Ritual Purification - Makara

The act known as Ritual Purification is a experamental/noise artist from Vancouver, Canada. This album, called Makara, is the debut by this act. It was physically released as a CD on Bent Window Records back in 2023. A nifty-looking gatefold, four-panel slimline digpack. 5 tracks, over 40 minutes in total. 

The album is called Makara, and Makara is the name for an underwater monstrosity from Hindu Mythology. More or less a water deity in the same manner as the Zodiac sign of Capricorn. Often carved in stone at temples for otherworldly protection. From the Bandcamp site, this release serves as a tribute to the guardians of gateways and thresholds. And the recording itself has been performed as a ritual! Sounds pretty interesting, right?!

The first track is called Invocation. A distorted, evocative, and heavy soundscape blows open the roof of the cathedral/temple. Bits of angelic choirs try to squeeze their way through the wall of sound. A weird sound in there, sounds like something huge inhaling... and exhaling. The soundscape is further shattered into rusty bits of shrapnel. Fans of early Italian ritual-industrial music (Lyke Wake, Sigillum S) and NON would dig this.   

The second track is Altar Axis. Starts where Invocation ended. Getting further into blistering harsh noise and rhythmic HNW. Sounds like a raging hailstorm on a huge sheet-metal roof! It slows down to a grinding machine chopping wood, with the sound of screaming ghosts in the cellar.

Pursuance is the third track. A massive jigsaw eatings it´s way through sheets of metal, with a plundering and brutal digital sound eating its way through the noise like acid. A pulsating and thumping bass sound makes sure that everything sounds very crunchy. There is the sensation of something going on in the background, hidden, echoed sounds... 

The fourth track is called You Reside In The Water. A thick and looped distorted bass, shuddering humming sound fades in and out. An undulating feeling of water-sickness resides in here!     

The fifth (and last track) is called Shrevan. The longest track on the album as well.  A blistering shower of warm noise drowning your senses. Apparently, something (underwater) has just dragged you down! A thick sound of digital screaming underwater. A total and chaotic feat of harsh noise, but in the realm of Japanoise. 

Makara by Ritual Purification is a brutal harsh-noise treat disguised as a ritual treat. It starts like a ritual, but after several strong liquors (or tobacco), it evolves further and further into aggressive knob-twiddling. A harsh, brutal debut for sure, a harsh and atmospheric one as well. Not for the faint of heart! 

Bandcamp (band):

https://ritual-purification.bandcamp.com/album/makara-3

   

            

    

 Asylum Connection - A Decay of a Pandemic Mind

Back in November last year, we reviewed the EP called A Daymare Reality by an Italian project called Shadow Echo Canyon. Luca Tommasini is behind that project and is also responsible for Asylum Connection, which released this album called A Decay of a Pandemic Mind. Also released on Inner Demon Records and as "two hand-stamped 3" CD-Rs. Art printed on heavy card stock and enclosed in a vinyl pouch with a flap. Hand-numbered." Which is a brilliant design for this sort of release. 

The concept/theme for this release is thoroughly described on the artist's Bandcamp site, as well as on Discogs, about the Corona pandemic, and about the artist´s growing frustration regarding the pandemic, the isolation, the loss of loved ones, and the inability to fight back. He also describes in the text how the world kept on, how nature outside lived on as nothing happened while the humans were suffering. The album contains 4 tracks, with over 30 minutes of sound. 

The first track is called Stay At Home, starts with a burst of shattered and splintered filtered noise, and something in the background talking... might be simple radio noise, or is it a parrot?... I am not sure. You already get the feeling of the frustration of being locked inside; might be the parrot?  

   

The second track, The Loss Of Feeling. A distorted hum, razor-sharp radio-like frequency. The eerie-pitched and manipulated chattering sound of birds and television noise in there as well, and a looped distorted bass sound giving the track a death-industrial vibe. There´s a sense of... the opposite of feeling motivated, basically just lying on a sofa and doing absolutely nothing... cause there isn´t anything to do... obviously. 

The third track is called Let´s Have a Fight With Whomever. A burst of filtered flanged noise. The sound from a television set is slowed down to a haunting demonic sound. Something (angry on this track) is trying to squeeze itself out of the noise; there is a hidden, aggressive nature here that is being controlled. It wants to get out! Multi-layered filtering noise with demons/ghosts inside! 

The fourth track is the last track on the album, and then we have to put the second 3" in the CD player. It´s called Final Wall, a Zombie is Born. A brutal noise, 18 minutes of a wall with someone (distant) screaming painfully from a place in the burning hell. Kind of reminds me of that recorded sound from a hole in the ground, which actually was a recording from an old horror flick from the 70s. A mental and physical numbness will occur after several minutes of listening to this track! 

