Luca Ferro - Elements

A new release from Italien-based label Industrial Ölocaust Records, and a new act/solo-act-debut as well. Elements by Luca Ferro was released on the 23rd of June 2020, being both on CD and on cassette. A few track EP/mini-album being 25 minutes in total.

A quick introduction to this fellow. A member of the psychedelic sludge-doom band Satori Junk, and having (as well) obtained the sound design diploma at Nam in Milan. He himself describes the album as following:

Experimental ambient music, psychoacoustic, into a dense fog of reverb. Get a trip into the deepest part of your mind.

First track Maestoso welcomes the listener into a glittering, dreamy, and futuristic retro-orientated soundscape. Imagine steel-buildings in the early morning, with the sun exposing itself second-by-second and throwing powerful reflecting rays of light and warmth in the cold and early morning air... Imagine the sun in a movie like Blade Runner! Kind of like an ambient synth-wave orientated Boards of Canada. 

Second track Optogenetics moves closer to a more experimental soundtrack-wise sound. Electronic reverbed (and slightly distorted) metallic-sounding rain-drops, psychedelic drones, and heavy retro-synth keys in the background. A mystical and hypnotic moody piece, without the epic elements/moments from the first track.

The third track called Aether (shortest track) offers a cool-sounding bass (Commodore 64?), swirling shortwave-radio sounds, and looped crystalized tones. Lovely reverb effects here! 

Fourth track Lunar Phase being a mesmerizing eerie glitchy ambient-sci-fi piece. A very spacey track being almost weightless in its approach. Also one of the most challenging tracks on the album. 

Fifth (and last) track Final Overture moves back to the synthy-melodies which the first track was on about. This one starts off with a more somber melancholic mood, Blade Runner by nightfall maybe? The somber mood gets replaced later on by a more uplifting tune, a lovely dreamy piece/outro of glittering synth-ambient pop

And that is that. My favorite tracks on the album would be the first and the last. Actually, after I heard the first track I was hopefully dreaming that this synth-wave ambient thing would continue through the album. I was more or less surprised that it turned into a more experimental soundtrack. I do think that the more experimental tracks on the album could need a bit more rawness in the sound itself, some actual recordings or samples would be great. The melodic tracks (first and last) are flawless and beautiful if you ask me. But otherwise, interesting 25 minutes space-trip into the future!. 

Bandcamp (band):

https://lucaferrocomposer.bandcamp.com/   

Official website (label):

https://cardinium.com/     

  

Lyke Wake & Noise Cluster - 

Let The Universe Fall

There a new tape in town, this time we have another new release which is a collaboration between Lyke Wake and Noise Cluster. Released on Luce Sia, cassette (60 copies), and available by digital means via Luce Sia´s official Bandcamp site. Just a quick introduction, for those who don´t know Lyke Wake I can only say that it is an old Italian industrial-cult act which has existed since 1984. Something worthy to check (Fans of MB, Ain Soph, and Die Sonne Satans). I do not know the other act Noise Cluster, it is a newish project which have been started by members of DBPIT and XxeNA ( which I don't know either). Both projects DBPIT and XxeNA have been highly productive in the field of experimental industrial (check the Discogs links below!). Anyways, this new release has been called Let the Universe Fall, over 53 minutes in total.

First track Gamma Rays Scenario kick-starts the album with a warped technoid-ambient feel. Alienated electronic drum patterns lift the spaceship further into a great cosmos, evocative and epic Tangerine Dream´ish synth-ambient meets the listener/spaceship here. Mindscanning electronic-noise whirl around the listener as well. Interesting and rather....spaced out intro. 

Next track A Stream Inside The Dark Of The Universe moves away from the rhythms and adds a more floating psychedelic sensation. Could very well sound like the birth of the universe. Distant and screaming angelic-voices, eerie radio-clatter, icy synth-drones, and whispering voices. Reminds me of a Deutsche Nepal track (in a way). All this weightless eerieness meets up (later) with the spiritual and excellent church-like organ/synth-work by Lyke Wake.

Third track Deranged Solar Flares starts off with an (I think) being some kind of hornet/trumpet-drone. Interesting and icy rhythms comes second with evocative synth-work in the background. A kind of a low-beat and minimal melancholic piece if you compare it to the two first tracks.

