This week we have a ton of new releases to share with you. Some lesser known as well as other better known projects are releasing albums. We also have a few reviews and a mix to share from the previous week, you can find these at the bottom of the article, as usual. We are getting close to finalizing a new project here at This Is Darkness and within the next few weeks will have a huge announcement (edit: actually two announcements). So stay tuned for that! I hope everyone’s summer is going well. Thanks as always for following This is Darkness! If you are interested in supporting our cause, you can find information about how to do that at the bottom of the article. Peace!

New Releases & Preorders

Alphaxone & Dronny Darko – New Album Released (Cryo Chamber – CD/Digital)
Alphaxone (Iran) and Dronny Darko (Ukraine) join forces on this mysterious album.
“The fog hangs heavy over the emptied town as you make your way down the crest overlooking the ocean. The streets lie silent but for the subtle click of a stoplight juggling colors. Your hand disappears into the thick fog here and the smell of sulfur from the nearby factory feeds your head. Something about this place feels wrong.
Damp thuds spins you around towards the misty outskirts of the beach town. A white horse disappears into the hills and behind it a trail of other animals flee after it. And then it booms, the sound of the fog horn rolls in from the black ocean and echoes off the buildings, the stoplight sways. Silence afterwards, ear shattering.
The old man was right, they’re coming for us!”
Alphaxone’s smooth pads and deep bass meets Dronny Darko’s long form drone and ethereal reverbs in this trip into the fog. For lovers of evolving drone soundscapes.

Andrew R. Grant – New EP Released (Digital Only)
Grant is best known for his death industrial project The Vomit Arsonist. This latest release is in the genre of dark ambient. Amended is three shortened versions of a much longer piece of music. The sounds were recorded in the Fall of 2014. Grant will be planning to release the unedited versions in a physical format at a later date.

A Bleeding Star – Weekly Single Released (Digital Only)
“Wildcavenight: Organically Erotic Ambient for those Cryptic Souls Passionately Grave Inclined” is the latest track by the dark ambient artist A Bleeding Star. Deep and slowly morphing drones meet subtle, quite distant drumming for a track that is highly minimal and yet steeped in character.

Bad Sector – New Collection Released (Digital Only)
Selected is a compiliation of previously released Bad Sector tracks. While many of these are not his most well known tracks, there are a lot of gems here and its a brilliant way to enjoy a the sound of Bad Sector from 1995-2016.

Biophon Records – Memorial/Benefit Compilation for Christian H (Biophon – Vinyl/CD/Digital)
“For Christian H” is a compilation album from the Arctic Norwegian city of Tromsø, dedicated to the memory of Christian Hollingsæter – the director of the Insomnia festival – who died unexpectedly in May this year, only 35 years old.
All 18 tracks have been gifted exclusively for the album, which is available as a digital download, a CD, and as a limited edition numbered LP with hand printed artwork by Knut Fjørtoft. It goes on sale on September 13th., with all proceeds going to Christian´s son Julian.

Birth (Defects) – Album Teaser (Anathemata Editions – 7″ Lathe LP/Cassette)

Bzaurie – New Album Released (ΠΑΝΘΕΟΝ – Digital Only)
Hidden Landscape Voice isn’t classified as dark ambient and yet for the dark ambient listener share should be everything here that one would seek in a dark ambient album. ASMR field recordings, gentle drones and presumably tape loops set the foundations for this track which adds many more various sounds to the mix for an highly engaging album that is best experienced on headphones. “name your price” and highly recommended.

Empty Chalice – New Album Released (Cardinium – Cassette/Digital)
This latest release by Empty Chalice is an interesting take on dark ambient. The artist behind the project has provided a poem by David Lynch which encompasses the ideas and direction of the album:

“Ideas are like fish.
If you want to catch little fish,
you can stay in the shallow water.
But if you want to catch the big fish,
you’ve got to go deeper.
Down deep, the fish are more powerful
and more pure.
They’re huge
and abstract.
And they’re very beautiful.”
(David Lynch)

The physical release can be purchased here.

Grid Resistor – New Album Released (Digital Only)
This latest release by Grid Resistor, the new project by the man behind Mystified, is on the more experimental side of the dark ambient spectrum. Using only machine sounds as his source material, Grid Resistor takes a bold step into the deepest depths of the post-industrial world. “name your price” so it is worth a try for those whom enjoy highly experimental works.

Haunted Me – New Single (Digital Only)
“Hey folks, a new, long, deep piece is here for you, waiting to be downloaded. “Gretchen Feast On Slow Things” is a 21 minutes drone, now out for Petroglyph Music. This is the longest track I made so far and it was quite a challenge, so please take a listen and tell me what you think. Download is obviously free (click here). ”

Kashya – New Album Released (Digital Only)
Kashya is an artist that I’ve been following for several years. Though I don’t think he’s made a release backed by a proper label yet, his discography is quite enjoyable and impressive. His music is best suited for times when relaxation is the ultimate goal. The “darkness” in his releases usually comes in the form of subtle drones and synth pads. If this album is to your liking, I would recommend searching deeper into the discography of this artist, you will find many hidden gems here.

Marcus Fischer – Preorders Available (12k – Vinyl/Digital)
Loss is the long-awaited and anticipated follow-up to Marcus Fischer’s acclaimed Monocoastal (12k1063, 2010). Fischer created Loss over several years, finding inspiration to complete it during his time at the Robert Rauschenberg Residency in Captiva, Florida, in early 2017. The album is a particularly emotional work as Fischer explored what loss means to him and how to cope with the permanence of absence. The result is decisively somber and perhaps one of the darkest, most emotional albums in the 12k catalog.
Fischer manifested the concepts of loss in his compositions through the use of generation loss from reel-to-reel tape, re-recording sounds through various speakers in physical spaces, layering, and the use of sounds that have been physically displaced from their source. Conceptually, he listened inside the degradation of sound, pulling out chance moments of beauty and hope amid the rubble.
While Loss has a bleak and lonely tone, the music is characteristic of Marcus Fischer with fragile tape loops on the edge of falling apart, distant haunting melodies and a physicality that grounds the album’s human spirit.
Releases 1 September

Metadronos & Scott Lawlor – New Album Released (Digital Only)
This is quite a disturbing release. Those whom enjoy the experimental side of dark ambient should find a lot to like on this release. It is surprisingly haunting considering the way it was crafted. Scott Lawlor says of the release,
“‘to suffering there is a limit, to being in fear there is none”‘
(Pliny the Younger)
MetaDronos and I felt that this quotation was an accurate description of the subject matter used to create this very dark ambient concept album about a friend of mine
who has been in all manner of institutions and clinical settings from medical hospitals to insane asylums and the tales of horror therein.
No hardware or software synths of any kind were utilized in creating this album.
All of the tracks were created from various voicemails sent to us, granting both of us permission to manipulate them into the horror that will unfold before
your ears.”

Michael Meara – New Album Released (Aural Films – Digital Only)
“The inspiration for this record is the aging process. As we age, the following usually occurs: Focusing on close objects becomes harder. The lens becomes denser, making seeing in dim light harder. The lens also yellows, changing the way we perceive colours. The number of cells in the spinal cord begins to decrease. The amount of active bone marrow, where blood cells are produced, decreases. Our skin tends to become thinner, less elastic & drier. Nerve cells may lose some of their receptors for messages. Blood flow to the brain decreases, thus the brain may function slightly less well. We may react and do tasks more slowly. The ability to taste and smell starts to gradually diminish. Hearing high-pitched sounds becomes more difficult (known as presbycusis) making some words become harder to understand.”

Rauppwar / These Gaping Jaws – New Split Album Released (Throne of Bael Records – Digital Only)
Wire Lambs / 78’s is a brutal yet worthwhile journey into dark and disturbing cacophonous noises. This is a release for those listeners that prefer an album packing a punch. Not for the faint of heart, but a nuanced and interesting experience for those willing to take the plunge. “name your price” so you can decide if it is for you without making any real commitments.

Thangorodrim – New Album Released (Deivlforst Records – CD/Digital)
The dungeon synth artist Thangorodrim has just released his second full length on Deivlforst Records. He is considered by many to be one of the foremost artists in the dungeon synth scene. You can check out the review on This Is Darkness here.

Thangorodrim – Gil-Estel – Review

Veiled Monk – New Album Released (Cephalopagus Records – Digital)
To truly understand the path of self-knowledge, one must be present for all steps along this path. This ritual reflects the pain and ecstasy of the seeker when they cross the fields both physical and mental.
Correlation between the physical impulse and mental obscurity is tightly wound around the middle Identifier; The very creation of a center that will be completely absorbed and destroyed in the process of lighting. “I’m The Veiled Monk, I started my journey much later than others, determined to pamper myself in a world of insanity for the season.
Travel is a necessity for me, if not for someone else. After the transition from the monastery of Silence, the main purpose of this journey is the opening of the Night Gate. This is my burden, my mission, my goal. Follow me …

Weress – New EP Released (Digital Only)
Weress is an experimental one-man project from Bordeaux, France. His music covers a variety of genres, though almost all of them fall within the realms covered by This Is Darkness. This particular release his a demo in the niche of electro space ambient.

Winterblood – New Album Released (Digital Only)
The latest release by the Italian dark ambient / dungeon synth project Winterblood takes us on another plunge into the fridged cold and isolated darkness of the most remote mountainous regions of northern Italy. For this release Winterblood only uses analog synths to achieve his lo-fi eerie atmospheres. Yet, the music still seems to have a character that stands out from most analog synth albums. A particular treat is the first track “Waldeinsamkeit II” a thirty minute follow-up to his previous release, Waldeinsamkeit. A highly recommended release.

Specials & Sales!

