Petrichor - Ascend to the White Lodge

A UK act with several Bandcamp releases, and most of the physical releases are already sold out. Can´t find the act on Discogs either, since the act doesn´t have an entry on Discogs. So, if you want your physical release with this interesting act, then you might consider asking for it on several noise/industrial groups on various social media platforms. 

This one was released back in June (2025) and was released as a jewel case CD-R, and as a special edition with everything in a handmade red bag. Other than that, I can inform the reader that the release functions as a tribute to David Lynch. Specifically, Twin Peaks offcourse. With all the emotions to be witnessed in this excellent supernatural thriller series, the artist tries to channel these kinds of emotions into this full-length album. Over 1 hour long. 

The first track is called The Red Room. And the Red Room is, well, the Red Room with the cool-looking white and black floor. And offcourse, with people talking backwards, with a cool-looking midget who has some pretty nifty dance moves. A strange and heavily distorted voice mumbling, with a quiet sound of feedback. Some extra glitchy noise from a radio, chopped up high-frequency noise, and a bar of metal being hit by a piece of metal. A long, ritualistic industrial-noise piece with eerie moods. Not chaotic, but made with a focused eye and ear! Lots of stuff and weird sounds are going on; open your ears and you might notice them.

The second track, Pain & Suffering. The sound of an old warped vinyl playing backwards, and then some kind of living metal-machine creates a looped rhythm. Harsh and spacy noise touches are added, while screeching souls are trying to break into our world. The noise becomes very surreal, and there are a lot of recorded sound elements that are trying to hypnotise the listener (Or disorientate!). More recorded sounds of scrapped metal within! 

The third track is called Meanwhile. A wavy sound of waves, watery waves or... the sound of 100 sheets getting dried in stormy weather? .. I am not sure. The sound of sheets getting "alive" in Mr James´s Oh Whistle...? Sound of creaking wet wood and wind, like being inside a boat with a wild weather going on outside. I'm really getting into those menacing evil forces of Twin Peaks here, something being outside... that WANTS to get inside...somehow. 

The fourth track, Where I´m From the Birds Sing a Pretty Song. Fasr and chopped up high frequencies, and organic-sounding walls of noise move around my room (or speakers). There are some kind of spiritual traces to be heard and sensed through the thick layers of primitive ambient noise here. 

Once We Cross, it Could All Be Different is the fifth track. A spacy journey into.. cosmic noise and archaic horror? Huge things moving under the earth, a scratching saw-buzz... and the imagination of how the essence of evil can hide in the smallest things imaginable. Microscobic demons? 

Ascend to the White Lodge is a breathing, organic, and living thing made purely out of harsh sounds. It feels very personal and intimate, it will get under your skin... one way or another. And it´s different, not fitting into a specific category as such. Hard to compare to anything, it´s that unique. Working as an excellent tribute to both David Lynch and Twin Peaks. 

Bandcamp (band):

https://petrichor-noise.bandcamp.com/album/ascend-to-the-white-lodge

 

 Oakleaf - Grünes Herz

Obscure neo-folk project from Dresden, having (almost) most of their recordings on this single tape, 1 hour and 20 minutes long. Described on Discogs as an act with a focus on personal struggle, spirituality, and violence. 2 small cassette mini-albums, a floppy disc, one split, and then this limited 50 copies cassette compilation. Containing about 38 songs! Released on the Greek label Γουρζουλάς.

First track on the A-side called Intro, works as an intro, offcourse. Melancholic sound of atmospheric acoustic guitar strings, well played and played intriguingly.

The second track, Odal, really sets the neo-folk mood, being much more primitive and simple than acts like Forseti and Dark Wood. A bit closer to early Sol Invictus. Simple acoustic guitars, a low-fi drum machine, a synth, and a moaning ghost-voice functioning as the vocalist.  

The third track, "Branches," has that angst-ridden old post-punk feel to it (early Cure/4AD). Minimalistic, moody, and skeletal with a murky autumn touch to it. Really imagining those skeletal trees without the leaves on a dark night in the woods, offcourse, with a fog creeping through the trees.   

The fourth track is called Harvest. The sound of rings on a chain, dry branches being stepped on, and a really cool-sounding, distorted, and haunting guitar tune playing alongside an acoustic one aswell.

We flip the cassette and continue with the B-side. Starting with the track called Lichtmess/Mountain Madness. A semi-electronic and very interesting ritualistic piece, icy to the touch. A gong there, distorted synth-work, bass-drones... very murky, cold piece. Ends with additional folk guitar work.

The second track, Blätterdach, is also interesting. Sound of frogs croaking, an eerie violin, chimmering bells, and some distant birds chirping. Sort of seductive and scary, like the myth of the Scandinavian Nøkken. A water-living troll that can conjure an image of a beautiful white horse drinking water at the lake, and some curious person will try 2 get in contact with it, and ends up being dinner for the Nøkken. I kind of thought about that when I heard this track. Nice kind of druidic/pagan feel to it all.    

The third track Wildermann continues with the murkiness of the wild nature. Really enjoy the folksy violin here, has that kind of Aghast sound to it. Brilliant horror synth going on here aswell, early Scoopy Doo Theramin?

Grünes Herz (Green Heart) is not a green heart, but a black one. Buried in decayed soil on a piece of land where nothing will or can grow, rotted leaves and dead trees scatter the very land. Post punk-ish Neo folk for those who are tired of well-polished (and traditional) neo folk. Harsh neofolk for sadcore and funeral-doom lovers? Worth the listen, very perfect for the coming cold autumn!  

Bandcamp (label):

https://gourzoulas.bandcamp.com/album/gr-nes-herz