Sombre Arcane Release Enthralling New Video For “Ancestral Seat Of The Barovian Scourge”

The dungeon keeper duo from Massachusetts, otherwise known as Sombre Arcane, have recently premiered a breathtaking video of their ritualistic performance of “Ancestral Seat Of The Barovian Scourge”, originally released on the Wrought Records compilation, ‘The Reliquary Of Terror’. The ceremonial ambiance and medieval appeal is awe-inspiring and the musical creativity is dark, moody, and downright genius. Check out the video below and also download the Wrought Records compilation (link below) as well.

https://wroughtrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-reliquary-of-terror

Link:

https://sombrearcane.bandcamp.com

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrrQxo5jsCMFXaJ4Xott5WA

Artists Of The Obscure Realm Conjoin To Finalize The Overture Militia Compilation Known As, ‘The Plan’

Label compilation albums are the perfect introduction for not only finding new and electrifying bands and artists, but to also dig deep and explore in a vast array of genres that we – for the most part – tend to generally only skim the surface. Earlier this year, Overture Militia Inc., a small label that spotlights artists of the post-industrial and dark ambient domain, released a valiant, eighteen track collection known as ‘The Plan’. Examining genres such as dungeon synth, dark ambient, drone, harsh noise & industrial, ‘The Plan’ is an hour and forty six minute journey into the oblique side of esoteric music. Although this is an amazing, yet bleak outing, I will further examine a few of my favorite tracks below.

“Ruination, The New Dawn Cometh” by Old Tower is the second song on the album and one of my standouts overall. Although most of the album consists of harsh, industrialized noise and dark ambient, this dungeon synth track fits in perfectly, with its austere sound, doomy tempo, and thick synth tones. There is a great bit of melody on this song, which is hauntingly beautiful. However, don’t get use to it because that vibe stops almost completely after this song. “Nursery” by Aseptic Void is the fourth song and it contains some of the creepiest dark ambient emotions I’ve heard in a while. The sound bit in the beginning – of children playing on a playground – adds an extra sinister awareness to all of the malevolent soundscapes that continuously possess the audio waves. Low-end drones and the occasional guttural narration is enough to give consistent nightmares. “Unhallowed” by Ursuper is the fifth track on the album and it continues in the dark ambient arena with a brooding, minimalistic approach in the beginning. It’s one of those tracks that slowly grows and builds to a climactic ending but you never know what’s going to happen in between until it actually does. At around the four minute mark, industrial affects increase in volume as if total annihilation is soon to happen. Over the next couple of minutes, this mechanized sound crescendos before slowly fading into oblivion. “The Horsemen Ride Out On Foaming Steeds” by Nordvargr is the ninth track on the album and probably one of my favorites. Nordvargr is such an amazing artist that consistently delivers appetizing music that borders post-industrial, black ambient, and death metal (specifically with the vocals). This track is a standout masterpiece on the album and the guttural vocals are what make this so appealing and unique. I could listen to this style of music all day. “White Sun Over Our Children – Exhale 22” by Miracle Of Love is the tenth track on the album and is just over ten minutes long, making it one of the longest songs on the album. Beginning with a short blast of harsh noise, it soon settles into a rhythmic drum & bass loop with minimal synth effects and soundscapes. Every so often, the drum beat alternates rhythms and the occasional harsh noise sample is thrown in for good measure and in good taste. For the last three or four minutes, the drum beats are replaced with drones and maniacal sound effects. “Hackfleisch” by Rubber Nurse is the eleventh and most evil sounding track on the album. It’s a near three and a half minute grueling drop into the abysmal hole of blackened industrial ambience, with a fair share of barely audible voice samples. Never the less, this sounds killer and I want to hear more by this artist! “Euer Hunger” by Todesritual, is the twelfth track on the album and is like listening to a scene from a horror movie. There are layered whispers, obscure field recordings, industrial soundscapes, and mild keyboard sounds, but they all come together in a frightening way and the final minute is an excellent throwback to the retro synthwave sound of the 80’s.