Fourth track And Then The Dark starts with a classic Lyke Wake melody, which suddenly stops and meets up with metallic dub effects and rhythms which we heard earlier on Deranged Solar Flares. The sounds of repeated violins mark a new beginning for this track, and this gets mixed up with sci-fi sound effects and gentle synth-work.

Fifth track The Shadowed Universe Of Pain (b-side) gets a bit murkier. A sort of apocalyptic of a nearby galaxy sort of feel, or a sucking black hole maybe?. Or some great cosmic evil waiting to devour other planets for lunch. Sofar the most experimental track on the album, and also the darkest.

Sixth track Younger Dryas gets into new and strange territories. Ethnic female-vocals, eerie looped piano-part, shortwave radio noise... a really acid-drenched piece. The merge between the two acts sounds a bit too mixed up here... slightly confusing piece. 

Seventh track The Black Light Beyond Lensed Star 1 returns to icy-melancholic dub-effects with weightless evocative synth-work. Do like the clattering icy keys here, lovely outro as well.  

Eight (and last) track There Goes Our Comet ends it the album with glitch, acid, and rhythmic looped recordings. Strangely cheerful but also strangely menacing at the same time. 

A strange album with its ups and downs. The album starts really great (a-side) but then it slowly gets less and less imaginative. The freshness of the start with its epic electronic feel, and cosmic strangeness slowly turn down the mood the further we get on. At times we do have episodes when the two projects collide and get too... mixed up in a confusing matter. The album is also (maybe) too long compared to its fusion-style, the excellent a-side is enough in itself. But do give it a spin nonetheless, I do think it is a rather unique piece of mood music that requires curious ears.    

Bandcamp (label):

https://lucesia.bandcamp.com/album/075-lyke-wake-noise-cluster-let-the-universe-fall

DBPIT (discogs):
https://www.discogs.com/artist/149423-Der-Bekannte-Post-Industrielle-Trompeter

XxeNa (discogs):
https://www.discogs.com/artist/1288920-XxeNa

Now Sleep - Ghost Stories

A (not too old) label covering experimental drone-music has just spawned a new and interesting debut release. A completely fresh and new electronic-based drone-ambient act called Now Sleep. The album is inspired by the works of none-other-than the great and true master of the classic ghost story, MR James. Limited to 50 cassette copies, while being over 50 minutes.

The first track called Goodbye The Last Song On The Radio sets the mood in a thick fog of uncertain mysticism. Stone frozen moments on a dark frosty night. Distant screaming sound from a train hitting the brakes, echo-treated horns, slowly-built melancholic tunes, and human voices being heard somewhere in the mix. Interesting ear candy going on here. 

Second track Some Don´t Know What They Are taps more electronic melancholia into the ears. Interesting mixed-up cut-up samples of male and female voices talking, saying ´I don´t feel´ and ´Real´ and ´That´s sad´. Atmospheric and cool dub-techno wipes in the background with an interesting and monotonous synty-key being chopped up as well. The voices getting lovely distorted later on, very experimental-cool if you ask me.

The third track I Am Lost... gets... creepy and actually... scary! Someone (male-voice I think) moans, weeps, and screams in pain. Not in your voice, but from the deepest basement of the house. A lovely and haunting and moody piano-melody works on this later on, as well as something which reminds me a bit of something from Aphex Twin´s Selected Ambient Works vol II. A REALLY goosebump of a track, MR James would have been proud if he listened to this. It just sounds... beautiful, sad, and incredibly tragic at the same time. 

Fourth track The Haunting of Paul Dacre has this hypnotic electronic pendulum pulse-sound. Something forever touching the strings on some violin-like instrument. Something ghost-like voice moaning again, sounding a bit more disturbing and perverse than the previous one. Doesn't feel like a sad ghost track, more or a malicious spirit who wants to do harm. Sounds like something being... entrapped and desperately wants to get out! Sofar the most disturbing piece on the album. 

Fifth track They Mostly Come At Night (No!... Not the bloody Aliens people!) is a track which explores drone harshness. A nerve-grinding sound-instrument which takes you back... to your old dentist while being on laughing gas. Icy synth drops, campy 60s horror-movie dialogues, and heavenly windy drones also being present.

