This week has been reasonably quiet. There have definitely been some interesting releases coming up, which of course you will be able to peruse below. But not much major news for the most part. This Is Darkness just got support from our second patron through our Patreon page, which you can find here. The support is greatly appreciated and is more helpful than you might imagine. I hope some more people that find This Is Darkness to be an indispensable tool to their dark ambient doings will also consider to offer their support. Regardless, we’re going full steam ahead. Because this is being done first and foremost for the love of the genre!

You will find a new section has been unveiled this week. “On the Periphery” is a new review section which will cover albums outside the dark ambient genre, but deemed worthy of discovery by fans of dark ambient. It will also serve the purpose of bringing fresh eyes and ears to This Is Darkness and hopefully recruiting some new life-long fans to the genre along the way. Any feedback on this new section would be greatly appreciated. You can get in touch with us through our Facebook page, in the comments section below, or by e-mail: info@ThisIsDarkness.com

I have been starting to re-publish my previous interviews from when I worked for Terra Relicta Dark Music Webmagazine. There have already been several added, which you can find links to at the bottom of this article. There will be about 5-6 more posted over the coming week. A big thank you to Terra Relicta for allowing me to re-publish these interviews on This Is Darkness. Many people wouldn’t have done that, and for their continued friendship and support I am very thankful.

New Releases and Pre-orders

Anima Nostra – Pre-order Available (Malignant – CD + Digital)
Initially the name of a collaborative CD between Henrik Nordvargr Björkk and Margaux Renaudin released on Cold Spring in 2016, the duo have now relabeled and solidified themselves under the Anima Nostra moniker, and in turn, broadly expanded their sonic palette, taking the more intimate ritual ambient aspects of the debut, and incorporating them as part of towering constructs that blur the line between death industrial, doom metal, and neo-classical. With it’s upward swells of foreboding brass, fearsome tribal percussion, and hammering, bass heavy dirge, “Atraments” is the unleashing of something truly monumental and cataclysmic, eclipsing nearly everything Nordvargr has ever been associated with in of scope and grandeur. Integral and prominent in the mix are heavily serrated and imperious vocals, employed to drag the listener inexorably into an inferno of apocalyptic proportions, while adding a more structured “song” element and trumpeting the arrival of an inevitable doom. Atraments stands firmly as a vision complete and the perfect soundtrack for times of great tumult. Completed with artwork by Thomas Ekelund (Trepaneringsritualen) and Portuguese occult calligrapher Gordoletters, in 6 panel, heavy stock digipak with varnish print.
Releases 16 June 2017

Araphel – New Album Released (Digital Only)
Araphel returns with the book of revelation, accompanied by the lamb who possesses seven horns and seven eyes, who opens the first four seals within the leather bound book, The Four Horsemen, freed with their own purpose of devastation to set upon the earth. Pestilence, War, Famine, and Death. In this album we will experience the unleashing of the horsemen of the apocalypse in a Dark/Horror Ambience.

Bill Seaman – Pre-orders Available (Eilean Records – CD & Digital)
Eilean Records is set to release the latest album by Bill Seaman. Not exactly dark ambient, but extremely reserved and introspective music, for lovers of darkness.

Fatal Insidious – New Track Available (Digital Only)

Lord Krepelka – New EP Available (Østpreussen – Digital Only)
Russian digital label Østpreussen releases the latest music by Lord Krepelka. After The War is a two-track EP which focuses on experimental sounds but has a uniquely dark aspect, putting it very close to being in line with dark ambient itself.

Melek-Tha & Corona Barathri – New Collaboration/Split Released
(Noctivagant Collective – CD & Digital)
Noctivagant has just released Daimonic Apotheosis [MMXVII], another brilliant work by Corona Barathri, this time with the help of Melek-Tha.

Nunc Stans – New Album Released (DataObscura – CD & Digital)
More deep ambient journeys from Nunc Stans. Suspend time, and drift away …. who knows where you will end up. Drone based, expansive, detailed, musical, and always in flux.

Of Flesh & Mashines – New Album Released
(Depressive Illusions – Cassette + Digital)
An experimental dark ambient album featuring everything from piano to drone to field recording intensive tracks.

Phurpa – Two Pre-orders Available (Zoharum – CD, Vinyl & Digital)
This double album is the successor to the previous release entitled Chöd from nearly a year ago. The new release shows how Phurpa constantly transforms itself through their own musical exploration as well as personal spiritual development. Apart from intensive concerts, its members are famous for their long meditation trainings/sessions. This constant movement, the exploration of various techniques and discovering new inspirations in eastern culture makes Phurpa musicians more and more eager to use traditional instruments in addition to their distinctive “rgyud-skad” singing, thus enriching the already familiar formula. By emphasizing the sacred and spiritual nature of their activity, they seek to enrich it in such a way that the listener can find the novum, bearing in mind that not only the aesthetic but very spiritual world of the ancient deities of the Bön tradition is particularly important. The title, referring to the magical quest for the universe, should set the direction for the interpretation, or be merely a pretext or an invitation to this mystical journey.
Releases 26 June 2017

Phurpa is an extraordinary artistic and cultural project, not only on a European scale. For years, its members have been exploring the traditions of Bön – the magical practices of ancient Tibet, Iran and even Egypt, and they take it closer to their listeners.
A year ago the first volume of Rituals of Bön was released on vinyl. Zoharum now presents the second volume of this series, based on the recordings from the Moscow gigs where Phurpa performed magic shows lasting up until a few hours. The participants would certainly confirm that they are a highly intensive ritual in which both the band and the audience participate.
Releases 26 June 2017

Raych V – New Album Released (Digital Only)

Robert Davies – New Album Released (DataObscura – CD & Digital)
“Four beautiful 15 minute minimal ambient pieces that flow
like gentle water across the sedges and rocks at the tide’s edge.
Immersive, subtle, relaxing, and as captivating as nature herself.”

Ultimae Records – New Compilation Released (Ultimae – Digital Only)
From the passionate lands of France, Arnaud Galoppe, known as Focal and Kinosura, has hand-mixed an emotional labyrinth of dark techno and melancholy ambience in Ultimae’s latest compilation.
Polarity is a double-sided conglomerate of electronic expressions from all over the world, spanning across atmospheric soundworlds of intimate drone and deep, industrial progressions.
This collection of heartwarming soundscapes and foot-stomping house beats is smoother than butter, a series of 26 top-notch tracks that paint an interesting, auditory adventure.
Although the album has a minimalistic approach, it offers a surprisingly detailed production. Each track is layered with expert craftsmanship and hypnotic melodies laced against diverse, psychedelic noise echoing in the distance.
Polarity is certainly an experience worth traversing, and we are proud to host it as an excellent addition to any electronica connoisseur’s sound-library.

