Devil´s Breath - Abandoned By Humans,

Adopted By Wolves

The second time we get to review dark-ambient/tribal act Devil´s Breath, and this album is their fifth one. Also released on Zazen Sounds like the former album. Also released as an elegant and beautiful slimline digipack. Album artwork featuring human skulls and a wolf's head, and inside, we find a dark forest and information about the album's concept. Here goes: 

Abandoned By Humans, Adopted By Wolves is the fifth album from Devil's Breath, and the second released on Zazen Sounds.

Abandoned by Humans, Adopted by Wolves is inspired by the sense of feeling disillusioned by the human species—a disillusionment reactive to humanity's behavior towards its own race, towards the animal and plant kingdoms, and towards the Earth, which is its habitat.

Wolves are symbolic of what humans do not represent. This permanent state of disillusionment of the human species leads to the desire, the need, and the enthusiasm of withdrawing into isolation, deep into forests among the wolves.

And on this album, we have only one track, which is almost 1 hour long. So without further ado, let us jump straight into it!

Deep chopped-up drones and gentle, distorted machine rumblings. A heavenly synth sound from above penetrates the darkness and also gives the beginning an epic, ritualistic touch. Further on, we get bangings on huge and small chimes, radiators, and gongs, while the mood intensifies with a strange humming of a pulsating laser drill. I do like the sound of it, the way that sound travels through a dense and dark forest. Something strange and magical, hearing the echoed sound of metal inside a forest. You do get that feeling that you are alone, but not really. 

After 12 minutes, there is a metallic ringing of small metal rings, and icy crystalline sounds piercing the overall hypnotic soundscape. At this point, it does feel like I'm getting sucked into this. More ritualistic percussion lightens the intensity. 

A sensation of small underground explosions or the shifting of the earth, a cold wind? Sound of angels? And that thick drilling sound, grinding through solid stone. Almost losing my sense of time here!. At around 40 minutes, harsh noise and angelic touches clash together in a sense of ecstasy. 

There is (kind of) a sort of slow melody in there, and you get the feeling of being a participant in some sort of cleansing ritual. Everything is gently done, but the sound throbs and drills through your senses. It´s an adventurous, dark journey on a single track, a long story on a single page. Fans of Vidna Obmanna and Controlled Bleeding would dig this album! 

Bandcamp (label):

https://zazensoundspublishings.bandcamp.com/album/zzs-160-devils-breath-abandoned-by-humans-adopted-by-wolves-available-now-in-digi-format-sold-out-high-quality-digital-download

 Thru The Leaves - Nocturne

We reviewed the album Eleven Faces and Forty Two Arms by Stefano Bertoli in 2020, and now we get to review a new project with him called Thru The Leaves with the album called Nocturne. This project/release has been made with Erica Volta, who plays the electric harp, while Stefano does all the electronics. 

Also released by Italian Industrial Ölocaust Recordings, on cassette and on CD. Two tracks on it, with 47 minutes in total. The CD comes in a standard jewel case, accompanied by a thick and textured booklet inside. The artwork depicts a planet undergoing the cycle of night and day. 

The first track is called Thebit. Not sure what the title is, maybe the recorded audio on the track itself explains it. Pleasant electronic glitch-sounds, tweeps, and bleeps like an alien radio-recording. The playing of a harp adds to the sound and gives the listener the impression of watching the moon on a cold, starless night. I'm not really a huge fan of harp, but this kind of playing really suits me. I think it´s kind of improvised, and it tries to work together with the sound of otherworldly electronics. And yeah, it´s a pretty good match! A mesmerizing sense of ritual-purpose where time just goes... slow. Which is a good thing really, beause it´s a long track! It´s utterly beautifully done, like floating on something in a state of absolute bliss. Love the ethereal synth work aswell. 

The second track, Purbach. It might be the name of a large crater on the moon, or the surname of an Austrian astronomer. The harp continues its cosmic journey with some really excellent psychedelic space-ambient soundscapes. Very similar to the former track, but it really doesn´t mind... I wouldn´t mind if these two could just continue playing without end. 

Nocturne works best when it´s night, when u are alone. The moon is out, some clouds, and some stars. And the way it´s quiet in the nighttime, the sound of a hedgehog or a fox... the wind through the pines, the crashing of waves on the beach. You all know it, it´s quite more easy to relax in the nighttime... mainly because most people are sleeping. I really like the nighttime in that way, in the same way I like this album. Everything works between these two people, I don´t know if it's improvised or planned or anything.. but it works.. and yeah... magical stuff is happening aswell.

Bandcamp (Discogs - band):

https://www.discogs.com/artist/14506414-Thru-The-Leaves

Official website (label):

https://cardinium.com/product/ior-tk-xxxiiicdr/