Earth and several others? Yes, that James Plotkin. Only a few copies of the Memento Mori 10″ are left, $20 postpaid within USA and $30 elsewhere. A much recommended ritual release that should find its way next to some cult classics of a non-forgotten past.
Over the last few years we’ve seen a huge increase in the output of 
All Internal is a quick and enjoyable read. One that you could knock out rather quickly, if the story so engrosses you. I found my playlist of dark ambient awaiting review was the perfect accompaniment to this story, at certain times playing things on one end of the spectrum, but as the story took twists, I was adjusting the music’s themes accordingly. An all around enjoyable experience. I’m definitely hoping Hannum does more future work in this vein!
Mortiis is hailed by many/most as one of the greatest originators of the now greatly expanding dungeon synth genre. His Era 1 releases considered classics, and highly sought out by the dungeon synth community, as well as by fans of the Cold Meat Industry label, in general, which was home to Mortiis Era 1. With a new round of concerts featuring Era 1 material, a re-issue of his book ‘Secrets of My Kingdom’, and re-issues of all many Era 1 albums, it seemed like a great time to have a conversation with the man behind Mortiis and pick his mind about the new book, his re-emergence within the Era 1 context, the Cold Meat Industry 25th anniversary festival and more!
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