Overture Militia did an excellent job putting together this compilation of artist from varied backgrounds and genres. For those that are into obscure music and for those that don’t mind venturing into territories of the unknown, then ‘The Plan’ is for you. This album is sure to contain some artist or tracks that will get your blood pumping (or boiling), allowing you to continue following their artistic endeavors outside of this compilation. That being said, do yourself a favor and support the underground by downloading this album from the link below.

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Links:

https://overturemilitia.bandcamp.com/album/the-plan

Common Eider, King Eider, And Cober Ord Collaborate On Mind-Blowing, Ritualistic Soundscape Called, ‘Palimpseste’

If you think that it doesn’t get any more desolate than the sounds of brooding drones and the menacing soundscapes of dark ambient, then think again. Add in the natural textures of ritualistic ambience and horrific field recordings and the nightmares that you can only imagine will come to life. This is the haunting sensation the listener will undergo while listening to the jolting collaboration between Common Eider, King Eider & Cober Ord called, ‘Palimpseste’. With these five tracks clocking in at around forty seven minutes long, the listener should be prepared for a darkened, ritualized experience filled with essential tones, frightening whispers and bleak drones that are not only mesmerizing but intensely thought-provoking as well.

“Tombs – Earth’s Sacred Womb” begins with a deep, rumbling drone with the sound of soft, dripping rain. There is a slight commotion going on in the foreground and as it stops, ritualistic tones commence. Distant screams can be heard in the background as Tibetan-like chanting start a ritualistic process. Solid instrumentation assists the ritual, like the rumblings of an older model propelled aircraft. Additional instruments are introduced as well, as malevolent sounding whispers signify that the ritual is well in progress. After some harsher tones, the final few minutes consists of a heavy rainfall field recording and the dissipating sounds of wretched vocals and various drones. “Reclamation Of Water” is another ceremonial process that features layered chanting and nightmarish whispers. The assorted tones and field recording heard in the background add to the viscous tone of this recording and it draws the listener in as if they are participating in the reverent events. “Offerings A Wound” contains more of a normal styled vocalization than the chanting heard on the previous tracks. The thumping bass track adds a layer of random assault sounds to the mix, creating a dark and tribal-like offering. The use of assorted ceremonial instruments maintains the integrity of the spiritual aspect of the overall recording. “Calling To The Feral Ones” uses acoustic instruments to create a liturgical vibe, as if ancient cultures were calling upon their deities for guidance. The use of hollow whispers makes this a really creepy track and I can honestly say there probably aren’t many other recordings quite like this out today. The final track on the album, “As The Spirits Watch Over Us, We Reciprocate”, is one final ceremonial experience that combines all of the strengths from the previous tracks. From the deafening whispers, emotional drones, diversified ritualistic instruments, and acoustic sounds, this track is the perfect grand finale for this spectacular recording.

‘Palimpseste’ is not your typical dark ambient recording, it’s a ceremonial experience that demands the listeners time and attention in order to fully appreciate the magnitude of what all is going on. It’s easy to tell that Common Eider, King Eider and Cober Ord dedicated a lot of time and effort to make this a solid listening experience. I highly recommend this for fans of ritualistic dark ambient and heavy use of field recordings. Please support this incredible release by downloading it from the link below.

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Links:

https://cycliclaw.bandcamp.com/album/palimpseste

Dark Ambient & Dungeon Synth Recordings To Enthrall You During The Global Pandemic Continuation

Back in March, I published a playlist of Dark Ambient & Dungeon Synth recordings to help tide you over during the shelter-in-place order. Well – here we are – almost two months later and not much has changed, with the exception of a lot of great music being released. So, whether or not you’re still stuck at home, or have the ability to venture out, please enjoy this personal playlist of Dark Ambient and Dungeon Synth recordings that have been keeping me entertained lately! This is all great stuff so please support these artist and download an album or two!