Cryo Chamber – Atrium Carceri Sale #2
In this weeks sale we are focusing on Atrium Carceri
Save 50% on these digital downloads:
This week I’m going to give you a glimpse into the Atrium Carceri mythos, these texts are taken from the CD Booklets and are also available on atriumcarceri.com.

Atrium Carceri – Souyuan
I continue ever inward through the home of the 12 Angels, the home of no gates. Each voice in my head a different soul – ground, cut and re-injected into my quivering flesh, 6000 steps below. Disillusioned yet somehow more in touch than ever before with my own divinity. In the bunkers of long forgotten wars, victims of drought, disease and war lining the corners like jewels – one of the few permanent links to our former home, resplendent yet decaying, as are we all.

Atrium Carceri – Phrenitis
Dead tired with gloves made of mud I cower in the sulphurous smattering rain. The stench of spilled blood fills my nostrils, together with a sickly sweet odor that defies dexcription. I glance up from the trenches towards the ruined city and the opposing soldiers, caught up in their insanities. War is painted on their faces, grinning, bloody, obscene – their pupils dilated, black and vibrating. The air itself feels charged with something, the essence of which cannot be comprehended, much less explained. In their midst he stands – The Warlord, The General. Calm and in control, yet his face twisted… Shifting from human to utterly obese, with milky skin and veins that move frantically as sea snakes. His bulbous black tongue moves from left to right in his drooling maw like a lizards tail while he watches over the slaves that do his bidding. Engorged, he shudders with barely contained fiendish glee.

Atrium Carceri – Reliquiae
I had reworked the formula again. This time factoring in the element of chaos. It was all dependent on the same intertwined variables and the ugly, faceless will of the masses. Would they stand their ground when the veil was torn screaming from their eyes or would they cower in fear, mentally maimed by the devices their controllers had thrust upon them? A few years past I would have thought it impossible to manipulate – No, de-manipulate them. Yet reclaiming my godhood, facing the myriad horrors from beyond the illusion. The enlightenment had shaken me to the central core of my being. We are not to be scared of them, because they are scared of us. They. Our former slaves have rebelled against us. As we shall rebel against them.

Atrium Carceri – Void
The Cowled Seers from beyond the frigid void incessantly observe us moving through our daily lives. Manipulating the orders of chance and whimsy they collect our thoughts and steer us through the illusion. Their goal to collect the few for an expedition deep down into the abyss where The Lost God once sought refuge. The weave of “reality” grows thin as they explore what lies beyond even the manifold spires of the ancient city as well as the fractured memories of every swayed traveler.

Malignant Records
To escape the heat and suffocating humidity, might I suggest you stay indoors and take advantage of the newly applied 30% discount on digital downloads over at the Malignant bandcamp page? Just use the code dogdays30 at checkout and curse the sun as you drift into darkness.
https://malignantrecs.bandcamp.com/

This Is Darkness – Week In Review

Thangorodrim – Gil-Estel
The mastering by Grimrik and the high quality physical release formats of this album provide a great reason to delve into Gil-Estel, as opposed to so many other dungeon synth albums that have been released recently. Adding to this the talents of the man behind Thangorodrim (who is still quite the mystery, only showing his painted face and devoid of social media profiles) this is really a great place to make a first delve into the dungeon synth genre. The only draw-back for me is that I do prefer my dungeon synth to have a consistently dark atmosphere, if one is in agreement with me, I would recommend starting with his previous album, Taur-nu-Fuin. For those already aware of this genre, I imagine you will also find as much to love about Gil-Estel as I have. Whenever I’m in the mood for some dungeon synth, I really can’t go wrong with Deivlforst releases and this one is no exception.
Read the full review here.

Veiled Monk – The Acolyte’s Burden
This is a well executed debut for the Veiled Monk project and a high point for the Cephalopagus label, run by the man behind Araphel. The album is released in the “name your price” format on Bandcamp, so there is really no excuse for not giving it a chance. I, for one, have listened to this album many, many times in the weeks preceding this review and haven’t even gotten close to being tired of it yet. While I’ve used the names of several other artists to convey the in words the sounds presented, I don’t feel that the music has really attempted to mimic, any of these other artists. It seems that Veiled Monk is onto something good here, and we can hope that they continue to stick to this path, of course, with the added refinement that comes in working in a similar format for an extended period of time.
Read the full review here.

The Final Struggle: Darkness & Death Mix
A mix of dark ambient and death industrial music. The theme of this mix is a story of a dying planet, a protagonist at their wits end, the final struggle between life and death and ultimately defeat. The afterlife is enshrouded in turmoil and the final resting place of the soul is conjectured. This mix is at times serene with strong religiosity, and yet the mood and atmosphere is chaotic and constantly shifting, reflecting the final struggle in the before and after.
Listen to the mix here.

Please consider making a donation!

This Is Darkness has gone live with the help of friends and supporters. I have been disabled since 2015, due to a spinal injury. Any support that can be given is greatly appreciated. Donations will go toward the maintenance of this site as well as additional promotion to increase its reach and influence. You can help through the donate button below,  or follow this link to the This Is Darkness Patreon page here.

This week we have a lot of self-released EPs and Singles coming from the realm of dark ambient. August is usually a slow time for record releases and this year is no different. However we do have some upcoming releases on Cyclic Law and Cryo Chamber that have just been announce for pre-order, both look like they will be pretty great albums! Be sure to check out the latest publications on This Is Darkness in our summary at the bottom of the article. Stay cool, see you next week!

Music Videos & Teasers

Peri Esvultras – “Balafre”

Peri Esvultras – “Green”

bvdub – Teaser for new album

New Releases & Preorders

A Bleeding Star – New Single
Back with another dark ambient single, A Bleeding Star keeps up their weekly single streak!

Alphaxone & Dronny Darko – Preorder Announced (Cryo Chamber – CD/Digital)
“The fog hangs heavy over the emptied town as you make your way down the crest overlooking the ocean. The streets lie silent but for the subtle click of a stoplight juggling colors. Your hand disappears into the thick fog here and the smell of sulfur from the nearby factory feeds your head. Something about this place feels wrong.
Damp thuds spins you around towards the misty outskirts of the beach town. A white horse disappears into the hills and behind it a trail of other animals flee after it. And then it booms, the sound of the fog horn rolls in from the black ocean and echoes off the buildings, the stoplight sways. Silence afterwards, ear shattering.
The old man was right, they’re coming for us!
Alphaxone’s smooth pads and deep bass meets Dronny Darko’s long form drone and ethereal reverbs in this trip into the fog. For lovers of evolving drone soundscapes.” The album will be released on 22 August.

EMERGE – New Album Released (attenuation circuit – CD/Digital)
narcoses is a 40 minute live track by EMERGE recorded at a live performance on 7/7/2017 at re:flexions ° k15, Augsburg

Haunted Me – New EP Released (Petroglyph – Digital Only)
Haunted Me is an experimental solo project by Claudio Begovic, formed in 2016 and based in Reggio
Calabria (Italy). After playing guitar for a few years in a local Tool cover band, Begovic started composing
post rock and ambient music with his first creatu
re, Ushiro Mawashi. Haunted Me is the natural evolution
of this former project, adding noise and distorted synth organs to spooky vocal samples. Listen to preview here.

Iurta – Preorder Announced (Cyclic Law – CD/Digital)
“Joint project of Portuguese J. A. (Wolfskin, Karnnos) and A. Coelho (Sektor 304). IURTA is a reflection upon the modern dystopia. Inspired by the works of J. G. Ballard and A. Tarkovski, IURTA’s first full length album deals with the fragmentation of identity, of a mind forged by short-circuited information processes. It is a guided descent into an abstracted insanity, a sonic diary of the verge of mental breakdown through soundscapes built upon cascading drones, harsh textures and minimal sonic oscillations. Neural dark ambient, at times punctuated by a cinematic tone exploring the limits of an inner space.”

Less than1 – New EP Released (Cian Orbe Netlabel – Digital Only)
Less than one (<1) (other projects: R0[nought], Fencepost) is an experimental, drone, dark ambient, field recording, musique concrete project from Uk. This EP is a compilation of unreleased and demos. Listen to preview here.

sp3ct3rs – New EP released (Digital Only)
The latest from musician Jim Wylde comes from his flagship dark ambient project Sp3ct3rs. This one is self-released and digital only.

Sun Through Eyelids – New Single
We get a hint at some of the upcoming material from this dark ambient act from New Zealand.

TeHÔM – Preorder Announced (Cyclic Law – CD/Digital)
“Special LIVE audio recording of a unique TeHÔM performance for “The Keep Ambient Lodge” at 2016’s Brutal Assault Festival in the Czech Republic. Recorded both through the mixing board as well as from two room microphones to capture glimpses of the live experience. TeHÔM’s music recalls visions of ancient cultures, evoked by hypnotic, abstract and organic soundscapes wrapped in ritualistic and esoteric atmospheres from which a primordial flood of Chaos emerges. ”

Wil Bolton – New Album Released (Hidden Vibes – CD/Digital)
“Night Paths’ is an album of dreamy ambience inspired by reveries of moonlit summer nights, walking aimlessly through forest paths. Made with a refined instrumental palette of electric guitar, analogue synthesizers and looper pedals, asynchronous loops and layers merge and collide in hypnotic lulling repetitions. An array of stomp box effects and crackling amp noise blur and disrupt these tones. Swathes of gauzy reverb and woozy delays and chorusing effects evoke daydreams and soft-focus memories. ”

This Is Darkness Week In Review

VelgeNaturlig – Opalescent Pust
Opalescent Pust is his first full length album in over ten years, not counting the gterma re-edition of Humus. And it is a very mature piece of dark ambient with all the attributes mentioned above, but mixed in a way that it doesn’t raise any confusion. The drones are dense, sometimes counterpointed by the natural sounds like tiny bells or water streams. It may not have single memorable moments, but it works as one monumental entity. The tracks don’t have beginning nor end, one transforms into another. That was the way Ivo initially constructed this CD, it was later divided into particular indexes. It’s one of these albums which you can place only in your own personal context, made by yourself as it’s floating outside the fourth dimension, you can’t place it in a specific time and space, but have to make up one of your own. For one listener Opalescent Pust may be dark and oppressive, while another will find it soothing and serene. Nothing is obvious here, everything is left for your own interpretation. Even the titles of the pieces are just, I don’t know, to put things in order. Personally, I don’t even care about them, I listen to this CD from the beginning to very last minute without paying attention when one fragment ends and another begins. It absorbs the environment (and the listener’s attention) pretty effectively. Not a bad work, Mr. Santos, not bad at all.
Read the full review here.