Winterblood – New Album Released (Digital Only)
Winterblood releases another frozen delight. You can read my full review of the album here. Winterblood says of the album, “Really minimalist and monotonous due to translate as well my own feelings of standing stare with the eyes into the mist, and to evocate something inexpressible. The track develops from nostalgic and melancholic feelings towards an atmosphere of mystery and tragic loss.”

This Is Darkness – Week in Review

Reviews

Winterblood – Waldeinsamkeit
Where Winterblood truly captures my interest is in the way he seems to effortlessly meander between dark ambient and that ever growing, often notorious, genre of dungeon synth. Winterblood takes on a minimalistic approach to his music. Most often incorporating little more than a layer or two of synthesizer. This stripped-down approach helps promote those feelings of isolation in the cold. In the past he has also incorporated field recordings, bringing that biting winter wind right into the mix.
Read the full review here.

Black Box Memories – Transmissions
On all fronts, Transmissions is a successful side-project. There are certainly dark themes present, whether that is the devil or extra-terrestrial beings. The sounds are consistent and interesting. The album stays active enough to definitely hold the attention of listeners throughout every moment. The loops giving a meditative foundation, the vocal samples adding a sort of life and story to the project. Yet, there is still a passivity to all this, giving readers and scholars enough distance from the sound that they can focus on their tasks. Reeves seems to have tapped into something really promising here. Keeping in mind that this was not a planned album, it seems likely that the next outing as Black Box Memories will be even more interesting, and will take the sound to a more focused and story-driven destination.
Read the full review here.

DeepDark | Xerxes The Dark – Inner Mystery
The content provided by both artists on Inner Mystery is top notch dark ambient music. This is the first split to be released on Black Mara, and it seems obvious that the label’s owner knew a gem when he saw one. Inner Mystery is dark ambient for any discerning fan. The sounds are well prepared, well executed and well packaged (thanks to the efforts of Black Mara). Inner Darkness is an album that may only provide a few overtly memorable moments, but it is consistently solid, quality work. This is music for the darkest of souls, wanderers of the night, those who would always prefer to lurk in the shadows. If one is new to the sounds of DeepDark and/or Xerxes The Dark, this is the place to make their discovery. It is a fine collection of tracks, by two of the most underrated dark ambient artists in the genre.
Read the full review here.

On the Periphery Reviews

Summon – Anumals
Anumals is a truly unique experience. If you hate hip-hop, I doubt you are going to be swayed. But if you do enjoy this genre or at least the occasional song within it, you should find a good bit to love about the dark/horror/occult themes on Anumals. While the sounds themselves are often far from those of dark ambient, the themes, samples, and lyrics of the music should be welcome content for dark ambient fans with an open mind.
Read the full review here.

Interviews

Enmarta – Interview (re-pub ’15 )
Back in 2015, Enmarta had just landed on the dark ambient scene. His debut album Sea of Black took listeners into a brilliant world of dark ambient blended with authentic classical instrumentation. The album quickly became a lauded addition to the Cryo Chamber label. Since this interview, Enmarta has released his sophomore album, The Hermit which went even further in realizing this neo-classical / dark ambient amalgamation.
Read the full interview here.

A Cryo Chamber Collaboration – Azathoth – Interview (re-pub ’15)
Azathoth was unleashed on the world in 2015. The collaboration by the Cryo Chamber collective was the second in their series of Lovecraft albums. The series started with Cthulhu and in the time since this publication Nyarlathotep has also been added to the series. The following interview gets some insights about the Azathoth album from a few of the artists involved.
Read the full interview here.

Randal Collier-Ford – Interview (repub ’16)
In August of 2016 I conducted an interview with the dark ambient artist Randal Collier-Ford. He was fresh off the release of Locus Arcadia, a collaboration between himself and three other Cryo Chamber artists. Not too long before that he released his second album through Cryo Chamber, Remnants. He talked about some of the behind-the-scenes of the Locus Arcadia as well as his plans for the future, among other things. Here you can get to know a bit about the man behind the music.
Read the full 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.

Last week there was no Frozen In Time published. I was having a much needed break during the week and catching up on the mountain of releases I plan on reviewing in the near future. There was plenty of rest and relaxation, plenty of reading new books for upcoming reviews, and plenty of dark ambient soundscapes filling the This Is Darkness HQ (aka my bedroom). There are a ton of excellent releases to peruse on this edition. I have combined all of last week’s news into this week so that there will be no dark ambient releases falling through the cracks due to my little spontaneous vacation.

Don’t overlook the “week in review” at the bottom, highlighting the latest articles on This Is Darkness. Also, if you haven’t yet, please have a look at the campaign set-up through Patreon, and consider showing your support to This Is Darkness! If you have something that you would like us to cover or any suggestions/criticism about This Is Darkness, please let us hear your thoughts at info@thisisdarkness.com

I wish you all a dark and dreary week, fully of introspection, meditation and hopefully not toooo much self-loathing. Thanks as always for your support!

Music Videos

Ashtoreth – New Music Video
The video for “Kala Nag” from the latest album, Morana, by Ashtoreth was created in support of water protectors worldwide.

New Releases and Preorders

A Bleeding Star – Three New Singles (Self-Released / Digital Only)
Over the last two weeks A Bleeding Star has stayed busy. He has released no less than three singles which you can sample below. As usual we can expect some hi quality production of dark ambient that pushes the boundaries of the genre. All three singles are “name your price” and definitely worth checking out.

Ager Sonus – Preorder Available (Cryo Chamber / CD + Digital)
You can read my review of this album here. Cryo Chamber says of the new album, Book of the Black Earth, “The old leather bound book smells of crusted honey. Flecks of dust and dried parchment rain from it’s interior as you open it. Ancient hieroglyphs and diagrams point the way to the obsidian gate. A year later you walk through long forgotten caverns with lantern lit. You’ve finally found the underground lake. A tired face stares back at you from it’s reflection. The air taste sweet down here and in the distance flutes echo of a buried civilization. The feeling of dread washes over you. This is your last chance to get her back from the underworld. Dark bass drone rumbles in the caverns under long forgotten cities. Ager Sonus has succeeded in creating an Egyptian backdrop that is accentuated with flutes and atmospheric layering. Occult and ethereal, this album is for lovers of Necromancy and the unexplored ruins beneath the sands of Egypt.
Releases May 30, 2017

Dead Melodies – New Album Released (Cryo Chamber / CD + Digital)
You can read my review of this album here. Cryo Chamber says of the new album, “The hearth warms your bones as you peer out the crosshatch window. The damp morning dew forms translucent drops on the knee high grass. Whatever was out there last night seems gone but the birds are not yet singing and the animals still hiding. You pull your trekking boots on and head out the gnarled door, leaving the heat of the lonely cabin behind. Save the faint caw of a crow from up in the canopy, the forest lay silent; Devil’s Hill looms in the distance. Through crooked trees you go as the headache hits you and flashes from last night come flooding back; Hooded figures. Blood. The sacrifice! Through clenched teeth you gaze down at the compass in your hand. The needle spinning faster and faster. Anxiously, you look back for the cabin, but it’s gone. Gone! Devil’s Hill dominates where it once stood, only one way to go. Lush field recordings, detailed soundscapes and melancholic melodies drench this album in atmosphere. For lovers of high fidelity dark ambient.”