Dark Ambient Playlist:

https://melanohelios.bandcamp.com/album/the-psychonaut

https://cryochamber.bandcamp.com/album/eternal-drift

https://blackweald.bandcamp.com/album/leonov-2

https://noctilucant.bandcamp.com/album/the-autumnal-end-2

https://roberteggplant.bandcamp.com/album/earth-sinking-into-water

Dungeon Synth Playlist:

https://varkana.bandcamp.com/album/cosmic-terror

https://lordorots.bandcamp.com/album/latzineko-erresumaren-itzulera

https://namelessking.bandcamp.com/album/downfall-of-drangleic

https://wyrmlodge.bandcamp.com/album/the-short-but-touching-tale-of-slime-golem

https://serpentsswordrecords.bandcamp.com/album/perpetual-cruelty

Boschivo Form Anomalous Compositions On The Outlandishly Diverse ‘Bardo Dell’Autodistruzione’ Offering

Now it’s time for something a little different. And when I say different, I mean a cacophony of obscure musical genres ranging from Dark Ambient, experimental, noise, dark folk, and any twisted ritualistic audio terror that you may not think of, to form an integrated euphonious choir of melody. Welcome to the distinct world of Boschivo, where anything goes and there are no borders for harmonic tastes. On ‘Bardo Dell’Autodistruzione’, elemental bizarreness is pushed to the limits as magnetic drones are accompanied by acoustic guitar, clean & harsh vocals, various synths & pads, and an array of styles to keep things interesting from song to song. Although this may be a challenging listen for some, it’s without a doubt, a rewarding experience for most others. Let’s dive right in.

“Pozzoscuro” starts with a single droning sound and some ceremonial overtones before a grim acoustic guitar riff takes over. Priest-like chanting accompanied by some eerie background noises blend well with the music. Soon the chanting is replaced by distant sounding vocals, but just for a few bars. The track ends with multiple guitar effects playing altering notes. “La Dania Perversa Delle Falene” is all over the place as it begins with cathedral-style organs and strange vocal effects before giving way to a deep guitar and bass riff that is played over a narration. Soon, that is followed by some harsh vocals while the guitar tone becomes more distorted. About halfway through the track, sampled effects and whispers mesmerize the listener before a frightening organ sound once again infiltrates the airwaves. Like a disharmonic orchestra, this part of the track is like listening to the dead come back to life. “Il Rituale Delle Mosche” features dissonant guitar riffing and haunting narrations, as well as industrial ambient noises. Additionally, soothing guitar riffs and clean vocals come from out of nowhere, almost seemingly out of place but fitting right in at the same time. “Essenza Di Te” continues with the clean vocals, but the guitar riffs are played on on an instrument that seems out of tune. Interestingly, it sounds rather awesome – especially for this album, and I wouldn’t expect to hear anything less. This track also features a great bass line as well – that is played in tune. “Distorta Luna Sterile” is a dark folk track with some excellent droning going on in the background, as well as some creepy sound effects. “Venere D’avorio” has a dark pop vibe to it, albeit with a very discordant sound effect in the foreground. The vocals are very clear on this track but there are echo effects in use to give it a grim feeling. “Quando La Morte Verra’” is a beautiful, dark acoustic passage with whispering narrations and deep droning in the background. Although this is a short and simple piece, it’s one of my favorites on the album. The final track on this underrated masterpiece is the title track, “Bardo Dell’Autodistruzione”. At almost eighteen minutes in length, it’s the longest track in the album and definitely shows what Boschivo is all about. Starting with background drones, ringing bells and simple percussions, other samples and effects are thrown in along the way, including deep, death metal like growls. As these heinous growls continue, church organs begin to play, adding another element of surprise to the album. Eventually, multiple loud bells begin to ring at different tone levels for a divergent sound mix.

