Devil´s Breath - Embrace Of The Serpent
The latest with an "unknown" act on Kalteldur from a Greek label called Zazen Sounds. Devil´s Breath has existed since 2015 and has (mainly) released digital albums, this one is a physical release. The physical album has been sold out on the label´s Bandcamp site, but it can be easily obtained via Discogs (link below). A nifty-looking slim (and shiny) digipack, with the CD inserted inside. A 4 track album, almost 70 minutes in total. That´s what we call a proper full-length album!
The band itself is a very conceptual-driven thing. Via their Discogs entry, it says :
"Rights and liberties of indigenous people, the mysticism and horror of the inevitable suffering and inexorable death, misanthropy, and the natural environment are the themes that inspire Devil’s Breath most."
Which is also the same theme to be heard on this album. The concept is about the Amazon tribes. Trying to defend the forest from our industrial de-forestation, the album is a tribute to them (Amazon Indians) trying to preserve the natural environment.
The first track Embrace Of The Serpent I, starts with sleek retro-futuristic synthy ambient drones and tribal-inspired beatings on metal sheets. A charming start! Blade-runner meets Steve Roach, Z´ev with a touch of the Belgian ritual-act Hybryds. Additional tam-tam drums are added, while an evolving, menacing dark-ambient background is rising. A fantastic and dynamic 34-minute soundtrack-driven piece/track that you will enjoy listening through!
The second track Embrace Of The Serpent II continues (in a good way) where part I ended. Some crunchy industrial sounds are added, sounds like machinery splintering massive trees. Is that the sound of a blow torch? Again, a fantastic soundscape with an inspiring way of using sounds instead of words in delivering the message/story.
The third track part III is different than the 2 former tracks. The sound being more harsh and cold, the ambient/drone elements are replaced by harsh distorted sounds, technoid rhythms, and eerie altered sounds. The album so far, is getting darker and darker... no doubt about it. A lovely Test Dept vibe here as well!
The fourth part IV sounds like the most experimental track on the album, also a very heavy machine-driven death-industrial/ambient sound as well. Elements of despair and the sound of something dying are present in the recording. Where the first track had a certain, warmth to it... this ending track has a kind of ... murky clinical feel to it. I guess we´re at that point where we are imagining a wasteland, instead of a thriving jungle. It then enters a beautiful percussive soundscape, a minor hope maybe?
There is no doubt that Devil´s Breath´s Embrace Of The Serpent is an epic and thorough masterpiece with a clear focus on their concept. The whole thing works from the start to the finish. It sounds fresh and dynamic, and you will NOT get bored a single moment. I also noticed that the album has been mastered by the great sound wizard Anatology Grinberg! Highly recommendable album for these proto-post-apocalyptic times we live in!
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