Empty Chalice - Ondine´s Curse
Third album out now by Italian dark-ambient/ritual act Empty Chalice. This time we are dealing with a rare disease called (like the album) Ondine´s Curse. A rare disease which can sadly prevent you to sleep, because if you sleep you´ll suffer from a cardiac arrest!. The name for this disease comes from an old tale :
According to French and German mythology, the nymph Ondine discovered that her husband had committed adultery. Because he had promised his every waking breath to her, she cursed him that so long as he was awake he could breathe, but if he ever fell asleep he would stop breathing and die.
The release being digital available on the band´s and the labels official Bandcamp site, a physical exquisite cassette release have also been released as well. Limited grey 'mushroom' tape edition of 23 copies including 23 different artwork hand painting on white carton plates (13x18 cm) by Omega Kunst plus three photo inserts. Available through the Italian label Ho Gravi Malattie.
Gothic cathedral drones, ritualistic undercurrents, atmospheric gregorian chantings, evocative guitars, eerie synths with occasional (interesting) sound cut-ups. A highly experimental beautiful achievement awaits the listener. Melancholic and dream´ish (like it should be). Although there are some small minor bugs and sound-glitches which irritates me, simply because that I do like the album. The sound recording has a distorted-glitch tendency, the kind of not-intentionality that happens when your recorded sound being too loud. Which is sad cause again... the album is great, with the achievements of this album it just deserves a better sound. Just give it a listen and you´ll know what I mean. So what do I wish from Santa next Xmas anyone?. A re-mastering and a physical re-release.
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