Boschivo is an interesting artist that knows no boundaries. Combining all sorts of obscurities to produce a compelling musical experience, this album demands your full attention – and multiple listens – to really appreciate the value of the art for which it provides. ‘Bardo Dell’Autodistruzione’ is an addictive album that doesn’t reside in a particular genre, however it belongs everywhere. If you have an open mind for challenging, but rewarding music, look no further than Boschivo. The album is available for FREE DOWNLOAD from the link below, so check it out.

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Links:

https://totenschwan.bandcamp.com/album/tsr-112-bardo-dellautodistruzione

Cult Of Terrorism Unify Soothing Ambient Textures And Hypnotic Industrial Samples On ‘Megváltozhatatlanság’

When calmness and chaos collide, it can be an intriguing affair. As two distant-end spectral forces merge at the point of emotional confusion, the outcome is often unexpected – like the age old battle of good versus evil. In music, the aftermath of this emotional merger is a little more advantageous as our mental state is already at a heightened state of awareness with an illusory fixation. ‘Megváltozhatatlanság’ by Cult Of Terrorism portrays that same disconcerting situation with its unique brand of Dark Ambient. At its base, ‘Megváltozhatatlanság’ uses minimal drones and textures to devise a sense of tranquility, while on the other hand, Industrial soundscapes are injected to agitate the mind with frenzied audio terror. However, the combination of the two will escort the listener to a fascinating gray world where nothingness provides a soothing sense of anxious turmoil.

Sensational album opener, “Mitochondria, O Sindrome Di Le Tour (feat. 52-Hearts Whale)” instantly catapults the brainwaves into a hurried state as Industrial frequencies flow from side to side, creating the epicenter for a daring new world. However, ground zero quickly recovers as the menacing sounds give way to enticing drones, field recordings and melodic keys. Occasionally, harsh sounds can be heard in the background, reminding the listener that all is not safe when beauty and bleak collide. The next track is “υπναγωγικών [UNO STUDIO]” and it features synth pads that create a melodic atmosphere. Haunting keys play at intervals in the background while various effects add layers of warmth and stability. The muffled piano notes in “Qualcosa E’ Perduto” are soothing yet disturbing. Barely audible wind effects add a touch of mysticism to this otherwise cold and minimalistic track. “I’ll Sequestro Emozionale Prima Dell ‘Ultimo Gesto” kicks things back into high gear again, as a droning and discordant synth tone plays unadjusted for several minutes before layers of rigid effects and soundscapes take this song to a whole new dimension. By the time the track comes to a close, screeching synths are at the forefront, but somehow remain quite melodic. “La Fortezza Di Spine (feat. Valerio Orlandini)” keeps the Industrial momentum going with its dark, spongy drones. The addition of malevolent narrations and evil sounding textures makes this one of the standout tracks on the album. “Notturno [Il Tuo Cuore E’ Sacro] (feat. Testing Vault)” is another disturbing track that dabbles into Indistrial sampling and perfectly placed random sounds. The maniacal keys in the background maintain a monotone pattern, providing just enough normalcy to offset the controlled chaos that is happening in the foreground. The final track on the album, “Megváltozhatatlanság (feat. Meanwhile In Texas)” is a slow building track that centers around spacey drones and desolate soundscapes. At around the four and a half minute mark, the sound shift to a higher frequency with trance-like qualities. Soon thereafter, this song dissolves into oblivion, going out peacefully – just the opposite of how this album started.

Although Cult Of Terrorism has a frightening name, the music says otherwise. Even with spots of Industrial-tinged madness, this album – for the most part – is a a peaceful yet dark affair. ‘Megváltozhatatlanság’ is a very mesmerizing album, and with a great song foundation and seamless transitions between tracks, is also extremely enjoyable. It can be streamed in its entirety at the link below, so head on over to the site and check out this great work.