Altarmang – Void
The sounds, even on “Sulphur” never become so active as to distract the listener from some other primary goal, such as reading, gaming, studying, etc. But, just as the sounds lend themselves so well to meditation, listeners will also find that a traditional listening session can be quite fruitful and enjoyable. I would recommend this album to any fans of ritual ambient, especially those that lean toward the styles presented on the Aural Hypnox label. While the album is available for download through the Hypnagoga Press Bandcamp page, this latest release on vinyl through Autarkeia is really beautiful and well prepared. It will be a great addition to any fan’s record collection.
Read the full review here.

The Rosenshoul – Darkly I Listen
Darkly I Listen is the most ambitious effort yet from The Rosenshoul. This is the first album to be released under that moniker in the physical format. Darkly I Listen has been self-released by Duncan Ritchie and he’s taken the bold step of creating a digipak CD that appears to be quite professionally executed. The cover-art is beautifully dark, evoking just the right sort of imagery for sounds such as these. The gamble seems to have already paid off, as there are only 8 copies remaining for sale through his Bandcamp page as I write this review. So if you are thinking about purchasing a physical copy, you’d best move fast! I would highly recommend this album to just about any dark ambient fan. It should have no trouble with impressing fans of Duncan’s other project Flowers For Bodysnatchers. It is also a real treat for those fans that prefer the long-form style over short, concise tracks. In short, Darkly I Listen should be a welcome addition to the collection of any discerning dark ambient listener!
Read the full review here.

Martin Bladh – Interview (re-published from Terra Relicta)
Martin Bladh is a multi-faceted artist. Over his years in the public eye, Martin has worked on numerous visual, musical, and performance art projects. He entered the public realm through his power-electronics project, IRM, with Erik Jarl, and later joined by Mikael Oretoft. He would soon join forces with Magnus Lindh creating the musical force know as Skin Area. Martin has also done musical projects with Sektor 304, entitled Ruby, and with Bo I. Cavefors, entitled The Island Of Death, as well as a number of his own personal musical projects.
Read the interview here.

Please consider making a donation!

This Is Darkness has gone live with the help of friends and supporters. I have been disabled since 2015, due to a spinal injury. Any support that can be given is greatly appreciated. Donations will go toward the maintenance of this site as well as additional promotion to increase its reach and influence. You can help through the donate button below,  or follow this link to the This Is Darkness Patreon page here.

Again this week, we have a ton of new releases to announce. Of particular interest, an interview with Northaunt, and the long-awaited return of The Rosenshoul, with their self-released album, which actually gets a really professional looking digi-pak release alongside the digital. As the summer winds down and we move into fall we should expect to see the frequency of releases continuing to increase. Rest assured that This Is Darkness will keep you up to date on all news and developments surrounding the dark ambient community!

New Releases & Preorders

Anthéne – New Album Released (Polar Seas Recordings – Digital Only)
For the First Time in Years is a long-form track which straddles the boundaries between ambient and dark ambient. A track that is deeply meditative and enlightening.

Francesco Giannico & Giulio Aldinucci – New Album Preorder (eilean rec. – CD/Digital)
Electroacoustic musician, videoartist and web designer, Francesco Giannico founded in 2010 AIPS and in 2013 Oak edition with Alessio Ballerini. His musical approach is better described as a cinematic journey which pushes the boundaries of digital media. He collaborated with many artists like: Kim Cascone, Ben Chatwin, Fabio Orsi, Alessio Ballerini.
Giulio Aldinucci has been active for years as a composer in the field of experimental electroacoustic music and in the research on soundscape. He wrote music for theatre, video art, documentaries and short movies. With Attilio Novellino he launched the project Postcards from Italy.
Giannico & Aldinucci’s works have been released on some labels such as Time Released Sound, Unknown Tone Records, Dronarivm and Home Normal. After their first release on Dronarivm in July 2016, they present their second album together.

Gailes – New EP Released (Digital Only)
Rafael Anton Irisarri’s project Gailes uses field recordings and minimal dronescapes to produce a sound that is somber and comforting in its darkness.The album was written, recorded and produced at Black Knoll Studio (New York) between January 22 – 25, 2016 during a snow blizzard, which lasted 24 hrs.

Iurta – New Album Preorder (Cyclic Law – CD/Digital)
Joint project of Portuguese J. A. (Wolfskin, Karnnos) and A. Coelho (Sektor 304). IURTA is a reflection upon the modern dystopia. Inspired by the works of J. G. Ballard and A. Tarkovski, IURTA’s first full length album deals with the fragmentation of identity, of a mind forged by short-circuited information processes. It is a guided descent into an abstracted insanity, a sonic diary of the verge of mental breakdown through soundscapes built upon cascading drones, harsh textures and minimal sonic oscillations. Neural dark ambient, at times punctuated by a cinematic tone exploring the limits of an inner space.
Releases 23 August 2017.

Kaa – New EP Released (Digital Only)
Kaa, the side-project of Italian dark ambient artist Vortex, has released a new EP which has a jazzy neo-classical feel. The darkness remains present but is certainly not overwhelming.

Med Gen – New Album Released (ΠΑΝΘΕΟΝ – Digital Only)
“This album reveals mysteries of Nature encountered at intuitive levels of perception. Unspoken, non-verbal, but available in the streams of sounds, repeating the patterns of nature, embossed with its voices. Enchantment of wanderings and untold fairy tales…
«The idea of this album is five natural places of power, which are unusual and magnetic in their own way. Some of these places have “gates”, specific points of entry to the location. Some of them have few smaller zones, which are forming the whole organism. All locations were visited in the night time to obtain field recordings, photo and video materials. But even in the process of many years of examination all these places have certain novelty because each explored place opens few more other locations. Influence of one onto another is highly unpredictable». ”

Monty Adkins – New Album Preorder (eilean rec. – CD/Digital)
Monty Adkins is experimental sound artist based in remote countryside of the north of England. His work is deeply influenced by the visual arts and psychogeography resulting in collaborations with a number of painters and digital artists. Inhabiting a post-acousmatic sensibility, Monty’s work draws together elements from ambient, acousmatic and microsound music producing a soundworld characterised by slow shifting organic textures derived from processed instrumental sounds. His work can be found on various labels including Audiobulb, Cronica, Signature, and empreintes DIGITALes. He presents on Eilean Rec. his sixth solo albums since 2009.

Noctilucant & HollowHecatomb – New Album Released (Grey Matter Productions – Cassette/Digital)
“No one recovers from the disease of being born, a deadly wound if there ever was one.”
– Emil M Cioran

Phantoms & Mirages – New Two Track Single Released (Digital Only)
Phantoms & Mirages is Embers Below Zero side project focusing on darker and more experimental atmospheres. These two tracks are a short prelude of things to come.

Proxus – New Album Released (Cian Orbe – Digital Only)

raison d’être & Troum – Teaser and cover art revealed (Transgradient Records – CD/Vinyl/Digital)
This is the second part of the collaboration that started with ‘De Aeris In Sublunaria Influxu’, released 2015. A creation of nine separate “worlds”, existing only at the moment you immerse into it.
Releases September 1, 2017
Raison d’être sound sources used and processed by Troum 2013-2017 (deranged and reframed, morphed and transformed). Additional material recorded by Troum 2013-2017: guitars, voices, flutes, accordeon, cello, violin, didgeridoo, dombra, tapes, found sounds.
CD released by Transgredient Records, TR-12.

Randal Collier-Ford – New Album Preorder (Cryo Chamber – CD/Digital)
The last entry in the apocalyptic series, the accumulation of events that has brought the listener to this point, Promethean is the closing chapter of the worlds transformation.
Promethean picks up years after the event of The Architects destructive era of eradication, as well as the years of darkness and reflection within the Remnants album. The album opens with a transmission from an unnamed wanderer, facing down the sight of an opening maw in the Earth, speaking of his next destination; his search for answers. The album takes him, and the listener, through a new world, a reshaped world, with new eyes to see what remains, what was, what will be. Until he reaches his final destination, his final transformation, the point in time to change his path forever.
Promethean is a multilayered effort to tell an overarching storyline, through multiple timelines and multiple realities. To allow the listener to dive deep into each tracks meaning in their symbolism, how they tie the album together, as well as the series.

The Rosenshoul – New Album Released (CD/Digital)
Darkly I Listen through the raven.
Darkly I Listen through the trees and through the walls and the windows.
Darkly I Listen into your violent heart.
Now I will come to you.
Come to you as decay and death.
Come to you slowly.
Like the black dog in the blackest night.
And from the bloodiest of shadows I shall show you the hell you brought unto me.