Sixth track As The Shadows Has Limbs...  Feels like standing in a deserted empty house... where the walls can speak. That kind of feeling when you are alone but do not feel... completely alone. Something in the mist is there, something in the... very air being present. I like (myself) to discover abandoned buildings, and this track takes me back to a labyrinth-like cellar of an old industrial building. I went as far as I bloody could, but all of a sudden... I stopped and returned (It was that INTENSE!). Same feeling this track gives me, being strangely calm but brutally intense at the same time. The interesting clattering of metals and a mysterious human voice ends the track nicely. 

Seventh piece We Are In The Walls, Always is the shortest track on the album. A surreal treated-piano-treat lifts you up a few inches of the ground. Slightly reminds me of Throbbing Gristle´s eerie ambient piece Beachy Head.

Eight track The Dead Travel In Fog And Sound. Not the darkest track on the album, more of a lighter feel here which balances the album nicely. Anyone being happy for Brian Eno´s Discreet Music would enjoy this. Lovely piano parts and lovely ambient-drones starts the track, weird glitch-like sound-effects pops up in the dreamy fog-sound. Once again, I think about EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon).

Ninth track Peace For Snow Cricket returns to the sound-formula which you heard on the second track Some Don´t Know What They Are. Which I don't mind, cause it sounded good. Love the xylophone here, a very relaxing piece to end this album. 

A GREAT thorough album with a lot of goosebumps and sadness inside, whatever the artist himself wants you to fell, he actually succeeds in this which makes the album... kind of frightening real in a paranormal sort of sense. I will highly recommend this album for anyone who is into ambient, drone... and ghost stories. Perfect in the background while reading MR James... if you dare!!.. 

Bandcamp (label):

https://elmrecords.bandcamp.com/album/now-sleep-ghost-stories

Facebook (label):

https://www.facebook.com/elmrecords/

Facebook (band):

https://www.facebook.com/Now-Sleep-1101595499962293/ 

Soundcloud (band):
https://soundcloud.com/now-sleep?fbclid=IwAR0mEVQueRAKA8VLrci0AAS3dQCBYFjiyj7Dsx911Ylx6l7xYDCfz5OCNPE                 

  

Schloss Tegal - Psychometry

For most ears who are curious in the world of dark-ambient, Schloss Tegal would be one of the prime movers in the genre. Some even claim that they were the first real dark-ambient act. The band has existed since 1989 and has had a string of various releases on various labels up until 2006. And now, 15 years later a new album called Psychometry has been born. So far it has been released on 1 CD-digipack, 2xLP edition, 2xLP+CD+8" etc (check the details on Discogs link below!). It´s a heavy treat and a heavy cult-item so sure. 

For those who don't know, Schloss Tegal is a name for a psychiatric hospital (near Berlin) that treated soldiers with art and music therapy. And Psychometry is basically the psychic ability to extract information from a certain physical object simply by touching it. The cover-artwork + booklet that follows the release is a thing of lovely murky beautifulness. A cover-artwork which gives hints back to the early days of spiritism and meets up a kind of...esoteric cosmic horror. 11 tracks, about 55 minutes in total darkness.

First track Psychopompus hits it home already in the first 5 seconds. The sound is just right, not too smooth and not too rough either. Very heavy and very murky, but strangely pleasant and hypnotic-stimulating at the same time. Kind of, death industrial for dark ambient fans... in other words, it´s dark-ambient... just a wee bit darker (if you ask me). Monotonic underwater waves of heavy-sound and subtle ambient-drones... very nice!.

Second track Incorporeal Being moves further into cosmic strangeness. A huge mass of wind swirl and drowns the listener into oblivion, in a heartbeat, I was sure that it sounded like someone breathing (just slowed down with tons of powerful reverb). Eerie and dreamy recordings of something going on in the background... what it is I do not know. 

Third track The Invalid Earth has that dark-ambient mood meet up with a kind of... old-school industrial feel. Reminds me of one of those Throbbing Gristle intros to some of their live recordings, depressing but evocative mood setter. A ritualistic thump later on with a scary radio-recording and a... ghost-like whale singing as well. I like it!

At the Fourth track Krononaut (Time Zero), it actually gets sort of scary in the classic paranormal sort of sense. A very desperate (but hard to hear) telephone voice is talking, a sort of... recording of dead people talking (forever) and being recorded on some high-tech radio equipment. Fluid like ritual ambiance in the background in the company of a cold mechanized machine sound, the kind of sound which u would expect from the strange machines which the Migo created in Lovecraft´s Whisperer in the Darkness. Still being unpleasant in the pleasant sort of sense.