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Links:

https://totenschwan.bandcamp.com/album/tsr-111-megv-ltozhatatlans-g

Empty Chalice Ignite Cold And Repressed Auditory Visions On ‘Mother Destruction’

One of the missions of Dark Ambient is to instill otherworldly emotions and senses in order to expand the horizons of the conscious mind. If you allow your psyche to open up to the music, the reward can often be rewarding. Whether the listener is seeking solitude, darkness, horror, a deep space adventure, or just an escape from reality, no other genre of music will capture that experience quite like Dark Ambient. Empty Chalice excels are doing just that, as their brand of Dark Ambient is a culmination of ritualistic ambience, terrifying field recordings, grim sequences and sampling, as well as vocal narrations. All of these combined create the malevolent recording known as ‘Mother Destruction’. At just over fifty one minutes long, these five tracks of neural dread, will anesthetize the senses and draw the listener into a hollow realm of consternation as they try to find the exit back to a normal reality.

Prominent album opener, “Unholy Light”, penetrates the ear canals with jarring synth pads and frequent cymbal crashes as a bombinate drone sound breaks through and add a depressive dynamic to the track. Moments of eerie near-silence pull the listener down even further before more deep drones start to rumble again. Various instruments add brief moments of angst, but this track halts on a grim & long silent ending. “Treblinka’s Snow” begins with a calming drone with dreamy instrumentation heard in the distance. Soon, beautiful female narrations add to the story, and it creates a numbing effect with its soothing structure and pacing. Scattered samples are amply placed throughout the narration, followed by a harsher droning sequence. “Qva Resvrget Ex Favilla” is a downright sinister track, as it features black metal vocal style narrations, as well as clean, operatic singing. At around the seven minute mark, the track begins to morph into more of an industrial ambient piece, with screechy drones and piercing synth pads. The near fourteen minute long “Rest In Pain” begins with inaudible narrations that have a echo effect on them. Combined with some high-pitched drones, and melodic sequences playing in the background, this track is a slow builder but very rewarding in the ends. At around the three and a half minute mark, a mid-paced drum beat enters the picture as the melody of this song becomes more prevalent. Even after the drums fade away, the melody continues to play on for a few minutes and then too it fades into the hisses of the synth sequences. The final track on the album, “Mother Destruction” begins with haunting tape loops, obscure samples and alluring synths slowly fade in. As the drones grow louder and harsher, the tone of the track becomes more evil sounding and bleak samples can be heard throughout. The final couple minutes of this song is a slow burn into obscurity as all of the noises gradually seize to exist.

Empty Chalice takes the listener to a cold and empty world, where escaping becomes the nightmare. Over the course of fifty one minutes, ‘Mother Destruction’ creates atmospheres that are both serene and nefarious. Featuring various vocal and narration styles, as well as elements of percussion and sampling, this is a very diverse and musically versatile album. I highly recommend this if you’re into the more obscure styled Dark Ambient recordings. Show your support for this amazing artist by clicking on the link below.

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Links:

https://emptychalice.bandcamp.com/album/mother-destruction

Abhasa Amalgamate Ritualistic Dark Ambient And Bewildering Black Metal On ‘१’

Ritualistic forms of art have been around for centuries, providing people with an outlet for conveying their ceremonious rites. In music, it’s an all-out free form, and emotional channel that allows artists to express their craft freely and without restraint. Abhasa epitomizes this condition by combining metal, ambient textures and liturgical sentiment on the massively impressive album titled ‘१’. Showing huge amounts of restraint, Abhasa lets the music and atmosphere set the pace by creating the beautiful, emotional tone that will catapult the listener to an ethereal location – for at least the fifty minute duration of this album.