DeepDark & Xerxes The Dark – New Split Available For Preorder
(Black Mara Records / CD + Digital)
Two prolific and well respected artists from the dark ambient scene come together for this extremely dark experience. Black Mara has brought together Xerxes the Dark and DeepDark for a release which sees some of their darkest and most detailed works to date. As usual with Black Mara, there are limited copies of a deluxe hand-crafted CD that comes with a hand-made pouch with a wax seal logo. Inside the bag: CD on a wooden base with velvet, and also manuscript with poems and info.

Endless Melancholy – New Album Released (Hidden Vibes / CD + Digital)
Hidden Vibes label says about the new album, The Vacation, “Pleasant warmth of summer reflected from grainy surfaces of sound, unfolded once from pages of old book… Radiating through space & time, entering the minds of lazy dreamers, sleepless readers and helpless slackers, hovering behind the dark windows of those nights, when city feels abandoned… The story once whispered changed many forms but still returned to inspire, to bring this feeling of inevitable elusiveness of everything we love and care.”

Kalpamantra – Three New Full Length Releases


Arrival by Reza Solatipour releases 3 June 2017

Noctilucant – New Album Released (Sleep Unit / Cassette + Digital)
About Sleep Unit’s second cassette release they say, “Noctilucant provides us with a deep and ominous offering on red cassette tape (ferric). The quality on this tape is astounding – Noctilucant’s post-apocalyptic soundscapes translate perfectly to the analogue format. Nine finely-crafted soundscapes composed over the period of year are laid out over this 60 minute tape. There’s a dark, fuzzy, heady space on these tracks which leaves you satisfied immediately upon listening, but the compulsive need to re-listen again, until the tape wears out and degrades, like the civilisation Noctilucant has left behind.”

Nubiferous – New Album Released (Self-released / Digital Only)
Ritual/tribal/folk ambient artist Nubiferous came from the dark ambient style, but he has slowly evolved his music over the years into a milder but no less interesting sound.

Rapoon – New Album Released (Self-released / CD + Digital)
The prolific artist Rapoon has yet another new release with which to grip listeners. Un Flic is one of the darker recent releases by Rapoon. As usual we can expect his sounds to veer off into several directions, but keep that dark ambient foundation throughout.

Sombre Soniks – New Compilation Released (Sombre Soniks / Digital Only)
The impressive roster of artists on Sombre Soniks comes together for a celebration of their 100th release. About the new compilation Sombre Soniks says, “We are releasing something rather special to mark this milestone…We have invited artists from thee label to choose a komposition from other artist’s releases and remix/rework this with their own unique sound and style.”

Sun Through Eyelids / Endless Voyage X – Preorder Available
(Self-released / Digital Only)
Sun Through Eyelids have been staying very active since their first album not so long ago. Yet, over this time their sound has progressed greatly and they seem to have some great opportunities on the horizon. Sepulcher Hymns will be released on 2 June 2017. An interesting FYI, Tom Necklen, half of Sun Through Eyelids, has taken over my position of covering the dark ambient releases on Terra Relicta since I started working full-time with This Is Darkness.

Trepaneringsritualen – New Album Released
(Tesco Germany / Vinyl + Digital)
Tesco says of TEERAAL RÄUM PHEYNIX, “☿☿☿ Awake, Jǫrmungandr! Awake and release your tail. Let the worlds be set ablaze. That which is created must be destroyed. Awake, Jǫrmungandr, and let twilight yield a night eternal. »Union & Dissolution« Ev To Παν collects and expands a working previously available on an limited edition cassette split with Celldöd, and adds a previously unreleased excerpt from a working conducted during 2013 through 2015. The material finds T × R × P at its most ritualistic; reaching beyond the atavistic, to time beyond time, and the formless void.

vÄäristymä / DRS – New Split Released
(Eighth Tower Records / Digital Only)
Eighth Tower Records says about the new split, “vÄäristymä and DRS are two projects, the first a duo from Finland, the second an Italian artist, united by the experimentation around the minimal and oblique forms in drone ambient music. Searching for analogue instrumentation and recording generates an obliquely dark sound, alien in the case of vÄäristymä, cavernous and almost underwater in the case of DRS. Both at the frontier of the new minimal ambient drone.”

Vladimír Hirsch – New Album Released
(Old Captain Records /  CD + Digital)
Old Captain says of Scripta Soli, “Scripta Soli (“The writings of the earth”) is a thematic contemplation triggered by a great Czech artist in the form of a fictive experience during an apocalyptic war catastrophe, perceived by a person imprisoned in the bunker. Epically dramatized, it consists of 12 figurative parts to strip moral vacuum accumulated by memories, fears, visions and expectations of the inevitable, like echoes from the devastated core, sonically interpreted by the ground and aborted on the surface. Vladimir Hirsch offers expressionist sharpness and contrast to gouge out the focal sound from the background cacophonous substance to evoke stark and haunting imagery behind. Proving his expertise and repertoire he renders field recordings, electroacoustic and digital techniques through his typical metamorphic musicalization of primarily non-musical elements realizing the shrill, dynamic realities of the inner conflict: the titular sonic earth eventually turns into a grave.”

Xerxes The Dark – New Album Released (D.M.T. Records / Digital Only)
D.M.T. says of the new album, “The album is inspired by a true & heavy Overdose of Morego in fall of 2008, when he was 20 years old. He lived about 2 hours not on earth nor hell, but in a gloomy place like a limbo, after seeing many things and suffering from unknown disorders, experimenting flashes about his past and his death, he gradually came back into life by a mysterious cosmic power that changed the game. This album is a simulation of what happened in his darkened trip on that cold-foggy November night!!”

Sales

Cryo Chamber

This weeks sale is all about Ambient with Neoclassical influences
Save 50% on these digital downloads:

Flowers for Bodysnatchers – Aokigahara $3.50
Come visit Japan where Duncan Ritchie takes you to the suicide forest, Aokigahara. Lonely piano and textural field recordings brings you through the forests, cities and back alleys of Japan.

Flowers for Bodysnatchers – Love Like Blood $3.50
If you enjoy Aokigahara, you don’t want to miss the sequel. Love Like Blood takes you to the underworld that is Tokyo. Experience a sense of safety within a chaotic world.

Enmarta – Sea of Black $3.50
If you haven’t listened to this album yet, you should. Enmarta’s first album on Cryo Chamber shows you that Viola and Dark Ambient work together. Smell the salt, swim in dark waters and don’t forget a life west when the violas hit.