Fifth track Black Vessel has a more of a harsh cold electronics sound. Ruined post-war territory. Think Dagma Mor and Grey Wolves in ambient-soundtrack moods. Again, interesting stuff going on the mix. Lots of cool layers here, and lots of recorded details.

Yup, And I will not reveal anything more from here since there is so much for you to discover. And yes! We have such sights to show you! It´s a great and horrific dark-ambient treat for those who think that dark-ambient has turned... into a shallow and hollow over-produced thing. This one is unpolished, harsh, unforgiving and just being true to the bone (Yup... truly it´s dark ambient here).  Give it a spin (or 10 times for that matter!).

Discogs (band+release):

https://www.discogs.com/Schloss-Tegal-Psychometry/master/1606803

Bandcamp (band):

https://schlosstegal.bandcamp.com/album/psychometry

Facebook (band):

https://www.facebook.com/schlosstegal

Official Website (band):

http://www.schlosstegal.net/

Tryhm - Phobos Sanctum

Warm weather is here... and what can we do about it? My idea would be to escape into a damp and cold cellar-room while having cold and murky horror-ambient... churning out from my speakers. And that is what Tryhm is (kind of) about. Phobos Sanctum is their fourth release, and this Norwegia-based act has been in existence since the year of 2016. An 8 track album, about 40 minutes of length.

First track All Nightmares To Come begins with that kind of.... familiar CMI-sound. An ambient-industrial version of In Slaughter Natives via Controlled Bleeding sort of. Evocative religious humming voices, strange sort of gasmask sounds, a female voice gasping for air, metallic chain-sounds loops in a rhythmic fashion, and more. A very decent opening, I liked it a lot... VERY evocative intro here!

Next track Chamber of Mirrors has that same sort of feeling like the first track, the kind of feeling that you in someplace... and you cannot get out. This track has to be closer to a haunted and eerie place, the sort of place where walls whisper their secrets while your neck hair slowly stands up. Lovely depth to this piece, a terrific piece of multi-layered horror-ambiance!.

Third track Final Form Of Life adds death-industrial aesthetics to the mix. Strange sort of clicking sounds, which gives the listener the feeling of a certain activity happening in the recording... something dreadful if you ask me. Hints of neo-classical tunes add more to the horrific drama, without getting too dramatic. A great track, with a kind of weird sudden ending (should have been longer). 

Fourth track Ghosts Nests, is a nest where... sorrow and despair have just... clumped together. Sounds of (slightly altered) crying sound of children and women with strange whispering happening in the background. The mixing of sounds and the added sound-effects (echo/reverb) really gives this sad piece a horrific effect here! Lovely neo-classical Raison D´être sort of wipe enters the track later on, which adds more fuel to the sort of storytelling feel this album has (so far). 

Fifth track In A Trance of Absence has a really discomforting kind of intro. It sounds like... someone is japing something into piano strings, this is going on while the sound of a swirling vortex is going. Doom laden and militant sounds start suddenly and add a good deal of industrial dynamics into the track. 

I will not have to reveal anything more to the reader since the rest of the album continues to deliver those excellent tensions. Worth discovering and listening to right from the start. A great example of horror-themed (ghost)-ambient... if you please. A modern ghost story flick could use a soundtrack like this, do give it a spin!.

Bandcamp (band):

https://tryhm.bandcamp.com/album/phobos-sanctum

Facebook (band):

https://www.facebook.com/TRYHM-646820292155422/

Mystica Visio - s/t

Mystica Visio by Mystica Visio (self-titled), a 35-minutes debut release from a new act from Brazil. A physical version of this album hasn´t been planned yet, but the artist is working on it. So let us hear (or see) what mysterious visions we shall find behind this release.

Already from the beginning, it sounds cool (a track called Mystical Visions From A Dead Past). Retro-futuristic marriage between Berlin-school and dungeon-synth, think classic soundtracks from Italien zombie-flicks from the 70s! Very sleek, very atmospheric, and very well played. The sound-quality would make any retro-synth-lover droll here.