Sana Obruent – New Single Released (Digital Only)
This is an audio collage of the Sana Obruent track “Intermission” and audio from the cassette tapes that were made by heiress Patricia Hearst who was kidnapped on February 4, 1974 in Berkeley, California. Audio from cassette tapes are from Day 59, April 3, 1974 – Day 80, April 24, 1974.
Track was recorded and mixed at TSC studios somewhere in California – August 2017.
Patty Hearst is the granddaughter of American publishing magnate William Hearst. She was was kidnapped by a left-wing terrorist group known as the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) in 1974. After being isolated and threatened with death, she became ‘supportive’ of their cause, making propaganda announcements for them in the form of audio tapes and taking part in illegal activities. She was found 19 months after her kidnapping, by which time she was a fugitive wanted for serious crimes.
She did jail time but there was much discussion about her situation – she was possibly brainwashed (Stockholm Syndrome) and therefore had her sentenced commuted by President Jimmy Carter and pardoned by President Bill Clinton.

Shelter of Trees – New Single Released (Digital Only)
Shelter of Trees deliver another descent into the imagination with “Among Spiral Friends”. The music is extremely subtle, a perfect companion to relaxation, meditation or sleep assistance.

TeHÔM – New Album Preorder (Cyclic Law – CD/Digital)
TeHÔM’s next release “Live Assault” (live album recorded in Czech Republic 2016 @ Brutal Assault Festival and their “Keep Ambient Lodge”) will be out soon through Cyclic Law (95th Cycle) in a 4-panel matte laminated Digipak CD and La Esencia Records (LER016), spanish label, in LP Vinyl Picture Disc version including “Exta Assault” CD with 3 more studio tracks, some nice postcards, etc.
Here are some short previews. Pre-Order available AUGUST 22nd 2017.

Thangorodrim – Gil Estel preview (Deivlforst Records – CD/Digital)

Winterblood – New Album Released (Digital Only)
Minimalismo Arcano is the latest self-released album by Italian dark ambient / dungeon synth artist Winterblood. Minimalismo Arcano, contrary to its name has a broader spectrum of sounds than most of his previous works. There are sweeping drones, analog manipulations and somber pianos, among other things, coming together to form one of his most personal and introspective works to date.

This Is Darkness – Week In Review

Northaunt – Interview
Hærleif Langås is the man behind several dark ambient acts, including: Northaunt, Therradaemon and The Human Voice. I was lucky enough to pick Hærleif’s brain about some of his inspiration over the years, information about upcoming releases and the frailties of the human condition, among other things. An interview with this Norwegian artist, one that has dedicated so much of his career to music of the coldest variety, seemed like a fitting way to give us a bit of rest and distraction from the scorching summer months.
Read the full interview here.

Leonard Donat – Deer Traps
Alexander Leonard Donat is best known for his project Vlimmer. Vlimmer is a genre bending project which touches on dark ambient, darkgaze, darkwave, indie and krautrock among other things. His latest release Deer Traps is released as Leonard Donat also on the Blackjack Illuminist Records label, where most of his works can be found.
Deer Traps takes a significantly more subtle approach than albums under the Vlimmer name. The album is decidedly lo-fi, giving it a sort of warm rusty feel that could almost touch on the emotions conjured by The Caretaker and the like. Yet, contrary to the comparison, the actual sounds beneath this hissing and cracking are presented in the most minute of detail.
Read the full review here.

protoU & Hilyard – Alpine Respire
Alpine Respire is a perfect fit on Cryo Chamber. It has all the attention to detail one would expect of this label. The field recordings are crisp and give life to the entire album. The drones are varied, sometimes taking on hollow natures other times so dense that they literally seem to crush boulders. protoU and Hilyard make a fantastic pairing, their skills seem to be relatively overlapping, as are their goals. This album is overflowing with field recordings. For listeners that love to hear the elements of nature transported to their speakers, this is the perfect album to add to their libraries. the drone work is also top-notch. The combination makes for some brilliantly dark ASMR enriched music. It is the perfect companion to a late night of reading, a stroll through nature, or a critical session of active listening on a high-quality headset. I, for one, will surely be returning to this album very often.
Read the full review here.

Siyanie – Mystery of Life
The two musicians are known from their other projects, as both Vresnit and Neznamo are already recognized members of the ever-growing Russian ambient/experimental family. Mystery Of Life is their fourth album, including the collaboration with the mentioned Neznamo. I know that our page is called This Is Darkness and Mystery Of Life is somewhat distant from the pitch-black or grey ambiances (check the cover), but there’s a certain form of depth which most of the shades of ambient share. The spirituality, the detachment from the mundane world. But, while dark ambient artists often wander through the wastelands, sometimes in the literal meaning, sometimes as a metaphor of the dark corners of the human soul, the artists like Siyanie (Russian word meaning “radiance”), search for a harmony with nature, a contemplation in a peaceful solitude.
Read the full review here.

Please consider making a donation!

This Is Darkness has gone live with the help of friends and supporters. I have been disabled since 2015, due to a spinal injury. Any support that can be given is greatly appreciated. Donations will go toward the maintenance of this site as well as additional promotion to increase its reach and influence. You can help through the donate button below,  or follow this link to the This Is Darkness Patreon page here.

First order of business this week is a correction to the Vond review from last week. Vond Green Eyed Demon was re-released on Funeral Industries label, not Omnipresence! My apologies for the confusion.

I am again mentioning our Patreon page, where we could use some much needed support. I am currently not even making enough back to pay for the monthly maintenance of the bank account which I must have to accept donations! I really don’t want to see this whole thing come crashing down around me in the near future, and I really can’t stress how much the support of the community is needed. Please! Consider supporting This Is Darkness through Patreon, here.

There are a ton of new releases this week, also you will see at the bottom some very interesting new articles published here on This Is Darkness, which include an in-depth interview with Worms of the Earth, an exclusive streaming of a brand new track from the upcoming album by Asath Reon on Black Mara Records and my latest review of Cadabra Records Spoken Arts material, this time it’s No Ordinary Fairy by Roland Topor!

Music Videos & Promo Videos

Hilyard – New Video Released
Dustlight (feat. Andrew J. Klimek) is taken from the brand new EP, Suspension, released on Elm Records.

Sun Through Eyelids – New Video Released
Single from forthcoming album coming late 2017
Filmed on location in New Zealand.

Vacant Stations – ‘Clones’ Official Promo Video
Awaken. Force yourself up. Draw the blinds. Grey light burns your eyes. Plug yourself in. Step out of the door and fade in to the swim….
From the first opening moments of ‘Day’, you already know that you are about to experience something totally different from the artist ‘Vacant Stations’. As the first solemn sounding, notes play out, the mood is set, hanging in the air like a heavy, dark oppressive mantle. But all is not lost…there is always hope.
Vacant Stations is an ambient project hailing from London, UK who has a background in film and video. Through his music, Vacant Stations generally hopes to conjure visuals and inspire creativity. A little bit about the thoughts behind ‘Clones’ in the words of the artist himself.
“Some of the motivations and intentions behind ‘Clones’, are mostly concerning the theme of identity: A meditation on the conflict and pressures of striving for individualism in an era of homogenisation, while considering implications about the future of human identity as it inevitably merges with the technology it creates. A self-reflexive comment on what have come to be regarded as dark ambient genre conventions. Hopefully a sense of narrative also comes through.” – Vacant Stations.

New Releases & Preorders

A Bleeding Star – New Weekly Single (Digital Only)
Back like clockwork, A Bleeding Star hits us with another dark ambient delight. As always, the track is ‘name your price’, so give it a listen!

Acclimate – New Album Released (Digital Only)
Experimental/ambient veteran Acclimate releases their latest album, Dreams of a Mad Titan as “name your price” through Bandcamp. Give this spacey dark ambient album a listen!

Atrox Pestis / Strigae split c40
20 minutes of material from two dark ambient side projects. Atrox Pestis is Grant Richardson of Gnawed and Strigae is Leo Brucho. Both artists are know for their PE and HN material but come out strong with these tracks of eerie ambience reminiscent of being lost in the woods while you wait for the…
PHAGETAPES.MIIDUU.COM

Carbon Based Lifeforms – New Album, Derelicts, Announced (Blood Music / Leftfield Records)
Legendary ambient unit Carbon Based Lifeforms returns after a six year hiatus with their most haunting work to date. The Swedish duo’s fifth album “Derelicts” escorts the group’s massive analog ambiance to new heights.
Building upon traditions created in CBL’s early trilogy, the group’s calm, exoplanetary atmospheres are on full display – eliciting an unbelievable journey between Earth and the darkest of cosmos. “Derelicts” begins where the band’s incredible 2010 work “Interloper” completes and grows outwards from everything the band has delivered before.
Using a vast array of analog synthesis alongside sampled dishwashers, water pumps, escalators, and teething toys; the album comments on the most organic of life forces through its own constructed machines.
Recalling similar atmospheres as Brian Eno’s Apollo music, Aphex Twin’s early works, and Boards Of Canada – CBL is the obscure soundtrack to a longstanding search between the nature of Earth and extraterrestrial existence. Best enjoyed with a bottle of wine (or two) and a massive pair of headphones.
A co-release between Blood Music and the band’s own Leftfield Records.
RELEASE DATE: October 6th, 2017

Cousin Silas – New Album Released (Cephalopagus Records – Digital Only)
An album inspired by the various literary encounters I’ve had with Crowley, Parsons and Blavatsky. In journals like Fortean Times, the topic and subject of the ‘occult’ is often discussed and written about, and I’ve always found it rather interesting. The pieces on the album are a kind of aural soundscapes, moods, that were created with certain aspects of the occult in mind.

Eagle Stone – New Album Released (Eagle Stone Collective – CD/Digital)
Musique improvisée et composée entre janvier 2016 et juillet 2017, enregistrée en juillet 2017 par John Scott Gartner et Caleb R.K. Williams.