Enmarta – The Hermit $3.50
Thick fog rolls in over majestic mountains as you read the dusty book. Cold wind knocks at the rusted gate, begging the soaring tower for attention. A lingering smell of burnt oil reaches you from agitated torches left standing til dawns first light. An album about enlightenment through isolation. Listen to this one at the midnight hour and you’ll get it.

Deep Audio

Week In Review

Husere Grav – Entropy & Illusion
“If your musical tastes lie closer to the death industrial, power electronics and harsh noise wall side of the ambient world, then this album will surely be to your liking. It holds similarities to these other genres, while still keeping its roots in a black / dark / ritual ambient foundation. For fans of drone music, this will likely be a welcome album. It seems to fit into that drone ambient territory, yet has a thick and menacing lifeforce which is often lacking with those sort of albums.
Read the full review here.

Sielwolf & Nam-khar – Oppressfield
The second review for This Is Darkness by Przemyslaw Murzyn!
“It’s a fine album, especially for those who prefer the louder forms of ambient music. Thoroughly deliberated from beginning to end. And the good thing is that the guys are not interested in repeating themselves and while you can easily recognize that both collaborations were composed and performed by the same projects, you can’t deny that they differ from one another quite significantly.”
Read the full review here.

The Vomit Arsonist – Meditations on Giving up Completely
“Realizing himself, honestly, over the last few years, The Vomit Arsonist has no scruples with doubling down on his style. This is where he feels he belongs, and it really shows on Meditations. Everything done previously by this artist seems to come to a head on Meditations. Listeners should immediately recognize the intensity of the release, an intensity which rarely is diminished through the entirety of the album. I would highly recommend Meditations on Giving up Completely to any readers of This Is Darkness who don’t mind a bit of extra heavy distortion and apocalyptic martial vocal tones. If Meditations is the soundtrack to the end, then we are in for a hell of a climax.”
Read the full review here.

Dead Melodies – Legends of the Wood
“With the perfect combination of atmosphere, emotion and technical prowess, Dead Melodies gives us a lot to enjoy. Whether listening to every minute detail attempting to fully realize the back-story, or putting the album on in the background as a musical companion to work or study, Legends of the Wood proves itself to be an invaluable addition to the collection of any dark ambient listener. For me, this is one of the most interesting and refreshing albums so far in 2017. It is yet another reason to reassure their fan-base that Cryo Chamber is a dark ambient force with which to reckon.”
Read the full review here.

Ager Sonus – Book of the Black Earth
“Listeners of the more cinematic varieties of dark ambient will be over-joyed with this release. There is enough cinematic work presented here to build numerous narratives. Yet, there is enough room for flexibility in the imagination to complement many other forms of entertainment. Book of the Black Earth by Ager Sonus, along with Legends of the Wood by Dead Melodies have given us vastly detailed works of cinematic art to enjoy for a long while to come. The darkness of these works are only trumped by their technical presentation. If malefic darkness and full immersion are your goals, this album will give ample reason to keep returning to its haunted and dusty tales of ancient antiquity.”
Read the full review here.

Vinterriket – Interview
Vinterriket is mainly a dark ambient artist, though some albums move more into black metal or neo-folk directions. For the past two decades Vinterriket has been honing their style, with many albums to show for their effort. With a new album release on the horizon, now seemed like a good time to catch up with the man behind Vinterriket and find out a bit about his plans and inspirations.
“The new album will be released this summer 2017 and is entitled Nachtfülle. The album will be released in a limited edition only by a French label. There won’t be any surprises. This time it is a pure dark ambient album again, no lyrics, no, vocals. Again, the album is very moody, depressive and atmospheric, here and there also quite hypnotic.”
Read the full interview here.

Rosalie Mulder – Interview
Rosalie Mulder is quite the unique dark ambient artist. At the age of 17 she has managed to release her debut album on the Minnesota based Dark Winter label. Dark Winter has released some memorable albums since founding back in 2002, with releases by well-known artists such as Alio Die and Steve Roach. In recent years their output has slowed considerably, but the quality has remained consistent. Rosalie Mulder started her journey with dark ambient several years ago, experimenting with music for the fun of it in her father’s studio. Chords of Chaos is the culmination of these experimentations. When speaking with her, it is quite obvious that she is still a young artist, with a whimsical approach to her output and just beginning to find her place in the music world. However, the sounds on Chords of Chaos are quite experimental and interesting, it seems that as her experience progresses in this field, we will almost certainly see some more amazing albums coming from her in the future.
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.

This is Darkness is making great strides forward in our progress as a zine. The base of reviewers is beginning to expand and there are some big announcements on the horizon. I would like to take a moment this week to point out that a Patreon campaign for This Is Darkness has been launched. I, Michael Barnett, have been running this site thus far due to the support of friends. My physical condition leaves me unable to work and collect an income, so This Is Darkness, as a project, needs all the help it can get. Becoming a patron of This Is Darkness through Patreon will be the most important way that readers can help out. There are a number of costs associated with running a website and properly promoting material. Please have a look at the Patreon page and consider making a contribution to help keep This Is Darkness growing and thriving for years to come. You can find the Patreon campaign page here.

With that bit of business out of the way, let’s move on to the week’s news!

New Releases and Preorders

A Bleeding Star – New Single Released (Digital)
“The Lost Masquerade of Frost: Tonight Ye Are Mine & Our Cascade Shall Pour for Its Cost” is the latest single by the eclectic dark ambient artist A Bleeding Star. As usual his unique sensibilities shine through on this release, making it quite the interesting experience. With a “name your price” format, it shouldn’t be a hard choice to add this to your collections.

Ashtoreth – New Live Album Released (Digital)
Offering I was performed live at L’Auréole on Sunday 7th of May in Tinques, France. Recorded by Boris Guyot. Live mix by Maxime de Waegenaere. Edited and mixed by Peter Verwimp. Photography by Skink74

Black Box Memories – New Album Released on Sumatran Black Records (Digital)
Sumatran Black Records present a collection of hazy subconsciousness, enigmatic loops and nostalgic pads. Transmissions is the debut release of Black Box Memories, a side project of Sumatran Black. “While mixing and editing the follow up to In the Dread, I still felt I had some creative momentum and was producing a number of tracks that I was extremely happy with. They just didn’t fit in the overall sound and concept of Fathomz but I thought that together they made a pretty nice collection of ideas. So here they are.”

