Phragments - Anthems Of Solitude
Nothing more and nothing else, releasing an album called Anthems of Solitude in these times fits perfectly like a glove. Slovakia grim-ambient act Phragments have been around since 2005 and has been releasing material on such cult-labels as Malignant and Eastern Front. And this one of the act's sixth album, released just in the last Christmas of 2020. Out on vinyl and CD (via Bandcamp).
The first track simply called Hollow is what it is. A hollow and haunting sound from somewhere completely devoid of life, post-nuclear sites maybe? Thriving communities turned into dead and empty spaces, where only the echoes of life itself sadly remain. Spooky windy sounds... the kind of winds which will occur after an explosion of an atomic bomb, heavy drones coming from somewhere underground, metallic and rusty hitches making an eerie sound... and something... the sound of falling trees, or someone messing around with metal scrape?. Human-likes chanting voices like the monks of Tibet being also present here. A beautiful post-apocalyptic ambient track describing... a place which you really don't want to be in.
The second track Consequence drones it further down into the underworld. Sound of a violin-(like)-drones here, automatic ventilation-systems creating a mood there and... deep trumpets?... or just very large horn-like instrument being played in a deep cavern. Very nicely done!
The Third track Frontiers of Hope actually has a melody in it. Not a cherry and happy one, but a melody nonetheless with traces of human-life! There is a kind of martial-wave/industrial gone dark-ambient/drone wipe here, might be that (again) ruined after the war sort of mood. Think A Challenge of Honour meets later Raison D´être, martial drone?
The fourth and last track on this album is called An Ode To Our Times. A ritualistic moment when time stops, and by sorrow-filled elements drones the very last darkness out of the album.
The sounds are superb, elements and beautifully multilayered/mixed, the melancholic and moody expression being convincing... lots of reasons why this album is good. BUT I have a minor thing ... I would like some ... chaos/extra sound-dymamics to it. Not that I want a harsh-noise thing or anything, but... interesting samples here and there, taking from movies or from the news perhaps, dialogues or actual sounds, etc. Maybee having a classic sci-fi horror from the 80s running in the background while listening to it, might do the trick?.. I don't know, give it a listen people!
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