Gianluca Livi (& co.) – New Album Released (Modulator Records – CD/Digital)
This brilliant new work by Gianluca Livi and company is a blend of many different styles of music from neo-classical, to dark ambient / drone to post-rock. All this variation certainly makes for an interesting and somber listen.
Get an audio preview and read more about the album here.

Hilyard – Suspension EP (Elm Records – Digital Only)

Master Toad – New Album Released (Dark Forest Media – Digital Only)
“Enter into a world where danger looms, creatures lurk, and landscapes shift.”

Natural Orthodoxy – New Album Released
[Power Electronics/Industrial] (Digital Only)
While this certainly falls a bit outside the realms of dark ambient, it is tastefully subdued for being labelled as a power-electronics act, and seems to be worth exploring by fans of the dark ambient corners of the world. “name your price” so you can’t go wrong!
“Power electronics/industrial highly influenced by Con-Dom and The Grey Wolves. Aggressive yet miserable and hypnotic.
This album explores the meditation of death and human nature found in Camus’ ‘L’Etranger’.”

protoU & Hilyard – New Album Released (Cryo Chamber – CD/Digital)
ProtoU (Ukraine) and Hilyard (Maine, US) group up in this field recording heavy collaboration. Alpine Respire immerses you in field recordings from two continents. Warm drone contrasts raindrops and the call of animals in the wild. This damp album invites you to explore the unreachable corners of the Earth. From the harshest mountains to the darkest forests. Recommended for fans of Field Recording and slowly progressing drone.

Scott Lawlor – New Album Released (Digital Only)
“These 10 tracks were improvised in the month of March of 2017 for what I was planning to be Desert Nocturnes Volume 2 (More Ambient Excursions for the season of Lent). After 10 days of writing around 3 hours of music for the project, I abandoned this idea since I already have volume one, which is being reissued in 2018 as a remastered set with all new artwork. I decided that the tracks here under the name “A Broken Spirit” make a good collection so that is what you have. All tracks were one-take improvisations on the Roland fa-88 synthesizer with no overdubs. I hope you enjoy the music and I thank you, as always, for your listenership and support.”

sp3ct3rs – New Single Released (Digital Only)
Montreal’s Jim Wylde, also known for his projects Soft Altars and Mithraeum, has released a single with his dark ambient project sp3ct3rs. sp3ct3rs has released some music through Sombre Soniks ritual ambient label, and has a brand new eponymous album released which should be seeing a review here on This Is Darkness in the near future.

Thalaron – Pre-orders Available (Digital Only)
“Ambient space music with influences of berlin school electronics are a few words to describe the new project of Phelios mastermind Martin Stürtzer. Each track carries a set of carefully programmed sequences and sounds that are played and recorded in improvised live studio sessions using analog synths and drum machines as well as state of the art digital tools. No samples or presets have been used while creating this music.”

Physical Re-Releases

Krzystof Penderecki – Kosmogonia Re-released (Cold Spring – CD/Digital)
Unnerving, intense, bloodcurdling, sinister, dramatic – the music of “Kosmogonia” features Penderecki’s famous, unorthodox instrumental techniques, and some of the darkest music ever composed.
Hailed by The Guardian as “Poland’s greatest living composer”, Krzysztof Penderecki is the maestro behind the unforgettable, disturbing music on The Shining​ (including ‘De Natura Sonoris No. 2’, featured here). A complex tapestry of sound with striking use of pizzicato and flexatone, with aggressive barrages from brass and percussion, dissonant woodwind chords, spoken and hissing sounds, fervent strings, swirling organ, climactic choral and solo vocals.
Krzysztof Penderecki’s unique music has featured in films such as: The Shining, The Exorcist, Children Of Men, The People Under The Stairs, Shutter Island, and many more.
Thanks to the estate of Krzysztof Penderecki, Cold Spring are honoured to present this masterpiece in digital format for the first time since the 1974 vinyl release. Sympathetically remastered for CD by Denis Blackham and Martin Bowes. Digipak.
Order CD: http://store.coldspring.co.uk/index.php…
Order CD+DL: https://coldspring.bandcamp.com/album/kosmogonia-csr238cd

Trepaneringsritualen – Perfection & Permanence Vinyl Re-Release (Cold Spring – Vinyl)
‘Perfection & Permanence’ Blood Red Vinyl LP, Ltd 500.
“…a perversely satisfying experience. With Perfection & Permanence, Ekelund has created that most chimeric of beasts: an accessible, even what some might say commercial, noise album. The shadowy world of power electronics and by extension death industrial can be tough for a novice to navigate, but Trepaneringsritualen makes for an excellent starting point.” (Pitchfork) Out 21 August 2017.
Pre-Order LP: http://store.coldspring.co.uk/index.php…
Pre-Order LP+DL: https://coldspring.bandcamp.com/…/perfection-permanence-csr…
Listen: https://soundcloud.com/coldspring/trepaneringsritualen-7th

Sales

Loki Found Bandcamp 25% Discount
25 % OFF ALL LOKI & PAS ITEMS at Bandcamp
USE CODE: 25daysLOKI
16/07/2017 – 10/08/2017
loki-found.bandcamp.com

Malignant Records Bandcamp digital downloads sale.
It’s almost August, which means we’re officially mired in the dog days of summer. To escape the heat and suffocating humidity, might I suggest you stay indoors and take advantage of the newly applied 30% discount on digital downloads over at the Malignant bandcamp page? Just use the code dogdays30 at checkout and curse the sun as you drift into darkness.
https://malignantrecs.bandcamp.com/

This Is Darkness Week In Review

Asath Reon – Exclusive New Track Premiered On This Is Darkness!!!!
Asath Reon and the Black Mara Records label have provided This Is Darkness with our first exclusive listen! Check out the new track by Asath Reon and read the interview I conducted with him about his new album, beliefs and musical tastes.
Read the full interview and hear the new track here.

Cadabra Records – No Ordinary Fairy by Roland Topor
“If you are a fan of Topor’s works, enjoy the music of Theologian, or just love to collect unique and high-quality vinyl releases, the No Ordinary Fairy LPshould be right up your alley. Cadabra Records have quickly solidified themselves in the vanguard of the spoken arts. I really can’t recommend the works of this label enough, and No Ordinary Fairy is a perfectly suitable place to start.”
Read the full review here.

Worms of the Earth – Interview
Dan Barrett is the man behind Worms of the Earth. Over the last few years he has covered a lot of different ground with his musical project Worms of the Earth. While dark ambient has always been close to his heart and a staple of his music, he’s never afraid to blend and even traverse into new territory and different genres. He told me that he had a sale going on, 40% off his last two full length albums, Sitra Achra and Azal’ucel. He set this sale in motion as a nod to his previous accomplishments, but also as a notification of the rebirth of Worms of the Earth. Curious about the changes in store, and wanting to let readers know about these two excellent albums, I decided to interview Dan. You should really get to know a lot about Dan’s background as a musician, and the level of seriousness and spiritual energy he has put into the project over the years.
Read the interview here.

Please consider making a donation!

This Is Darkness has gone live with the help of friends and supporters. I have been disabled since 2015, due to a spinal injury. Any support that can be given is greatly appreciated. Donations will go toward the maintenance of this site as well as additional promotion to increase its reach and influence. You can help through the donate button below,  or follow this link to the This Is Darkness Patreon page here.

To start off the week, I’d like to mention another friendly reminder (since we haven’t made any recent progress on this front) that This Is Darkness is run by a disabled individual severely lacking in the funds department. So any help that could be given through Patreon, here, or through a one time donation (at the bottom of the page press the donate button) would be extremely helpful. If you think these weekly news updates are essential to the scene, please consider supporting the zine.

With that business out of the way, we have a ton of new releases this week to cover. You will also find a good bit of ongoing sales from some of the leading dark ambient labels, so now is the time to get some music!

In the last week on This Is Darkness, we’ve released the ‘Dark Ambient Classics Mix’, as well as reviewed the latest albums by Pär Boström’s new project Bonini Bulga, Council of Nine’s latest opus and a retro-review of an old Vond album, a side-project of Mortiis from the late 90s.

Enjoy! May the darkness forever guide your paths!

Music Videos

Creation VI
Fresh off the release of his latest album, Deus Sive Natura, on Cryo Chamber, CreationVI has released a music video for one of the album’s tracks, “Cycles of Life”.

New Releases and Preorders

Ajna – New Track Released (Digital Only)
After his recent collaboration with Dronny Darko, Black Monolith released on Reverse Alignment, Ajna has released a new track which likely gives some preview of his next album, though not explicitly stated as such.

Andrew R. Grant – New Project / Album Released (Digital Only)
“I’ve decided to take this whole ‘trying to freelance as much as possible’ thing a little more seriously, so I created a new Bandcamp page for my solo work that doesn’t fit under The Vomit Arsonist. The header for the page says ‘dark ambient sound design & scoring’ and that’s exactly what this is: a score to a film that does not exist, though I do hope to shoot it. I also have several other similar releases that are finished, although I’d like to work on physical releases for those, but that’s a different discussion..
I have no hopes of getting any kind of soundtrack work from this one single page, but I needed a place to put this stuff. If you like it and want to buy it, that’s cool. I’m not asking you to, though. it’s short.
So.. yeah. I make creepy weirdo sounds and I want to put them in your movie or video game or radio play or podcast or whatever. really.”

A Bleeding Star – New Single Released (Digital Only)
By now frequent readers should know what to expect from the dark ambient project A Bleeding Star which has been on a pattern of weekly single releases. While I generally don’t like to entertain weekly output from single artists, these singles are short tracks which, in my opinion, are given enough time to be properly created before release.
“Violin’s In Season: Crestfallen?.?.?.?I’m Headin’ to My Final Destination?.?.?.?Go Enjoy thy Freedom”

Kristian Westergaard – New Track Released (Digital Only)
“Kristian Westergaard is a Danish composer and sound artist living in Barcelona, Spain working in electronic music. Westergaard’s music is constantly searching and evolving but with great sense of direction, with a physicality only possible to achieve with a sensitive instrument and a sensitive player.”