Bleach for the Stars – New Album Available for Preorders on Cromlech Records (Physical and Digital)
Bleach For The Stars is the dark ambient, drone & industrial project of Benjamin Power, hailing from the UK. His music is best described as an intense, raw and powerfully emotional journey into the dark regions of his mind. Ben uses his art to deal with his past and his life’s experiences. Without going into his personal details it is clear to the listener that Ben has had his fair share of tragedy and bleak moments in life. This results in extremely profound musical pieces that create a menacing feeling but also make you appreciate them as something very pure and unreserved. Seldom has music been such a direct and stark statement as with this album. The Time For Silver Flowers is a therapeutic and dramatic expression by an artist who is truly fascinating. The album releases June 12, 2017.

Fatal Insidious Releases A New Single (Digital)

Haunted Me Releases A New Album (Digital)
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 creature, Ushiro Mawashi. Haunted Me is the natural evolution of this former project, adding noise and distorted synth organs to spooky vocal samples.

Lesath Releases A New Album (Digital)
On Density IV, Lesath delivers dark and haunting soundscapes. Sure to disturb the sleep of any listener faint of heart.

Murderous Vision – New Album Released (Digital)
The artist says about their latest album, My Necropolis, “The act of writing, recording and compiling tracks for My Necropolis began after returning from a successful tour with The Vomit Arsonist and Apocryphos, in June of 2015. Since that time, many things have been cut, reworked and reworked again. The end result is just over an hour of Dark Ambient, Industrial and Neo-Classical work, that is reminiscent of albums like Life’s Blood Death’s Embrace and Frozen In Morphia. Featuring some great contributions from guests Amanda Howland (Dead Peasant Insurance, Fascist Insect), Wyatt Howland (Skin Graft), Matt Hunzeker (Of Earth and Sun), Tom Orange (Lost Head, Vengeance Space Quartet) Steve Lull (Dead Corporate Eyes, Vengeance Space Quartet), Headstone Brigade and Rob Rosin. A hard copy version may surface at some point next year. Rather than wait that long, creating the album took long enough, it is now being offered digitally for a low price.

Paleowolf – New Single Released (Digital)
Paleowolf, the other project by Metatron Omega, has released their latest track, “Thundertribe”.

The Stone Tapes Announce Preorders For New Album (Physical and Digital)
The second album from The Stone Tapes is due out in August 2017, and the haunted electronica/storytelling duo is seeking pledges to support its release on vinyl through a Kickstarter campaign. You can learn more here.

Wolfgang Gsell – New Album Released on Aural Films (Physical and Digital)
While this is classified as a new age release, I thought there was enough surreal atmosphere and darkness to warrant a mention on This Is Darkness. Aural Films says about the new album, “Those who know Wolfgang’s many releases are used to his music and it’s connection with nature. On this outing, the German new age artist leaves the comfort of the outdoors for surreal landscapes. Here, he plugs into the subconscious to reveal some new works that reflect on the sounds of dreams.”

Other News

Algol / Stuzha / Black Wanderer New Paintings For Sale

Cadabra Records – New Album Available For Preorders

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles LP with Sir Derek Jacobi & Bleak December ships in late July. Cadabra tells a little about the story, “In 1893, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had tired of his infamous creation, and killed Sherlock Holmes off at the hands of his arch nemesis, Professor Moriarty, in a dramatic plunge off the Reichenbach Falls in the appropriately-titled The Final Problem. Eight years later, in a response to public furor for more Holmes, the author wrote the story as a hitherto unpublished work from a period in the detective’s career prior to his fateful encounter with Moriarty. The Hound Of The Baskervilles was indeed a massive success, and Conan Doyle soon resurrected Holmes from the dead, continuing to write new adventures until 1927.” Find out more here.

Dehn Sora / Treha Sektori New Artbook For Sale
40 pages artbook including Head Collection series, “We won’t keep you as a trophy, we want you to watch forever” 250g fineart print / black and white
Including a link on a regularly updated audio page, with ceremonies and unreleased improvs, lives, etc… Released at COR weekend in Vooruit, Gent, 12/13 May 2017. Find out more here.

Weekly Specials

Deep-Audio

Cryo Chamber

This week Cryo Chamber focus on albums that are centered around times of war.
Save 50% on these digital downloads:

Atrium Carceri – Phrenitis
The cold wind blows across the battlefield on this album by Atrium Carceri. Phrenitis takes the listener to a twisted place where the walls between worlds are razed. The ruinous cities of wars long past, where time itself is but a prisoner and the warlords roaming their purgatorial halls are free to destroy the very foundations of the natural order.

Neizvestija – Majak
Be sure to bring your Geiger counter on this release by Neizvestija. This album from Swedish producer Daniel Wiklander will take you deep into the radioactive zones of Chelyabinsk. If you are a fan of STALKER and are fascinated by Chernobyl, this album should be right up your alley.

Kolhoosi 13 – Monuments of Power
The barren soundscapes from Finnish duo Kolhoosi 13 paint a bleak picture. A world in the aftermath of reckless experiments and actions made in the name of power. Manifesting complete disregard of life and man’s own habitat. A world where both lives and nature are expendable. Where the grim consequences are just another record erased and forgotten.

This Is Darkness Week In Review

Polterngeist – Levels of Perception
Polterngeist is the side-project of Pavel Malyshkin, best known as Ugasanie. Hailing from Belarus, Pavel has created over the years a sound which is uniquely recognizable. His work as Ugasanie focuses on frozen landscapes and the supernatural occurrences which present themselves within these barren lands. A recurring theme throughout much of his work is the effects that these supernatural occurrences have on the mind. Sometimes this takes the form of some malign deity consuming one’s soul, and sending them rushing into the elements, forfeiting their lives in the process. While at other times, it tells the narrative of northern shamans, purposefully communicating with these deities, bringing themselves in contact with the netherworld.
Read the full review here.

Sonologyst – Interview
Raffaele Pezzella is the man behind the experimental dark ambient act, Sonologyst. He is also the head of Unexplained Sounds Group as well as its sub-label Eighth Tower Records. I had a chance to speak with Raffaele about some of his musical background, his inspirations and the vision he has for the future of his labels. Thanks for reading, I hope you will enjoy our conversation.
You can find the full interview here.

Sacral Dark Ambient Mix
This mix is full of irreligious splendor. Wander the halls of long forgotten cathedrals and churches. Perform the sacrilegious rites to bring the daemons upon our lands once again. This beautiful, yet disturbing mix takes a look at some of the sacral dark ambient music of the last two decades, with many newer tracks but some classics mixed in. Much of the mix stays calm and relaxed, but toward the middle some ghastly daemons arise, wreaking havoc on the land before slowly residing back into their slumbers.
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.

On this week’s edition of Frozen In Time we have a good number of releases and pre-orders to mention. There is a bit of news for the fans of David Lynch’s films and we have the first review on This Is Darkness by Przemyslaw Murzyn known for his work at Santa Sangre.

New Releases and Pre-orders

Anemone Tube – New Album Released
In the Vortex of Dionysian Reality is the first release by nascent label Blossoming Fern, which is run by Andrzej of Monocube. This latest Anemone Tube is available in a 6-panel digifile and is limited to 200 copies. The LP version will release in roughly 6 weeks.
Order here.