Holistic album opener, “१“, sets the spiritual tone as the hum of Tibetan bowls and ringing bells provide meaning and direction for this ceremonious journey. Field recordings of a natural setting amplify the experience. This vibe continues and seamlessly leads into “२”, which features more Tibetan bowl sounds, and the introduction of more modern instrumentation. Droning guitar riffs slowly crescendo their way into the mix, becoming louder and at their apex, the strums of distorted guitars make their presence known. After a few strums, it stops and after a short break, a beautiful acoustic passage begins, taking this track to new heights. As this track fades into “३”, the ambience slowly fades and gives way to a harsher, post-black metal sound. Interestingly, it has a very dreamy sound thanks to the ghostly production efforts. The next track, “४” starts with an acoustic riff that is quickly abandoned for a louder, more depressive tone. As this being one of the longer tracks, it gives the listener time to soak in the alluring guitar tone that’s equivalent to polarizing dark ambience. “५” begins with malevolent soundscapes and obscure field recordings that provide a sense of dread. The hiss of a guitar creates additional atmospheric tones as well. As the ambiguity fades, the sudden violent rush of distorted guitars introduce the next track, “६”. At just over twelve minutes, this saga runs through harsh metal parts, acoustic passages and ambient atmospheres while maintaining an even keel of emotional moments. The final track on the album, “७” blazes with discordant and blackened riffs, while the drums blast through like an assault weapon at a firing range. At around the half way mark, enticing keys create an exuberant atmosphere before the harsh tones pick up again. After a few minutes, the song finally fades to the sounds of the strums of an acoustic guitar.

The ritualistic sounds of Abhasa are undeniable, as they penetrate the ears and soul with emotional atmospheric music that border the genres of black metal and dark ambient. Now with the backing of the incredible Mystic Timbre label for a cassette release, this prodigious effort can be heard and enjoyed across multiple platforms. Click on the link below to download this ceremonious release!

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Links:

https://abhasa.bandcamp.com/

Disen Gage Relinquish Orthodox Control On ‘Nature’, A Complex Adventure Of Psychedelic Infused Dark Ambience

For those of you that keep up with my blog must know by now that I have a particular formula for writing reviews and I rarely stray from that. I try my best to come up with a captivating headline that will grab the attention of the audience. Additionally, I write an introduction that relates the album (being reviewed) to a particular topic based on the imagination and emotions that are felt from the music, provide a detail of each track, and then close it with a final statement that summarizes all of the above. In most cases, my headlines come pretty naturally, but on Disen Gage’s tripped-out, experimental dark ambient outing called ‘Nature’, that wasn’t the case. Although this is quite the compelling album, I was almost at a loss for words when giving a quick synopsis of how to describe it. Then, after repeated listens, it hit me. This Russian duo goes above and beyond to eliminate the conventional means of producing dark ambient music by providing theme-based samples and soundscapes. The result is three tracks of nearly forty nine minutes of impulsive and experimental greatness.

“Planets” suddenly blazes through like a space craft coming out of warp speed, only to find itself in a harmful situation. As the space craft starts taking devastating hits from surrounding shrapnel, system alarms begin pulsating with anxious volumes as this song restlessly generates abrupt noises that match the situation. As this emergency condition draws to an end, the track eases into a hollow, deep space anthem that breeches the lines of industrial and black ambience. Horrifying sounds and effects throughout signify that danger isn’t over for this mission and the onboard systems aren’t under human control. Finally, toward the end, the madness winds down and deeps space ambience prevails. A strange song sample plays cautiously in the background as if it’s a long lost transmission that’s been accidentally intercepted. “Trains” is a dark and perplexing tune that features various train sound samples, arranged perfectly to create a particular despondency. The drones are creepy and sound as if they are long, drawn out screeches of locomotives trying to come to a sudden stop. As the train samples continue to make their presence felt in various ideas and speeds, one final pass of a lengthy caravan closes out this stunning and unique track. The final brilliant track is “Animals”, and if the bleak sounds of these oppressive drones don’t have you on edge, then how about the sixteen plus minutes of manipulated animal sounds. Twisted into bizarre tempos and speeds, this can seriously creep you out if not prepared for it. However, there is a massive amount of genius behind this idea and it works amazingly well for this track. The final few minutes include metal guitar riffs played with an echo effect and provides an off-the-wall psychedelic vibe to close out this extraordinary & unique song and album.