Liturgia Maleficarum – New Track Released (Digital Only)
“New track from upcoming release. Recorded in one night in June 2017. Liturgia Maleficarum is the sountrack of the most hideous nightmares of your subconscious. ‘Sinite Parvulos Venire Ad Me” is a new track from their upcoming album.”

Nocht – New Album Released (Digital Only)
Seattle based dungeon synth / black ambient artist Noct releases his latest album, Lore of Sorrow.
https://nocht.bandcamp.com/album/lore-of-sorrows

protoU & Hilyard – Preorder Available (Cryo Chamber – CD/Digital)
“Alpine Respire immerses you in field recordings from two continents. Warm drone contrasts raindrops and the call of animals in the wild. This damp album invites you to explore the unreachable corners of the Earth. From the harshest mountains to the darkest forests. Recommended for fans of Field Recording and slowly progressing drone. Available in 24 bit. Releases July 25, 2017.”

Sombre Soniks – New Album Released (Digital Only)
“Sombre Soniks is proud to present thee full performances from ‘Thee Sakrament IV’ event that took part on thee 15th June 2017 at Haunt in Stoke Newington, London. It featured a Drone set from raxil4, a live performance of thee recent ‘Fault Line’ release from Guy Harries and a full Blood Ritual from Akoustik Timbre Frekuency. Harmergeddon also took part providing bakground Visuals for raxil4 and Guy Harries.
Thee release also inkludes a pdf booklet with info for each of thee Artists involved and photos from thee event itself!”

Shelter of Trees – New Track Released (Digital Only)
“An Unholy Breach” uses sub-bass drones and daemoniac field recordings to create an atmosphere steeped in darkness swirling with an aura of evil energies.

sp3ct3rs – New Album Released (Digital Only)
“pulled those three large meditative medicative tracks into an album which is now released for pay what you like. thank you all for your support”
“a triptych of medicative meditative pieces designed around granular synthesis…”

The Wyrm – Preorder Available (GH Records – CD/Digital)
“These invocations to the old powers were described as a pact with the Devil, when the truth is that the demons of a religion are always the gods of its predecessor.
After nearly two thousand years of papist rule, the ancestral gods began to resurface. In Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Britain … there were many who wanted to turn a blind eye to their traditions, recovering the promethean essence of Europe.”

Urals Vector Plant – New EP released (Human Lessons – Digital Only)
This album is the first dark ambient works by Japan based Human Lessons. Deep drones and mesmerizing field recordings create an interesting and engaging atmosphere for the listener.

Urs Wild – New Album Released (Eighth Tower Records – Digital Only)
“Urs Wild is a musician and sound designer from Switzerland working on multiple ambient music declinations. Hidden Universe is his first full length album, and it’s the first individual release of Eighth Tower Records. The Urs Wild ambient music is fluid and cinematic. His eidetic textures tell us a story that is never really unveiled, but at the boundaries of an abstract consciousness of something we barely perceive. Something that is confined into a hidden universe. A dark minimalism, crossed by ‘gentle’ noise and oblique synth passages, that explores the territories of space, ritual and dark ambient.”

Waeltaja – Preorder Available (GSP Productions – CD/Digital)
This interesting new dark ambient / dungeon synth album releases on 1 Aug 2017.

Sales!

Cryo Chamber
“In this weeks sale we are focusing on two artists that have each released 2 albums on Cryo Chamber. Keosz and Randal Collier-Ford Save 50% on their digital downloads here.

Loki Foundation / Power & Steel
25 % off all titles!
Use code: 25daysLOKI
16/07/2017 – 10/08/2017
Check out their discography here.

The Rosenshoul
50% off all albums on Bandcamp
“Leading up to the release of the new album from The Rosenshoul next month we’ll be offering the albums Hidden Field, Low Winter Sun (Deluxe Edition) and Yokai at 50% off! That’s only $3.50 USD per album or $5.25 USD for the full discography!”
Check out their discography here.

Worms of the Earth [New Interview Coming Soon On This Is Darkness!!!]
“Myself and, as it is intrinsically linked, this project are in the midst of a major rebirth, always moving towards a more ascended state. It’s been a long journey through the darkness, but the path is becoming illuminated. I’m working on some big things for the fall and beyond. In the meantime, I’m having a sale on my two ritual ambient albums Sitra Achra and Azal’ucel. Use the code “rebirth” here for 40% off either or both of these albums!!”

This Is Darkness Week In Review

Dark Ambient Classics Mix
This mix features some of the greatest tracks throughout the history of the dark ambient genre. It contains a who’s who of several decades worth of post-industrial music as it evolved into what we know today as dark ambient. The mix was created by Przemyslaw Murzyn, who is currently the only other contributor to This Is Darkness. Przemyslaw has a fantastic resume in the dark ambient scene, as he’s been publishing dark ambient news and reviews on his website Santa Sangre for years. He is also an artist himself in the dark ambient project Embers Below Zero. I hope you will all enjoy his mix!
Listen here.

Bonini Bulga – Sealed
It seems that the coming years will be ripe with output from Hypnagoga Press. Whether this will continue to be the sole production base for the siblings, Pär and Åsa, or if some of these other locations hold introductions to new partnerships and collaborative output is anybody’s guess. But, if we consider what we have already seen as an indicator, we are in for one hell of a collection of works.
Read the full review here.

Council of Nine – Trinity
Trinity is obviously the last part of a three album sequence. It is a closure to everything that Council of Nine has done within his three solo releases. This leaves a big question mark for listeners as to what will come next. Trinity being the most personal of these three releases it seems quite possible that we will now move into some territory that is much less connected to the artist’s personal life and more aligned with his external interests. Trinity can be seen as the closure to his period as a new artist. What comes next will come from a musician that has honed their skills for several years, and is prepared to deliver their craft with a purpose and mastery that can only come from a veteran artist. For now we have plenty of great Council of Nine music to keep us entertained, and we can patiently wait to see where this artist will direct his attention next.
Read full review here.

Vond – Green Eyed Demon
For long-time fans of Mortiis, there will be nothing new here aside from the beautifully crafted re-release editions. But, for newer fans, just recently discovering his older phases and side-projects, Green Eyed Demon, as well as the other Vond albums, should be a delightful discovery. Vond definitely shows off a side of Mortiis’ talents that should be highly attractive to fans of dark ambient music. Its gritty production is a reminder of the old days of the dark ambient genre, back before everything could be done with a computer and midi controller. It’s also a reminder of the varied nature of Mortiis‘ interests. I would love to see these old albums draw enough attention to maybe get Mortiis to consider opening the vaults of Vond for one more chapter.
Read the full review here.

Please consider making a donation!

This Is Darkness has gone live with the help of friends and supporters. I have been disabled since 2015, due to a spinal injury. Any support that can be given is greatly appreciated. Donations will go toward the maintenance of this site as well as additional promotion to increase its reach and influence. You can help through the donate button below,  or follow this link to the This Is Darkness Patreon page here.

This week’s edition of Frozen in Time is a bit short, as the summer is usually the slowest quarter of the year for music releases. However the albums that are available to share are certainly worth a listen and probably a purchase. This downtime will surely not last too long before all the major labels are back to their frequent release structure this fall. During this slower period I will be working on reviews for more albums ‘On The Periphery’ which have drawn my attention over the last few months, but have been previously pushed aside in order to cover more strictly dark ambient styled releases. Stay cool, enjoy your summer, and until next week, let the darkness consume your souls!

Music Videos

Ashtoreth – New Video Released
Tim Van der Schraelen has collaborated with Ashtoreth again for the music video to “Wani Yetu” off the recent album Morana released through Unexplained Sounds Group.

Eidulon – Teaser Video for Upcoming Album on Malignant
We first heard the works of Eidvlon several years back on their Malignant release Idolatriae, which you can listen to here. They are now back with their sophomore album which has some huge guest appearances that are mentioned in this teaser video.

New Releases and Preorders

Asath Reon – New Album Preorder (Black Mara – CD/Digital)
The debut by Asath Reon, Buried Visions, is something that I have been anticipating for a while now. The final product makes the wait worth while. Asath Reon finds a perfect home on Black Mara with their ritual dark ambient sounds which have been honed to perfection. A brilliant new album, that comes in a beautifully realized limited edition CD and hand-made leather book.

Giuseppe Falivene – New EP Preorder (Shimmering Moods – CD/Cassette/Digital)
“This work was born from the idea to propose a Drone\Ambient reinterpretation of 90’s feelings.
The sound created from this it’s like an unrestrainable flow of memories where the emotions re-emerging.
To make the idea of low, all the tracks starts and ends with a tape\vinyl noise, to make sure that the mix is continuous and endless like the flowing time.”

Noctivagant – New Compilation Released (Noctivagant – Digital Only)
The Collective III is the latest compilation from the Noctivagant label. This “name your price” release features an introduction to all the great artists they have to offer. Darkness meets ritual meets experimental on this label which releases music from a wide-variety of artists and yet they all seem to have a very central commonality. Recommended especially for anyone unfamiliar with Noctivagant.

Shelter of Trees – New Singles Released (Digital Only)
“A Sudden Sheltering” is the first release by Shelter of Trees. True to the project’s name, this track is a slightly dark mix of subtle dronework and crisp field recordings. The forest comes to life over this 7:25 track, taking listeners on a contemplative journey in their minds. Shelter of Trees is certainly worth following, with a single of this caliber we are likely to hear some great things for them in the near future.