Araphel – New EP Released
The latest release by horror ambient artist Araphel is the EP Void. Araphel says about the EP, “An unknown cult of infidels sacrifices the scribes. Those who practice the teachings of the magick of old are now offered to the void. On the altar, the infidel descend.. To make communion with the void, seeking eternal life, no matter how grave the cost. The void will devour and provide.. This EP interconnects with the latest album Altar Of Voidance shedding light on some of the mystery within the altar. What is it exactly.. Why do the infidels seek to gain its truth.. Why do the Scribes keep it’s secrets hidden.. Listen well to find clues.

Comadescent – New Album Released
Comadescent has been showing increasing signs of maturity in his releases over the last two years. He says about his latest album, “Revelations is a short conceptual EP set before the events of Existence. These were the events seen within Revelation Chamber, a glimpse into the planet’s past through a protagonist’s eyes.”

hermit – New Album Released
Hierophant is the latest by experimental artist hermit on the Grey Matter Noise label. He says about the album, “Hierophant is an experiment with the intention of reaching the deepest and most violent aspects of myself and using sound as a form of outlet or release from them. This entire experiment was created alongside a time of personal growth and my ultimate intent was to demonstrate the power that lies within the shadows of the self. This album is an example of pure creation from what some might call “dark” or “evil” aspects of the mind. This experiment has given me extreme joy while also bringing out demons I thought I had exorcised long ago. Experiments conducted primarily throughout October, November and December of 2016. Effects of the experiment have placed me somewhere I am unfamiliar and uncomfortable with.

Montren – New Album Pre-orders Available
On Some Sounds, Montren displays a lush landscape of atmospheres, in that grey area between light and dark ambient music. The field recordings really add a special feel to this release, bringing these soundscapes to life for listeners. Some Sounds will release 27 May on the Russian label, Endless Quest Media.

Sadistic Cult – New Album Released
Sadistic Cult again takes is deep into the darkness. With a combination of hypnotic drones and eerie field recording samples, Mal.Saint is sure to be quite the horrifying experience, something that we should begin to expect from this musical entity.

S.E.T.I. – New Album Released
On Beyond Black: Project ‘Preserve Destiny’, S.E.T.I. delivers what is described as, “…a reworking of the ‘Above Black’ album, imagined as data recovered after millennia locked on magnetic media. Partially corrupted; only some of the original data remains, so interpolation has been used to reconstruct the messages left for any sentient beings who discover them. Created using the source files taken from the original improvised performance, which was direct to DAT.”

Tegh – New Album Released
Downfall is the latest album by Tegh, released on Midira Records. They say about the album, “Tegh alias Shahin Entezami is an Iranian sound artist from Tehran, a modern city in the north of Iran with a population of about 16 million people in the whole area. Tehran is also the home of a very interesting and very active scene around electronic and ambient music. The scene is so active, that the involved people founded an organization called SET, bringing all kinds of artists and fans together to celebrate experimental music. You might know one of the more famous artists and curators Siavash Amini, so it´s time to introduce you to one more chief character: Shahin Entezami under his moniker Tegh. Tegh already released a digital album via Inner Ocean Records and contributed some tracks to some great compilations including the awesome Futuresequence Compilations. Downfall is a masterpiece, which caught our hearts and minds after listening to the first sounds. The album is divided into five tracks based on electronic sounds with a perfectly executed balance between noise and melodic elements. There is an approach to the sound that is comparable to that of Tim Hecker, but with a more melancholic expression. Tegh establishes his very own space in the world of noisy ambient music and leaves a trail that is worth to be followed.
Tegh started working on Downfall after he saw a photograph of a boy falling out of a flying airplane. It´s a true story published by the evening independent in the year 1970 after the amateur photographer John Gilpin was shooting airplanes and caught the image of a stowaway boy falling out of the wheel housing. A horrible way to leave life. It´s not imaginable what this little boy must have felt during the downfall. Tegh tried to catch his feelings about that by writing the five tracks of Downfall.

The Star Pillow – New Album Released
Invisible Summer is the latest album by The Star Pillow, released on Midira Records. They say about the album, “You may not be familiar with this act, but Paolo Monti alias The Star Pillow is celebrating his 10 years anniversary this year. Last year he released his highly acclaimed album Above via Time Released Sound, now he returns with Invisible Summer and it´s a pleasure for us to release his album in occasion of his anniversary. Invisible Summer is a very introverted, intense and melancholic piece of guitar-ambient-drone-work with a core of three epic tracks from 15 to 26 minutes, dedicated to the summer months, which were recorded during a hot summer in north Italy, where Paolo Monti lives. Uncommon for an Italian, Monti prefers the colder weather instead of the sunny days and that´s what you can also hear in his music. Invisible Summer has a clear sound, which mostly reminds you of colder places instead of shiny warm Toscana. The Star Pillow builds up his own weather with his shimmering ambient sounds, building up slowly but steady walls of fragile guitar drones. Breathtaking and monumentally beautiful. The album ends with the supplemental track “the end is a beginning” that catches up the mood of the first three tracks and transforms it into a warm and concrete sound. A pretty contrast, which shows the polarity in the sound of The Star Pillow.
Similarly to the opposites of the warm summer and the winterly sounds of the album, the artwork comes up with an imagery that also shows up opposite worlds. On the one hand there is wild nature and on the other side there is civilization in a very strange but beautiful liaison.”

Unexplained Sounds Group – New Compilation Released
The latest compilation by Unexplained Sounds Group is Visions of Darkness in Iranian Contemporary Music. Unexplained Sounds Group says about the album, “The simurgh is depicted in Iranian art as a winged creature in the shape of a bird, gigantic enough to carry off an elephant or a whale. It appears as a peacock with the head of a dog and the claws of a lion, sometimes however, also with a human face. Iranian legends consider the bird so old that it had seen the destruction of the world three times over. The simurgh learned so much by living so long that it is thought to possess the knowledge of all the ages. We hope this mythological benevolent creature could be a hope and a a guide in our dark times. ”

Other News

David Lynch
David Lynch speaks with the Sydney Morning Herald about Twin Peaks and the end of his film career. You can read the entirety of that article here. There are some interesting take-aways in this article. Many of us may have already realized that Inland Empire may well be the last film by David Lynch. But, something unmentioned in this article which seems of particular importance to me is Lynch’s feelings about television in its current state. When Twin Peaks was first announced, Lynch talked about how the world of television series has matured so much in recent history. Citing shows like True Detective as being able to break the mold of normalcy and create a truly memorable experience should give us some possible hope that Twin Peaks may not be the last foray into television. We can only hope that with a little success the Twin Peaks revival could give Lynch enough encouragement to try push some more television pilots. It is worth noting that Mulholland Drive was initially intended as a television series, but back when it was in production, the landscape of television series was nothing like we see today.

