Ideal Father - Paradice Death
I am a huge fanboy I am of this incredible obscure act, the second album out with Swedish-based Ideal Father. For those who haven´t yet read or checked out the former review of the debut, I would strongly suggest that you do so. Limited tape release of 45 copies released by Exebyss Records. It comes in a beautiful and thick cardboard cassette slipcase, with completely black tape inside. All there is to say about Ideal Father is that they are one of the few acts around who does what you would call death ambient. A term loosely connected with the death-industrial term. Some of the early Cold Meat Industry releases were coined either as black ambient or death ambient, in other words, a more ambient orientated version of death industrial. Not that we should forget the sound of Slaughter Productions' excellent compilation Death Odors!
A Mind In Evil Ruin is the first track on the A-side of the tape. A sinister hissing sound, human screams can be heard (far away) via a long hallway, bone-crushing bass, metallic distortions... just about everything inhuman you can think of. A perfect sound that should be heard by every horror-movie soundtrack lover! True death-ambient for sure!.
The second track called In Paradice Death offers psychedelic and flanged sounds and ritualistic and distorted black-metal vocals. A very chilled, sadistic, creepy, and clinical dark-ambient track.
The third track Blood Torrent moves back to the sound of the first track, more in the classic death-industrial sound. Heavy and guitar/bass-based distortions give it all a lovely analog sound, whispering, and reverbed vocals, with drone-based dark-ambient undertones to go with it. Sounds like someone is being possessed here!
The fourth track Crepuscular Soul gets way deeper into repetitive morbid psychedelics. Looped and echoed samples, a religious-sounding noise wall (A bit like NON), excellent and sinister synth-work as well!. A rare thing indeed, and a thing we need more in death-industrial/ambient. Synth-keys folks!. A beautiful and haunting track indeed!.
The fifth track Tongue Mosaic is where it gets... weird and genuinely scary. How one can make a distorted squealing noise sound like someone actually weeping. All of that is going on in the background while a hypnotizing feeling sucks you right in. Like falling through an endless pit of sounds. The sensation of feeling weightless, in a rather unpleasant way if you ask me. A really wow sort of a track, it also offers something new to the sound as well.
Crosshair Mantra is the sixth track on the album. A flesh scraping ambient piece with ritualistic undercurrents. Love the bits of human-like sounds/voices to be heard here and there... almost hidden.
The seventh track Wall of Crying Eyes screams for attention. Bone-narrowing sinisterness all packed nicely in a psychedelic Wunder Baum. Elements of cosmic horror are added to the mix here, fans of early Lyke Wake take notice.
There are two more tracks left on the B-side, but I will leave the curious listener to explore them themselves. A thorough and well-thought death-ambient/industrial-focused album. It has all the right ingredients, and the atmosphere is there as well. And it will/can leave you quite speechless! For fans of BDN´s Necrose Evangelicum and early CMI!.
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