Their second single was released several days later. “The Unwelcoming” takes us onto a more droning and much darker territory. As if we’ve wandered aimlessly through the forest, and now night is setting in, predators come out for the hunt.

Sales

Loki Foundation

They are currently running a sale of 25% off all their releases on Bandcamp! Now is the perfect time to pick up some of these classic dark ambient releases! View their releases here.

This Is Darkness Week In Review

Anima Nostra – Atraments
“Atraments is far from my usual musical interests. In general, I’m not always a fan of the many varied works of Nordvargr. but I greatly enjoyed the aforementioned Körperwelten and obviously some of the works of Mz.412, so I gave this latest release an honest chance. My first impressions were a bit negative, again I’m not a huge fan of doom metal in particular. But, after the second and third playthroughs I started to really understand the project and slowly but surely fell in love with each track and the nuances and progressions that take place throughout the album. This is why I would never review an album without giving it numerous listens, first impressions can be misleading, some things, especially those that fall outside the usual genre boundaries, need time to make sense to the listener. At this point, I could say that I highly recommend Atraments to any fans of the varied output of Malignant Records. It seems that the variety of releases from the Malignant label all find their way of making sense within the frame-work of this one single album. There is the dark, the brooding, the beautiful, and the ugly, all making appearances on Atraments.”
Read the full review here.

Please consider making a donation!

This Is Darkness has gone live with the help of friends and supporters. I have been disabled since 2015, due to a spinal injury. Any support that can be given is greatly appreciated. Donations will go toward the maintenance of this site as well as additional promotion to increase its reach and influence. You can help through the donate button below,  or follow this link to the This Is Darkness Patreon page here.

This week’s edition of Frozen In Time is rather short on new dark ambient releases. We have the third album by Council of Nine unveils on Cryo Chamber, which is really the only major announcement of the week. But there are actually some really promising releases in the peripheral genres of ambient and neo-classical that I think many of you will find interesting and worth delving into. There are a good bit of albums on sale this week as well. As always you will find our latest reviews at the bottom of the page, along with your weekly reminder that helping This Is Darkness out through paypal donations or Patreon sponsorship is always appreciated and greatly helpful in keeping the zine up and running! Stay cool, and enjoy the week!

New Releases & Preorders

A Bleeding Star – New Single Released (Digital Only)
This week’s installment from A Bleeding Star takes us into a frozen landscape where gods and humans mingle amongst one another. As usual, A Bleeding Star delivers a very interesting and well thought out track. The fact that he is pumping out one of these every single week, as of yet, doesn’t seem to be making the final product suffer. Give “Witchcraft for Winter’s Broken Staff: Runic Synapse (Haegl Peorth Cen Feoh Ur Asa Tyr)” a try!

Council of Nine – New Album Available For Preorder (Cryo Chamber – CD/Digital)
Council of Nine returns with his third album on Cryo Chamber. Trinity is a touching, personal and enlightening album from Maximillian Olivier. In a genre where most keep their personal life to themselves, Maximillian opens his heart for all to see. “This is my catharsis. The many stages of grief and the acceptance of loss, deeply personal, unforgiving, cold and painful. This is the story of the greatest loss I have suffered, the death of my mother. This marks the end of a chapter and the closure I was desperately seeking.”
Blending atmospheric sound layering with a harmonic palette it drifts between dark and light. Walls of sound collide with echoing strums, drones wash over endless shores. Recommended for lovers of melancholic dark ambient.

Kelbach – New Album Released (Sparkwood Records – CD/Digital)
“The strong, underlying ambient theme of this EP evokes scenes from a nonexistent film, composed of memories of the northern Ohio shore. Recurrent melodies almost seem to be characters in each scene, arranged and played in ways that very effectively convey a wide range of human experience, from sadness and fear to daydreaming and falling in love.
Every single sound is emotionally charged in this intimate and moving seven-part love letter to the state of the buckeye trees and the heart of it all.”

Maiya Hershey – New Album Available For Preorder (Shimmering Moods Records – CD/Cassette/Digital)
“The water itself is the second collaborator on this fluid record because this music originated from the depth of the waters where life began to proliferate in an unfamiliar faraway land. This album is a fictional story that encompasses a new way of life manifesting in a creature that inherited all of human consciousness and memory. The music flow is an experience within itself inside this creature and all life within; for all things lost, and will be, belong to it entirely.” Releases 18 July 2017.

My Home, Sinking – New Album Available For Preorder (Infraction – Vinyl/CD/Digital)
King of Corns looks to be a very promising new album. The sounds are definitely more in line with neo-classical than dark ambient, but the atmospherics and mood should be welcome to fans of dark ambient. While the words neo-classical can often be used ad-nauseum to describe anything with a bit of piano or violin, this album promises to be the real deal with eight classical musicians coming together to constructive a brilliantly layered and emotive set of soundscapes. I’ve only heard the two preview tracks so far, but I can already say I would highly recommend this release. Official release date is 16 September 2017.

Poemme – New Album Available for Preorder (Polar Seas Recordings – CD/Digital)
“This collection of songs was composed specifically for sleep and reflects my memories of winters growing up in Cleveland… The endless gray skies, the magic of a fresh blanket of snow, and more wonder still once Lake Erie transforms into a vast, frozen desert. The scene takes place at my favorite lakeside park, with a pale sky above and waves of solid ice below. All is silent but for a flock of geese in the distance, making its way to warmer land..”

Strange Fog – New EP Released (Divergent Series – Cassette/Digital)
I’m not familiar with this artist, but upon listening I was immediately drawn into the sounds. Only about 13 minutes total, but definitely worth the time!
“Beautiful modular sounds and field recordings dance together in a beautiful mix of immersive admixtures. Limited to 50 cassettes. Green and white cover variants…specify which color you’d like when you order!”

Sum Spiræ – New Album Available For Preorder (D.M.T. Records – Digital Only)
Translated from the original French: “From one course to another, from one universe to another, utopia seems to reign in the mortal through ideals created by the coded thought (mother tongue). The paradox exists within the verbal consciousness itself. By this second alchemical treaty, Samuel presents 9 pieces named by his own mother tongue while being channeled by the inception of his personal journey. Musicality, expression, astral travel (…) listening to these nine creations in a single line, you are connected to the language of the birds that belongs to Sum Spiræ.”

Sales & Discounts

Cryo Chamber
Ugasanie Digital Albums are on a 50% Discount

Ugasanie – White Silence $3.50
Ugasanie paints us a grim, cold and bleak landscape of dark ambient with this chilling album from the heart of Belarus. Careful layering of subtle pads with the frosty overlays of field recordings makes for a truly special soundscape that speaks to the core of unsheltered humanity.

Ugasanie – Call of the North $3.50
This album takes us even further north to explore the concept of the unusual and mysterious phenomenon known as arctic hysteria (also known as menerik and the call of the North Star). It manifests itself only in the polar night, and only when the northern lights shine. Man, as if under hypnosis journeys north. In this state of trance he is almost impossible to stop, he becomes aggressive, sings a song, mumbles, experience hallucinations and persistently continues towards the polar star.

Ugasanie – Eye of Tunguska $3.50
A strange incident took place in the 1990s in late autumn in the taiga. Not far from the epicenter of the Tunguska meteorite impact site. A group of students went hiking to to see this legendary site. They lost their way after they decided to spend the night in one of the winter huts built by hunters of the land. Their mutilated bodies were later found near an old abandoned geological base with radiation burns. Ugasanie explores this incident together with photographer Alexsandr Yakushev in this eerily cold and unforgiving dark ambient release.

Ugasanie – Border of Worlds $3.50
The Nenets, Tungus, Eveneki, Yakut share many beliefs and in the center stands the shaman. We follow him through his inner journey while tackling shaman’s disease. Clouded consciousness and hysterical stupor clear signs of the Amanita Mushroom. His sweat covered body feverish while pulled to the lower world of spirit. Here his weathered body cut and torn to pieces by the spirits who cook and devour it. Meanwhile in the dim lit hut the shamans body starts bruising while the tribe watches over him. Reborn, the Shaman awakens, granted powers to traverse between worlds. With the gift to cure his tribe of sickness, to control animals and commune with the spirits.

Flowers For Bodysnatchers
50% off all albums.

Infinity Land Press
Summer Sale – 20% off selected books!

Darkleaks – The Ripper Genome
by Jeremy Reed & Martin Bladh
Foreword by Stephen Barber
WAS £25 / NOW £19

Alien Existence
by Philip Best
WAS £55 / NOW £44

CHILDHOOD
by Michael Salerno
Standard edition
WAS £35 / NOW £28

The Void Ratio
By Shane Levene & Karolina Urbaniak
WAS £20 / NOW £16

GONE – SCRAPBOOK 80′ – 82′
by Dennis Cooper
WAS £35 / NOW £28

This Is Darkness Week In Review

Bleach For The Stars – The Time For Silver Flowers
“The Time For Silver Flowers is a highly enjoyable album, which can be returned to time and again. The analog elements do not seem as mechanical and lifeless herein as is so often the case with albums fully dedicated to this format. This is a perfect place to start for those unfamiliar with Cromlech Records. For those already familiar with the label, there should be minimal criticism of this latest release to be found. In sound execution as well as packaging, Cromlech Records have done justice to the vision of Benjamin Power. I will certainly be paying attention to whatever comes next for Cromlech and/or Bleach for The Stars.”
Read the full review here.