Disen Gage take musical experimentation to a whole new lever on ‘Nature’ by providing theme-based samples for each song that they go with. These three tracks travel through space, in rural city scapes and in natural habitats where animals are the alpha predators of the area. The substance of theses tracks is massive and the creativity is top notch. I will definitely be spending more time getting to know the music of Disen Gage. For those of you that are new to this artist and have a love for ambient and experimental music, don’t look past ‘Nature’, as this is an excellent starting point. I highly recommend checking out this album.

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Links:

https://disengage.bandcamp.com/album/nature

Cameraoscura Lay The Haunting Foundation For A Dystopian Future With ‘Quod Est Inferius’

When it comes to setting a scene for a dystopian future, I immediately think about movies such as “Blade Runner”, “The Running Man” or “Total Recall”, where overcrowding in a technology consumed society is ruled by government furnished law enforcement. The buildings seem to be built a mile high, with flying cars, gas masks and the skyline barely sees any sunlight. The music that portrays this era is dissonant, dark and ritualistic to surmount to the equivalence of misery and oppression in human culture. If there is one current artist that characterizes these exploits, it’s Cameraoscura, and their latest offering ‘Quod Est Inferius’ depicts a horrid scene of a bleak future with civilization on the brink of destruction. This album is like a day in the life of a citizen, fighting for survival while abandoning all hope.

Establishing the scenario that will cause uncivilized turmoil is “Atanor”. Creepy soundscapes and bludgeoning drones are introduced at a frightfully low tone and eerie spoken words counteract the disparity. Suddenly, at around the three and a half minute mark, rhythmic electronic beats cascade through the layers of sound and embed a cadenced pattern that is rarely heard in this form of music. The outcome is simply amazing! “Admixio” has the soothing but crisp sounds of retro synth wave with the occasional low growl. Mesmerizing soundscapes provide a wall of sound as this track represents the less chaotic form of dystopia, but at the same time, showcasing the horrifying extinction of existence. “V.I.T.R.I.O.L.” Is another consoling arrangement, but as the track crescendos in volume, austere frequencies send a chilling reminder of dark times. Once again, a downtempo style beat comes into play and mixes well with the keyboards and drones of this track, putting the listener in a trance-like state until the very end. “Interitus” covers a broad range of low-end sounds in pure dark ambient fashion while at the halfway point of the song, an EDM style beat starts up at a ferocious pace (for this type of music at least), and takes us on an unhinged path of life at dawn, where the sun is never fully exposed, but the pain of survival continues. “Attera” is a short track full of deranged industrial sounds and euphoric samples, complimented by a harsh beat, as if the ultimate battle between citizens and government were suddenly taking place with hopes of setting a new outcome for the dystopian wasteland it has become. Following the harshness is “Solve”, a short melodic piece that introduces beauty amongst the chaos with its melodic keyboard tones. The final track on the album, “Ultima Necat” starts with serene synth tones and effects that bend from side to side. Abruptly, a distorted guitar riff begins playing slowly, over and over again, while layers of harmonious discord play compliment to the harsh noise. Whether it’s the end of mankind, or the dawn of a new beginning, this track sets the bar for climactic album endings, especially one that deal with a specific and relatable theme.

Cameraoscura are on to something new and exciting within the dark ambient community. While still maintaining the complexity of sequencing drones and soundscapes, danceable beats are added to several tracks to breath new life in the genre. I must say it works very well. It may not be for everyone, but I certainly love this style and hope that Cameraoscura will continue down this path of musical innovation. I highly recommend checking this out and I’m quite certain you’ll not be disappointed.

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Links:

https://totenschwan.bandcamp.com/album/tsr-100-quod-est-inferius