Next track The Glowing Figure moves into vampire-haunted Castlevania. A very chilling moment with subtle and sinister moments. When the clock strikes at midnight, a ghost will appear. That kind of feeling, again... Very neat! Not that far away (in style) from Coil´s soundtrack to Clive Barker´s Hellraiser people! 

Third track The Prophecy Was A Lie adds a piano moment with string-like synth-work. A very beautiful, melancholic piece with tragic moods. Kind of... if the piano had a tale to tell, it would certainly sound like this. Very sincere and very... honest. So far the most, gothic-sounding piece.

Fourth track Journey Across The Lake Of Lost Souls adds more fuel to the fans of Tangerine Dream. Love the way how this monotone bass-synth-melody feels like... the steps/journey you partake over this lake of certain doom and darkness. Eerie extra synth-sounds adds a creepy descriptive touch of what can be seen in this lake. Might just be the lake of Hali, where Hastur (He Who Is Not To Be Named) sleeps?. I don't know, certainly the moment eerie piece on this album. 

Fifth track Spell of Entrapment, being the longest track on the album. Is a kind of piece that you can... isolate to? A slow-moving epic piece that takes the listener back to Runes Order. A very moody and cosmic element as at work here. I once remember Arthur C. Clarke once said;

Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the universe or we are not, both are equally terrifying.

Again, a kind of... Lovecraftian gaze-upon-the-great-cosmos feel at work here. Makes you imagine how the great Outer God Azathoth is also entrapped by his demonic servants, they keep playing music for him to keep him occupied. If he wasn´t occupied by this, he would destroy the entire universe! I do think that the convincing atmosphere (and well-played synth) takes my mind to such a fantastic voyage!

Last track Within These Damp Walls I Found My Home ends the album beautifully. A saddened ending track ending in complete solitude. Almost out of breath here!.

AMAZING album, amazing synth-work, and amazing this and that. A perfect balance between a storytelling-soundtrack and pure talented musicality. A rare thing when you actually get these two elements in one package. I highly recommend this moody retro-voyage, a fantastic story-telling moment!. 

Bandcamp (band):

https://mysticavisio.bandcamp.com/

Facebook (band):

https://www.facebook.com/mysticavisio         

Subklinik - Molestdeath

The good news is that Subklinik is still alive and kicking, and this act has an upcoming release (late June) called Molestdeath. It will be available via the official Subklinik Bandcamp site, and it will be released on cassette via Korporation Records. An almost 40 minutes journey into a realm of utter darkness and morbid curiosities. Bound to please any fans of Cold Meat Industry, Slaughter Productions but also older labels like Sterile Records and Nekrophile Records.

First track Return To Slaughter welcomes the listener with that old-school pre-dark-ambient/industrial-ambient sound from the mid-80s underground cassette-culture. A hypnotic and humming soundscape that sounds a bit like the humming-blades from older airplanes. Bone crunching and ritualistic machine-drums, paranormal, and tortured voices roam in the background while razor-sharp tones drop gently in and out of focus. Think somewhere between early Brighter Death Now and Anenzephalia sounds good right?.

Second track Isolate adds more fuel to the morbid sort of mysticism. Looped and evocative synth-driven bass-line while a strange and necrotic windy-sound of desolation touches and makes your neck-hair stand straight up. It could also sound like... distant bombing or explosions. I am not sure, it sounds unbelievable great and depressing (in a good way!).

Third track Molestdeath starts with an interesting, pulsating, and rhythmic heartbeat-sound. Distant pitched down human voices hums and screams while samples from a court-order are being held, cannot hear what it is about but considering the mood, it will probably be something rather nasty. The reverb and echo effects are great and perfect, and the mood is just really strong so it doesn't matter that you cannot hear the sample that well.

Fourth track Deadvoid... sounds like a Deadvoid. One of those eternal falling pits of blackness and death which no one... would jump into. A simple but effective scary horror-themed background ambient-piece.

Fifth track Mental Atrophy, bloody amazing track! Excellent high-pitched tones, more screaming, and cool sounding ritualistic drums. A very simple and monotonous atmospheric piece that you want to repeat over and over again. Keep getting back to that classic and experimental soundtrack which was done for the first Texas Chainsaw Massacre!

Sixth track Rotting Agony is a slow and grinding ruined piece, pure death-industrial atmospheres (no power electronics here folks!). Being buried alive with only the sound of your pounding heartbeat keeping you company, almost sensing and hearing sounds while your life slips slowly away.