Weekly Specials

Deep Audio
This week’s €5 special on Deep-Audio is First Law – Terror Forming


Abracax House
During the month of May get 10% off all Abracax House books. And when you buy 2 books, get a free copy of Infernal Legends. Just add 2 books + Infernal Legends (0997074582) to your cart. Specials reflected at checkout.

This Is Darkness Week In Review 

bvdub – Epilogues for the End of the Sky
You may need to already have an appreciation for house or trance or some other techno scene to enjoy this album. I’ve always loved those genres, so it seems natural that this depressive take on those styles would feel so perfect for me. Listeners who enjoy taking a step outside the usual formula will find a lot to love here. But if you were never too interested in these mentioned genres or if you prefer your dark ambient to remain orthodox, then this will not be the album for you. But for those of us who do enjoy this stretch, there is a lot here to fall in love with. Epilogues for the End of the Sky feels like a bit of a risk for Glacial Movements, as it moves a little further outside their usual format than one might expect. But the album is truly worthy of attention, and the years of experience behind its creator is obvious from beginning to end.
Read the full review here.

Cadabra Records – Pickman’s Model by H.P. Lovecraft
Read by: Andrew Leman
Music by: Theologian
Art by: Alan Brown
The greatest accomplishment on the part of Theologian is in his ability to at once keep the listener enraptured in the atmosphere while simultaneously having enough subtlety to not distract from the experience provided by Andrew Leman. Listening to the full performance a handful of times over a few short days was by no means a labor. Each listen allowed for the focus to either fixate on the narrative, analyze the musical composition of Theologian, or to allow the full breadth of the release to unfold with no particular focus. No matter the mindset or time of day going into the release, I was met with an overwhelming sense of satisfaction in listening to this story.

If this release of Pickman’s Model is any indication of the rest of the Cadabra Records discography, they have an illustrious future ahead of them. With previous releases like Lovecraft’s The Lurking Fear, Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven and Bram Stoker’s Dracula, they have already paved the path to attracting a wide range of followers from the fan-base of these historical literary geniuses. The future of Cadabra Records does seem bright… in the darkest of senses.
Read the full review here.

Infinity Land Press – DARKLEAKS: The Ripper Genome
For anyone that is already familiar with the works of Infinity Land Press, this purchase should be a no-brainer. As described above, I truly believe DARKLEAKS brings together the finest elements of each of its contributors. The years’ experience of Reed and Bladh are brought to a pinnacle on DARKLEAKS. While the experimental elements of the accompanying disc prove to be an utter success. This could be the perfect entry point for discovery of the works of Infinity Land Press, giving readers a bit of an introduction to many of the contributors to other works in their catalog of releases. DARKLEAKS is a whirlwind of emotions and contrasting styles which keep it fresh and engaging from introduction to conclusion.
Read the full review here.

Dronny Darko – Abduction
This second album in Dronny Darko‘s more futuristic sound (second on Cryo Chamber at least) hits the mark on every level. The theme is brilliantly executed. The technical aspects of the sound design are mind boggling. The replay value, given these two elements, is extremely high. This is likely the most accomplished album to date from Dronny Darko, taking dark ambient to such experimental heights that it seems to be in a galaxy of its own. Fans of a more traditional dark ambient style may be scratching their heads in confusion at this release. But anyone with a colorful imagination and a willingness to step outside the ordinary will find a delightful listen. Dronny Darko continues to prove innovative with each release, and this one has taken him leagues further than its predecessors.
Read the full review here.

Kryptogen Rundfunk – Liquid Circuits
This is the first review on This Is Darkness by Przemyslaw Murzyn
I stumbled upon this very cool sounding name quite often, on the occasion of various splits, collaborations, compilations or live show announcements on social media. So I have to admit, I was a bit surprised when I realized that Liquid Circuits is only the second album by this project run by Zhelezobeton label manager. Second album in 12 years – who would’ve thought?

So I guess we should expect something epic – a creme de la creme of all Artyom’s ideas that had been born in his mind during all those years. I’m guessing it might be the essence of his creativity, as the album is quite huge in all possible aspects: its duration, production, atmosphere and the abundance of used sounds and effects. At the same time, it is representative of the Russian industrial scene and their cherishing of analogue synths and the meaty, natural form of the sounds instead of purely digital output. Check the booklet and the technical specification of Liquid Circuits to see in detail what kind of equipment Artyom has used.
Read the full review here.

Valanx – Radiant Orbs of Abzu
In all, Radiant Orbs of Abzu is my favorite release yet by Arne Weinberg, as well as his nascent Cromlech Records. The release is highly entertaining. It has enough detail to allow the listener to continually find new elements on multiple replays. The tape edition is the perfect fit for a release of two 20 minute tracks. I would recommend this as the first place to delve into the discography of Cromlech Records, as well as Weinberg’s music as a whole. Fans of the analog side of dark ambient will find much to love here. Even those who feel a bit pessimistic about fully analog dark ambient are likely to find aspects to love about this release, and to find it a pleasant experience. Cromlech Records seems to be off to a great start, and there will surely be more well produced releases to come in the near 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 was seeming a bit slow until some major news started to develop on Saturday. You can have a look at what we know so far below under the Concert Coverage section. This is huuuuuuge! There is a bit of interesting news this week, some really great releases for you to preview and hopefully support these artists and purchase!

Concert Coverage and Music Videos

Cold Meat Industry 30 Year Anniversary Live!
Presented by Death Disco Productions & Cold Meat Industry, it appears that we are getting a MASSIVE reunion concert over the span of two days in Sweden. On the 3rd and 4th of November 2017 we can expect a performance at the Klubben venue in Stockholm Sweden! Artists playing this epic two-day show will include: Mortiis, Arcana, Archon Satani, Brighter Death Now, Coph Nia, Desiderii Marginis, Deutsch Nepal, In Slaughter Natives, Morthound, MZ.412, Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio, Raison D’etre, Sanctum, Sephiroth, Sophia! This Information has obviously taken the dark ambient world by storm!

This Is Darkness is attempting to take the zine’s owner Michael Barnett to Sweden for full concert coverage. I’ll be unveiling an Indiegogo campaign, most likely next week. This Is Darkness is looking to set up a ton of interviews, capture a mountain of photographs, and to give patrons a high-quality selection of rewards for donating toward this goal. More information for the concert and for my funding campaign will be announced to readers ASAP.

Treha Sektori & Lamia Vox
These two highly respected dark ambient artists will perform at this year’s Nuit Dark Ritual in Thoix, France. You can follow the news about this concert through their event page on Facebook, which can be found here.

New Releases and Pre-orders

A Bleeding Star – New Single Released
“Nightrollin’ Pianos & Raindrop’d Violins: A Delightful Voyage On Count Frost’s Carriage” is the latest release by the unorthodox and always interesting dark ambient musician A Bleeding Star. As usual you can expect an entertaining and experimental track.