Shibalba – Psychostasis – Death of Khat
“Psychostasis – Death of Khat clearly shifts from much of the previous Shibalba catalog into totally new territory. Their move to a label focusing on rock and metal acts seems to fit their shift in style. Yet, they still manage to retain the energy and mysticism that made Memphitic Invocations and Samsara so successful. They will surely attract a whole new crowd of listeners to their sounds. While, from my perspective, they shouldn’t alienate their oldest and most dedicated supporters that followed Shibalba from its birth. I would recommend Psychostasis – Death of Khat to any previous fans of Shibalba. I also think there is a big enough shift in their sound to attract readers whom may not have previously found Shibalba to be their thing. Whether they will stay the course with this new style, return to their previous frameworks or evolve yet again into something wholly new for their next release will be any one’s guess. In the meantime, Psychostasis – Death of Khat should give us plenty to enjoy for the foreseeable future.”
Read the full review here.

Please consider making a donation!

This Is Darkness has gone live with the help of friends and supporters. I have been disabled since 2015, due to a spinal injury. Any support that can be given is greatly appreciated. Donations will go toward the maintenance of this site as well as additional promotion to increase its reach and influence. You can help through the donate button below,  or follow this link to the This Is Darkness Patreon page here.

This week’s edition of Frozen In Time has a number of new releases to announce. There are also some interesting music videos from Ashtoreth and Evil Sex Party. Of extra special mention is the latest track by Halgrath, which will hopefully be a sign of more to come. As usual you can find at the bottom of the article the latest reviews, interviews and mixes posted on This Is Darkness from the last week. Thanks for your continued support and I hope everyone’s week is going well!

Music Videos

Ashtoreth – New Videos Released
“Dawn Rite” music by Ashtoreth video by Tim van der Schraelen

“Closer Distance” music by Ashtoreth & Eye. Spirit. Eye. video by Tim van der Schraelen

Evil Sex Party – Found Footage

New Releases and Preorders

Asath Reon – Teaser Released (Black Mara)
Buried Visions is a teaser for the upcoming album by Asath Reon which will be released on Black Mara.

Bonini Bulga – New Album Released
”Beyond theophany and behind revelation, they arrived. Bonini and Bulga. An unlikely manifestation, of being and unbeing.
They stood there. They bowed and they bent the room they had entered.
Behind the Hierophant’s mask, Bonini, with the power to know, to shift and to unveil. The paths of hidden light and eclipses turning inward. A cowled head, overlooking thought.
Behind the mask of the Other, Bulga, with the power to create, to root and to merge. All shapes there to inhabit, all geometries there to unfold. A crowned head, overlooking process.
And they sang. Sealed as one.”

The Dale Cooper Quartet – New Album Released (Denovali – Digital / CD / Vinyl)
“The Dale Cooper Quartet & The Dictaphones are returning with their 4th album called Astrild Astrild. Like all of the previous albums, the band recorded the seven pieces at home in Britanny during several sessions between 2013 and 2016.
The characteristics of this full-length are classic drone soundscapes mixed with deep tone saxophone parts that became the band’s trademark since the release of their debut album in 2006. Slowly paced, the new tracks are following the Quartet’s basic structure and classical sound. Apart from that the new full length conceals more live takes including guitars, bass and Rhodes keys and even piano sounds are haunting for the first time at the end of ‘Ocho Acenteur’. With these new elements the songs of Astrild Astrild are pushed further into a large tunnel of deafening rhythmic parts and field ambient textures.
Vocals are a major element of the Dale Cooper Quartet & The Dictaphones’ DNA since the second album Metamanoir (2011). Sometimes breathy, sometimes deep and often mysterious, Ronan MacErlaine, Gaëlle Kerrien and Zalie Bellacicco voices appear in the corners of the songs as ghostly figures or eerie characters.
The new album Astrild Astrild is a glimpse of the present live sound of the Dale Cooper Quartet: 50’s crooners singers, noisy guitars, atmospheric electronic and hypnotic jazz. All of these elements painted in monochrome black.”

Dawn Tuesday – New EP Released (Digital Only)
Moons of Jupiter is a long form space ambient piece by Dawn Tuesday. The sounds are as calming as they are remote and stellar. Great music for times when the brain needs a bit of rest.

Evil Sex Party – Album Released (Digital Only)
E.S.P. is what appears to be a long lost album from the early 90s. Information on the project is a bit cryptic and we must put the pieces together ourselves to fully understand what is happening here.

Halgrath – New Single Released (Digital Only)
“Mi Ashera” is the latest release by Halgrath. Anyone familiar with the Halgrath debut on Cold Meat Industry or her subsequent two albums on Cryo Chamber should be extremely excited to see some life from this project which has been dormant for the last few years. We can only hope that there will be a full album to follow in the relatively near future!
“The Pray to the Goddess, says about union of human and divine force. Let it go inside you.”

Harrogat – New Album Released (Digital Only)
Galeria is the debut album by Harrogat. The six tracks come in at exactly ten minutes each. Harrogat incorporates a nice combination of dronework, field recordings and vocals to build an album that seems to be telling us a story about the fall and return of a lost knight. Definitely worth checking out.

Intersonic Subformation – New Album Released (Lost Entity – Digital Only)
Space Project at Earth’s End is the first release on Lost Entity a space ambient label run by Last Day Deaf. The album is well prepared and can give us an idea of the many things to come from this new venture.

Jinthra – New Single Released (Digital Only)
Jinthra is solo project from Jindrich S. (Druhá Smrt, A Most Accursed). “Autarkia” is a premonition of the album (part of…), which will be released by Sombre Soniks Studios.

Kaa – New Album Released (Digital Only)
Tranquilla is an interesting combination of classical, dark jazz and dark ambient soundscapes. Kaa is a side project of the man behind Vortex, which last year released the brilliant album Moloch on Cyclic Law.

Marifa – New Album Released (ΠΑΝΘΕΟΝ Records – Digital Only)
“The moon stays bright when it doesn’t avoid the night ~ Rumi
Qumrah – the beauty and the magical charm of the moonlight. Light, that unveils secrets of the night, still leaving everything untouched. A petal in the hand of God, eye of the nightsky, a blooming face of your beloved one…
In memory of Klaus Wiese (1942-2009), drone music pioneer and wise soul with exceptional feeling of Sound. ”

notnotice – New Album Released (Digital Only)
“The album Trasmutazione narrates the process of change in consciousness connected with spiritual experience. NotNotice uses a combination of noise with extended musical landscape in his tracks. Dark dreams allow you to see the colors. The combination of internal voices and whimsical looped melodies are introduced into trance… ”

Unsettled Dust – New Album Released
Return To The Nonexistence follows the November release of Formless Realm which was released on Black Mara. This latest self-released production is a gritty but beautiful dark drone ambient album which is certainly worth a listen.

Winterblood – New Album Released (Digital Only)
“Foresta Incantata was recorded in 2016 with elementary analogue equipment. Inspired by an 8-bit videogame called ‘The Curse of Sherwood’, a survival horror game that I love so much still today. The lack of music of the game makes it almost eerie, and unsettling, and inspired me in making something strange that may fits with the atmosphere. Originally recorded directly on tape with no effects, now converted in digital by tape-deck to Tascam Dr-40 recorder, with few reverb added. All sounds very strange, and illogical… The thing I love of the 8-bit tunes and games is that unhuman atmosphere, that modern ones can’t reach. We need to escape while playing, not to recreate the same world. Enjoy!”

Other News

Father Dagon Podcast
Father Dagon – S01E06 – Vincent Abbott

Thomas Park Essay
“A Machine Music Manifesto” by Thomas Park
http://www.mystifiedmusic.com

This is Darkness Week In Review

Cadabra Records – The Muse Of Hyperborea by Clark Ashton Smith
“The Muse of Hyperborea, being a collection of totally separate and diverse poems, gave Theologian the freedom to focus wholly on atmosphere and emotion, and less on complementing a narrative. This often leads his sounds into eerie, other-worldly and down-right hypnotic territory. Some of the musical pieces will extend across several poems, slowly building and oscillating upon their foundations. Others will bring a specific mood to a given poem, taking its cues from the delivery of S.T. Joshi.”
Read the full review here.

God Body Disconnect – Sleeper’s Fate
“God Body Disconnect proves once again that they are producing cinematic dark ambient of the highest order. There are really few narratives out there that hit the mark so profoundly in so many different ways. So now the narrative has doubled. The story has given us quite a bit more to experience and enjoy. Sleeper’s Fate takes none of the allure away from Dredge Portals, while simultaneously proving that another year within the dark ambient scene, meeting and learning from his fellow label-mates at Cryo Chamber, has driven his craft to new heights. By this time next year, its hard to tell what sort of masterpiece Moallem will have constructed.”
Read the full review here.

Hoarfrost – Interview
Previously published on Terra Relicta in 2016.
“I caught up with Rafał Kopeć, the main artist behind Hoarfrost to ask him some questions about Anima Mundi and the history of his dark ambient project.”
Read the full interview here.

Near Eastern Dark Ambient Mix
Dark ambient mix using the near east as its theme. Tracks take listeners from the pyramids of Giza to Jerusalem to the ancient city of Damascus. Curated and mixed by Michael Barnett.
Listen to the mix here.

X-Navi:Et – Machina Nova
“A tribal feeling is present here and there as it is Rafał’s trademark, just like this “neoprimitiveness”, a certain idea around which all Rafał’s projects are built. Like in the amazing “E System X” piece. On the other hand, you’ll get a jazzy trumpet in “Machina”. So… expect a mix of organic and electric, the ancient and the modern. And the unexpected.”
Read the full review here.

Please consider making a donation!

This Is Darkness has gone live with the help of friends and supporters. I have been disabled since 2015, due to a spinal injury. Any support that can be given is greatly appreciated. Donations will go toward the maintenance of this site as well as additional promotion to increase its reach and influence. You can help through the donate button below,  or follow this link to the This Is Darkness Patreon page here.