Last track Dismembered End is... a Dismembered End. Not much to hang on to, could it be any darker?... (YES IT CAN!). A pleasant and torturous moment at the end of the rope?... (YES IT IS!).

A depressing but JOYFUL experience that old-school death-industrial (without the power-electronics sound) can still impress the listener to this day. Might just be the best death-industrial album I have heard in a long time, true to the bone and incredibly efficient at the same time! DO NOT MISS THIS ONE!

Bandcamp (band):

https://subklinik-korporation.bandcamp.com/

Facebook (band):

https://www.facebook.com/subklinik/

            

Umbrarum Tenebrae - Rites Of Darkness And Dismal Visions

Canada, Quebec... home and birthplace for known industrial acts like Skinny Puppy, Frontline Assembly, and Numb. Norwegian black-metal act Dark Throne has a made a song about Canadian Metal! We also have Neil Young, Rush... And Celine Dion. Umbrarum Tenebrae is not an industrial band, nor a metal or rock one... definitely not Celion Dion! We are in ritual-music meets dark-ambient territory, think post Raison D´être/Cold Meat Industry, Cyclic Law, and Cryo Chamber material. This is the debut from this act, and it was released on the 6th of May. Sofar their Bandcamp-site offers a digital non-physical version of the album. So let us see what this has to offer. Before we start, maybe I should give the reader an intro from the act itself (about the release)... here goes;

2020, the world stalled to a halt as a new plague spread its black infectious veil across the globe. The great majority of souls caved in, hearts heavy with despair and frightening uncertainty. It is in the midst of these somber times that UMBRARUM TENEBRARAE emerged from the shadows. Born of solitude and oppressive gloom to bring forth a new sonic pestilence, Umbrarum Tenebrae seeks not to enlighten the heavily burdened spirits, nor comfort afflicted souls, but to haunt them into further desperation.

Umbrarum Tenebrae does not follow the traditional process of creation but willingly ventures upon new unexplored pathways of musical manifestation; through the use of Chaos Magick. Each song begins with an intent, given meaning as a word, this word is then encrypted to its most basic form and disposed unto a magic square. This initial intent is then transmuted into a Sigil which serves as a focal point for every musical creation thereafter. These same worded intentions are also given a placement upon the musical staff to give a musical note. Thus, every song is born of pure chaos. Far from man's instinctive desire to control his creations. Breaking the laws of musical composition and normality.

The result is an eerie soundtrack that builds up discomfort and evokes dreadful visions of invisible horrors and unknown doom. Somber drone wavelengths are sowed as chaos seeds awaiting to spawn forth new unnatural life and then covered with layers upon layers of cryptic, ghostly sounds and irrational percussion. The whole possesses a nightmarish aura which will take the listener deep into himself, in those dark and cold recesses of the mind.

The experience is not a pleasant one. It is an exploration of the darker chambers of the unconscious, and Umbrarum Tenebrae is the guide through these haunted halls.

Yup, bound to engulf the listener into darkness and mind-numbering occult rites of the most esoteric kind. First track Path To Oblivion starts the rite with that sacred-sound bell-sound, saddened synths hiding beautifully in the background with evocative and haunting human-voices. Haunted gothic cathedral or the monks of Tibet preparing for the judgment-day. Additional martial ritual drums and Gregorian-like vocals get added on which adds a bit of drama to the icy atmosphere.

Second track Liber Mortem continues the same icy-atmosphere with martial drummings. Somehow a more... unpleasant and menacing one that is (compared to the first track). Very much in the same vein as Sephiroth and Desiderii Marginis.

Third track Binding of Skulls.. sounds pretty much like the third track (same sounds.. and atmospheres and drummings). Sofar the album sticks to the same effects given to the sounds recorded, stretching them without actually slowing them down (with added reverb).

Fourth track Chamber of Shadows adds a bit more angelic vocal parts, with a distant chippering sound in the background (Predator?) If you are wondering where you are in this, then I can reveal to you that we are still... in the haunted gothic cathedral or in the dear company of the apocalyptic monks from Tibet.

Fifth (and last) track called The Chaos Principle is the last track of the album. Icy atmospheres and ritual drummings. A bit more volume-related dynamics happening here.