Dronny Darko – New Album Pre-orders Now Available
Abduction is the second Cryo Chamber album by Dronny Darko where he presents us with some spacey lowercase style dark ambient. Cryo Chamber says about the release, “Dronny Darko brings us a new album of dark dreams, recorded in the smoke filled Black Room studio (Kiev, Ukraine).
Dark entities roam the edge of our reality. An incomprehensible intellect observes our primitive patterns and behaviors. Vulnerable and naked, you become abducted and pulled into their domain. Examined by strange machines that hum, buzz and drip. You awaken, ankle deep in a purple fetid sludge that submerges the floor of the charcoal citadel. Alien symbols adorn the colossal doorways here, each leading into a new world. In the distance guttural clicks reverberate as they watch your trembling steps from within the shadows. Are they waiting for you to choose your fate?
This album merges the lowercase and minimal genre with a strong science fiction element. Throbbing bass layers croak and groan under the pressure of whirling machines that buzz and hum. Very dark and brooding.”
Abduction releases on 11 March 2017.

Endless Melancholy – New Remix Released
“Dirty Ocean” sees a remix by dark ambient aficionado Gamardah Fungus.
Oceanmixes is a collection of remixes and reworks of Endless Melancholy compositions. Gamardah Fungus were invited to remix one of the tracks. That’s how “Dirty Ocean” was born.

Iron Cthulhu Apocalypse – New Album Released
Dark Ambient: Crypt Light is the latest release from the prolific Iron Cthulhu Apocalypse. Crypt Light takes Iron Cthulhu Apocalypse into some minimalistic and introspective territory, perfect for reading your favorite Lovecraft tale about the elder gods.

Kazuya Ishigami – New Album Available For Pre-order
V.M Insensitive is the latest release on Kalpamantra. I am a bit unfamiliar with Kazuya Ishigami’s work so we will have to  see where this release takes us.

Peter Bjärgö – New Single Released
“Duality” is a bonus track from the brilliant Animus Retinentia which released recently on Cyclic Law. You can check out my review of that album here.

Scott Lawlor and The Gateless Gate – New Album Released
Scott Lawlor says of Regret “[it] is the second collaboration between ambient musician Scott Lawlor and kosmische act The Gateless Gate. The basis of the music is a lengthy, mournful symphonic drone by Scott, with guitar, keyboards and effects added by The Gateless Gate.
The recording is intended to be listened to as a seamless whole. The theme is autumnal feelings of melancholy and regret.”

VACUUM AETERNA – New Album Available For Pre-orders
You can read my fresh review of the new album here.
Cyclic Law says of Project:Darkscapes “Italy’s newcomers VACUUM AETERNA present the first installment of their unfolding aural journey. A cryptic sonic representation of a voyage trough a fog and humidity drenched enclave of a forgotten ancient forest. An atmosphere of tribalism and mystery emanates from these pieces where ancient tales and myths linger. Deep atmospherics clash with tribal percussions and industrial noises providing an at times quiet and serene soundtrack to a fragile stillness before the lingering chaos emerges.”
Project:Darkscapes will release on 12 May 2017.

VelgeNaturlig – New Album Available For Pre-orders
Winter-Light says of the album, “Our next release on the Winter-Light label is by the Portuguese sound sculpture VelgeNaturlig and is entitled Opalescent Pust. VelgeNaturlig is no stranger to Winter-Light, having appeared on our recent DCD compilation “…that first season”, with his beautiful track ‘Golden’.
Opalescent Pust has an entirely different feeling altogether, one of constant motion, one of change. Opalescent Pust; the breath opal, the colour of pearl, the purest form of breath. A cleansing process, that of a purifying experience. Purity.”
Opalescent Pust releases on 10 May 2017.

The Vomit Arsonist – New Album Available For Pre-orders
Meditation on giving Up Competely is a brilliant new album, expect a review here soon. Malignant Records says about the release: “After some minor delays, The Vomit Arsonist’s latest opus, Meditations On Giving Up Completely is now available for pre-order on Bandcamp! There is no reinvention of the sound and no veering off course with this one, but rather a narrowing of the sonic palette, condensed into a continual free-fall of complete despair and nihilism. As if fans of Andy’s work would want it any other way, or expect anything less.”

Other News

Father Dagon – New Episode
The latest episode of Father Dagon, S01E03: Anna Tilton, has been released. Written by Victoria Snaith, produced by Dread Falls Theatre. Original soundtrack by Seesar. See where their Lovecraftian story takes us this week!

Pär Boström – Guest Sessions: Dark Ambient Mix
The first mix in our “Guest Sessions” series for ThisIsDarkness.com is prepared by Pär Boström, the veteran dark ambient musician known for his projects Kammarheit, Cities Last Broadcast, Hymnambulae and Altarmang. Pär Boström has created a mix that showcases his love for the ritualistic, escapism and mysticism. All these elements come together to form a brilliant mix which is tailored for dreamers, yet it should be pleasing to just about any sort of dark ambient fan. Whether you are lying in the dark with your headphones, curled up on your sofa with a good book, or burning a thick cloud of incense meditating on the greater meaning of life, this mix should be a welcome and highly enjoyable experience.
Check out his fantastic mix here.

Twin Peaks – New Trailer Released
The latest trailer for the upcoming season showcases “The Town of Twin Peaks” with a handful of quick shots of various parts of the town and surrounding forests.

Weekly Specials

Deep-Audio
Check out the latest special on Deep-Audio, which can be purchased here.

This Is Darkness Week In Review

Paranoia Inducta – From The Depths
Paranoia Inducta covers much ground with From The Depths. It tells the closing of a story which clearly doesn’t have a happy ending. The technical talents of the artist are at an all time high on From The Depths. Each track feels unique, yet fits perfectly into the whole. Add to this successful combination of sounds the beautiful artwork and A5 digipak of the physical edition, and we are left with a powerful all-encompassing work of art. Paranoia Inducta has proven with From The Depths that they still have plenty of energy and potential for this almost 15 year old project. In fact, some of the best work may still be yet to come. Where the next chapter in the story of Paranoia Inducta will take us, we must wait to discover.
Read the full review here.

Vacuum Aeterna –  Project:Darkscapes
Vacuum Aeterna has created an album in Project:Darkscapes which is uniquely relevant to our times. It asks the hard questions of humanity and refuses to allow the listener to ignore the warning signs. I could absolutely recommend this to fans of the more primal forms of dark ambient, while there is also much here to entertain fans that prefer a more industrial infused sound. It will be interesting to see where they take their sound next, if they will continue delving into these topics and this format, or if they will veer off into a totally different direction. The level of skill seems to be there to make either a worthy endeavor.
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.