Umbrarum Tenebrae - Rites Of Darkness And Dismal Visions
Canada, Quebec... home and birthplace for known industrial acts like Skinny Puppy, Frontline Assembly, and Numb. Norwegian black-metal act Dark Throne has a made a song about Canadian Metal! We also have Neil Young, Rush... And Celine Dion. Umbrarum Tenebrae is not an industrial band, nor a metal or rock one... definitely not Celion Dion! We are in ritual-music meets dark-ambient territory, think post Raison D´être/Cold Meat Industry, Cyclic Law, and Cryo Chamber material. This is the debut from this act, and it was released on the 6th of May. Sofar their Bandcamp-site offers a digital non-physical version of the album. So let us see what this has to offer. Before we start, maybe I should give the reader an intro from the act itself (about the release)... here goes;
2020, the world stalled to a halt as a new plague spread its black infectious veil across the globe. The great majority of souls caved in, hearts heavy with despair and frightening uncertainty. It is in the midst of these somber times that UMBRARUM TENEBRARAE emerged from the shadows. Born of solitude and oppressive gloom to bring forth a new sonic pestilence, Umbrarum Tenebrae seeks not to enlighten the heavily burdened spirits, nor comfort afflicted souls, but to haunt them into further desperation.
Umbrarum Tenebrae does not follow the traditional process of creation but willingly ventures upon new unexplored pathways of musical manifestation; through the use of Chaos Magick. Each song begins with an intent, given meaning as a word, this word is then encrypted to its most basic form and disposed unto a magic square. This initial intent is then transmuted into a Sigil which serves as a focal point for every musical creation thereafter. These same worded intentions are also given a placement upon the musical staff to give a musical note. Thus, every song is born of pure chaos. Far from man's instinctive desire to control his creations. Breaking the laws of musical composition and normality.
The result is an eerie soundtrack that builds up discomfort and evokes dreadful visions of invisible horrors and unknown doom. Somber drone wavelengths are sowed as chaos seeds awaiting to spawn forth new unnatural life and then covered with layers upon layers of cryptic, ghostly sounds and irrational percussion. The whole possesses a nightmarish aura which will take the listener deep into himself, in those dark and cold recesses of the mind.
The experience is not a pleasant one. It is an exploration of the darker chambers of the unconscious, and Umbrarum Tenebrae is the guide through these haunted halls.
Yup, bound to engulf the listener into darkness and mind-numbering occult rites of the most esoteric kind. First track Path To Oblivion starts the rite with that sacred-sound bell-sound, saddened synths hiding beautifully in the background with evocative and haunting human-voices. Haunted gothic cathedral or the monks of Tibet preparing for the judgment-day. Additional martial ritual drums and Gregorian-like vocals get added on which adds a bit of drama to the icy atmosphere.
Second track Liber Mortem continues the same icy-atmosphere with martial drummings. Somehow a more... unpleasant and menacing one that is (compared to the first track). Very much in the same vein as Sephiroth and Desiderii Marginis.
Third track Binding of Skulls.. sounds pretty much like the third track (same sounds.. and atmospheres and drummings). Sofar the album sticks to the same effects given to the sounds recorded, stretching them without actually slowing them down (with added reverb).
Fourth track Chamber of Shadows adds a bit more angelic vocal parts, with a distant chippering sound in the background (Predator?) If you are wondering where you are in this, then I can reveal to you that we are still... in the haunted gothic cathedral or in the dear company of the apocalyptic monks from Tibet.
Fifth (and last) track called The Chaos Principle is the last track of the album. Icy atmospheres and ritual drummings. A bit more volume-related dynamics happening here.
And there you go. It´s a smooth, time-stretched ritualistic dark-ambient thing with minimal dynamics. Hard to actually notice the minimal differences between the tracks, because all the tracks use the same sounds and effects. Might have worked out better if it all were just mixed down, into one single track? Maybe, you´ll be the judge of that. The trouble I have with this (as an old-timer Cold Meat Industry fan) is that I miss the stuff which actually heightens your senses, making you... slightly frightened or disturbed. The feeling of chaos of darkness is... "sort of there" but isn't really that convincing since it doesn't have that.. primitive experimental and sincere edge. Sound quality is superb, and well-produced as well, just add a bit more anarchy and madness into the mix!
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