And there you go. It´s a smooth, time-stretched ritualistic dark-ambient thing with minimal dynamics. Hard to actually notice the minimal differences between the tracks, because all the tracks use the same sounds and effects. Might have worked out better if it all were just mixed down, into one single track? Maybe, you´ll be the judge of that. The trouble I have with this (as an old-timer Cold Meat Industry fan) is that I miss the stuff which actually heightens your senses, making you... slightly frightened or disturbed. The feeling of chaos of darkness is... "sort of there" but isn't really that convincing since it doesn't have that.. primitive experimental and sincere edge. Sound quality is superb, and well-produced as well, just add a bit more anarchy and madness into the mix!

     

Bandcamp (band):

https://umbrarumtenebrae.bandcamp.com/releases

Facebook (band):

https://www.facebook.com/UmbrarumTenebrae/

     

  

Ealdhláford - Ethelborn

A new dungeon synth act from a tropical country with hot temperatures, Argentina. Same place where my tarantula Grammastola Rosea originates from! The project is called Ealshláford (means something in ancient Irish/Gaelic?) and the album-title Ethelborn means someone being part of a noble family, or just high-born in other words. 4 tracks, 20 minutes plus. Only available via digital means via the official Bandcamp site (link below).

First track Farewell the Last Knight begins the album with a saddened and melancholic mood/tune. Lovely vibrating organ synths here, charming and melodic harpsichord tune follows this with a low-key drumming working in the background. Classic and simple primitive dungeon-synth when it works.Perfect Dungeon & Dragons music so far!

Second track Realms of Oblivion (hint to Elder Scrolls?) or meaning, realms where all living there are just are completely unaware of what is happening. Probably a hint or two to that Daedric infested place in The Elder Scrolls (Computer roleplaying-game). The vibrating organ and the harpsichord+low-key drums continues here, with a more epic-feel (still melancholic). Somehow, a bit more... cherry than the first one. Again again, simple but incredibly charming piece. Not really a bad thing that it has a lot in common with the first track. 

Third track Wandering Amidst the Stars moves into more dreamy and mysterious territory (Still containing/following the same sound-wise ingredients). There´s a hint of a slightly heroic melody going with the harpsichord here, a merry Viking/black-metal´ ish tune here` maybe? Think Lamia with Lord Belial. A decent track, maybe a bit on the relaxing-side comparing to the first two tracks. 

Fourth (and last) track Ealdhláford, probably being the most epic track (still a low-key one), but that´s OK... primitive and low-key DS-albums are meant to be just like that. It does feel like a very... noble-born kind of a track, might use the word majestic here (but still subtle). Lovely way to end the album, no doubt about it!.

First release from Ealshláford from Argentina. Primitive low-key dungeon-synth, which sounds like a proud kingdom burying their beloved king (from the start and to the end). Maybe a bit too monotonic in sound and mood, but the melodies (and the mini-album format) works! Maybee some real-time recorded samples could have boosted the storytelling-escapist mood? Maybee?. Give it a shot!.

Bandcamp (band):

https://ethelborn.bandcamp.com/releases?fbclid=IwAR2-YeKzqjI4irzIslMeir5bZFWDTIOsQw4eE4Hg3QAmzySqwKyuRXOd6Og

Facebook (band):

https://www.facebook.com/ethelborndarkambient/?modal=admin_todo_tour

Zwaremachine - Ripping At The Fabric

Well, apparently it´s an EBM-themed weekend. Upcoming (5-tracks)EP/mini-album called Ripping At The Fabric with the Minneapolis-based three-man act Zwaremachine. Their fourth release, which will be released on the 20th of May (Be sure to check up on their other Bandcamp releases!). This album also comes as a limited cassette release as well, which you have to be really quick to get!

The very first track Resist takes you back to that old-school Die Krupps/Nitzer Ebb-sound. Pulsating machine-sequencer, tight and sweaty dance-beats with electronic percussions and of course with the classic distorted 90s-Læetherstrip´ish snarling distorted vocals. A great intro to the EP, a simple pumping EBM tiger (if you please!).

Next track New Design follows the same wipe as Resist, with a more heavy-bass Front-line Assembly sound. A very monotonic and hypnotizing second track to the album.

Third offering Ripping At The Fabric follows the same cause. Pulsating dancy-monotony with distorted vocals. 