A Decay of a Pandemic Mind is a painful and brutal soundscape of forced isolation for someone who doesn´t enjoy being isolated. The feeling of restlessness and anxiety, depression... while (as mentioned above) the world/nature outside somehow continues on its daily routines. Clearly a recording which is the total opposite to a record which promotes healing through sound, this one promotes a negative-version of that... 100%!. Tired of being jolly happy? Or do you just hate REM´s Shining Happy People? This one might help. 

Bandcamp (label):

https://innerdemonsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/a-decay-of-a-pandemic-mind-ind203d

Bandcamp (band):

https://asylumconnection.bandcamp.com/

       

 Ens Imperfectissimum & VRNA - 

Offerte Votive per Morti Senza Nome

A second split between two Italian occult-driven acts. We reviewed the former split last year, which is still worth it for curious ears. The album comes as a CD packed in a wallet-sized format with a 4-panel insert. A huge album running over 70 minutes.

The album title can be translated to Votive Offerings for the Nameless Dead. And as far as I can remember, the former split was also working within the same kind of theme. The idea for this split comes from a tradition from the city of Naples. Where religious devotion was offered for the nameless graves, for those (dead) who were denied mourning and proper funeral rites. The tracks are different from the CD, and on the Bandcamp site, I review the tracks from the CD. 

The first track is by VRNA, and it´s called "Adoption Ritual". A folksy harmonic drone, a single drum serving a ceremonious purpose, a violin-like string instrument, bells... and some BEAUTIFUL and distant orchestral vocals, similar to the voice of Joe Papa of Controlled Bleeding! Beautifully made! Ritual music at its best, with some slight gothic undertones in the mood.

The second track is by Ens Imperfectissimum, called Invocazione dei Defunti Anonimi. A perfect blend of dark ambience and classic death industrial, something in between esoteric ritual-stuff like Ain Soph and the more ambient-oriented BDN. Excellent deep and mystical female vocal here (believe me!).

The third track is called Hypogeum, and it´s with VRNA. Starts with a huge gong starting the ceremony, getting back to Coil´s How To Destroy Angels and Endvra. Deep whispering voices quietly chanting. Extra layers of reverbed whispering and looping give the sound an unearthly quality. A subtle and singing chant enters the mix, giving the track just a slight melodic and ceremoniously aproach. 

The fourth track is Mortui Expositus, meaning The Exposed Dead, by Ens Imperfectissimum. A deep drum, stretched-out orchestral sounds, evocative vocals, and the sound of wood hitting wood... or is it bones? It does have that bony kind of feel to it, though. Very shamanic touch here, getting close to the spirits for sure. Female ritualistic spoken here as well (later on), and the sound of the moaning dead is really present here! Imagine a wall of skulls with the wind blowing through them. 

The fifth track, called Three Headless Angels at my Bedside by VRNA, returns to a more folksy feeling. Reminding me of a soundtrack I heard on the horror film called Dagon, maybe the same kind of bagpibe/windy instrument? Evocative flute, bells, harmonium (I think). Very similar in style to another Italian act called Alio Die (Recommended). Excellent string instruments are added, which give it a kind of spaghetti-western feel. The esoteric is incredibly exquisite here!    

The sixth track is called Offerte Votive per Morti Senza Nome (Voting Offerings for the Nameless Dead) by Ens Perfectissimum. Shimmering sound of steel chains (or crystals), endless mourning string sound/drone from a bottomless pit, shattering and thunderous mood in a huge cathedral indeed. With atmospheric, evocative, and beautiful female-vocals parts as well. 

Ending the ritual/album is with VRNA with the track called Dialogue With the Shadows. Again, a slightly folksy feeling with a kind of ancient, almost Middle Eastern feel to it. The sound of the treated violin is truly a nice treat here. Something in there sounds just like a thighbone trumpet, combined with excellent chanting male vocals. 

Offerte Votice per Morti Senza Nome is a worthy masterpiece which takes the listener deep into a world that lies between the living and the dead, actually with a lot more beautiful esoteric approach than the grim and demonic sound of death-industrial. Just sit back on your favorite chair, pour yourself a whiskey, and go through the album from the start to the end. Very satisfying and highly enjoyable 70 minutes. When ritual music is at its absolute peak! 

Bandcamp (band):

https://ensimperfectissimum.bandcamp.com/album/offerte-votive-per-morti-senza-nome

Bandcamp (label):

https://noctivagantcollective.bandcamp.com/album/offerte-votive-per-morti-senza-nome