Fourth track International Hero being a slightly more playful piece. Rhythms and sequencer gets switched from time to time, which adds a good sound for the track. Nice distorted sounds in the background following the electronic rhythms. It might just be my favorite track on the album.

Fifth (and last track) track What We Are ends the EP with that ´Germaniac´ Die Krupps feel/sound. 

It´s a pure late 80s to early 90s EBM-trip. It delivers an EBM-dancy sound which (for some) has been forgotten by time (or has it?). Decent and good sound quality, good rhythms, and well produced. BUT, I do think that the EP has a lack of free-spirited creativity. I love it when the machinery losses control and touches of madness takes over. I also love when something unprecedented happens, something which can surprise the listener. Weird eerie samples going subtle in the background, weird real-time recordings of something which just sounds scary, real metallic percussions (maybe), atmospheric synth-tune etc... The possibilities are endless. 

But overall, the EP is decent and delivers that 90s EBM-feel 100% from the start and to the end (no fuss about it). In my heart, it would have been better if it just... was darker and more desperate sounding?..., do give it a shot anyway if you are into that (again) Die Krupps/Nitzer-Ebb/Læetherstrip 90s-sound.         

Bandcamp:

https://zwaremachine.bandcamp.com/album/ripping-at-the-fabric

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/zwaremachine

 

Conjuro - Linhagem Do Rei Bruxo Primordial

A new and obscure label from the UK has just been discovered. Called Sceptre and Crown, and one of the acts which are on this label is called Conjuro. An act which primarily has been releasing stuff on a Portuguese label called Cruentus. Conjuro has been active since 2013, and has released tons of underground cassettes... BUT, none of them are available via Discogs. BUT, this release which is from 2018 can be purchased either on CD or cassette via Sceptre and Crown´s Bandcamp site. You can also try to contact the site for Cruentus for further information regarding all the other cassette releases (see link below). A 7 seven-track album, about 52 minutes in total.

The first track is called King Atlas. Ritualistic and black-metal inspired vocals utter their demonic voices over a dungeon-synth´ish background. Not bad, just too short really. Next track Atlantean Evil makes the listener smell the tobacco-insensed studio with alcoholic beverages lying on the floor. You are probably being drunk as a skunk, messing around with a bottle of scotch trying to figure out where you are going to take a leak. A great, noisy, and primitive punk-garage-black-metal piece from hell. Tons of charms! The third track called Chosen To Rule Comming From Ocean Depths With The Golden Trident (Neptune Bloodline), moves further into... weirdness. A slightly warped/psychedelic garage feel with those blood-soaked vocals from hell, a very strange improvised piece which starts with something.. and then goes into a muted pause... and then continues again. Imagine early Mayhem sharing a drunken session with the Brainbombs. Even elements of heroic guitar-melodies in here!

 

Fourth track Inside the Temple of Poseidon goes away from the live garage feel, and enters a piece not that far away from the first track King Atlas. Evocative and moody guitar-work and evil vocals as at work here. It then continues into the fifth track From Cleito´s Womb, which totally goes into an ambient-soundscape without the black metal influence. Drone-like ritual voice-hummings with minimalistic guitar-strings being slightly touched, I think there is also a wrapped and flanged synth in there (somewhere). Actually a very beautiful piece of atmospheric eerieness here. Sixth track O Rei Bruxo Tita Primodial (almost 30 minutes in length!) goes back into the live-garage feel, without the black-metal feel again. Improvised ritualistic evil stuff, the kind of stuff that...oozes out of your speakers. Still not in the thoughtful and high-tech corner, but who cares. It´s evil, chaotic, and incredible easy-listening for the hard of hearing. Lovely sound-effects on the vocals here people. Last track Kthonic Dynasty Of Evenor And Leucippe ends the album in the same way the first track started the album, a sinister dungeon-piece with evil and evocative vocals.

And that is that. Funny, primitive, and evil sounding black-metal-stuff at it´s weirdest. Try to imagine Evil Dead meets The Residents over a drunkard teenage satanic ritual, yup. It´s THAT weird, and it´s THAT challenging. Not a drop of boringness on this album. 

Bandcamp (label):

https://sceptre-and-crown.bandcamp.com/album/conjuro-linhagem-do-rei-bruxo-primordial

Official Site (Cruentus):

http://cruentusgrail.blogspot.com/