Desiderii Marginis joined the ranks of Cold Meat when the label had already become a hype. To me, they have never been able to catch up with the projects of old when dark ambient was still new and exiting. The 2001 album “Deadbeat” was somewhat interesting since Desiderii Marginis experimented a bit with beats. I have lost sight of the project for the most part since. Apparently they still released a couple of things and ended up on Cyclic Law together with other former label mates. “Procession” does not bring much new. The dark ambient is a bit softer and certainly more minimalistic, perhaps even soundscapish and somewhat monotone for my ears. A new element are soft melodies that may come from real instruments such as flutes and violins and these are the things that makes this album more interesting. When you like your ambient not too dark and with some melody as well, “Procession” may be an album you want to try.
Links: Desiderii Marginis, Cyclic Law
Desiderii Marginis * Procession (cd 2012)
Arcana * As Bright As A Thousand Suns (cd 2012)
I am sorry for the band and the label, but just as with the recently released mini-cd “Emerald” I can only say that for me “As Bright As A Thousand Stars” is yet another Arcana album. The music is soft and atmospheric and reminds of Dead Can Dance more than once. I must say that in some tracks Peter’s vocals sound better to me than sometimes, he sings less forced, I am not sure what it is. Musically there is nothing new under the sun so I guess this new album is mostly for people who have been fans of Arcana for some time.
Links: Arcana, Cyclic Law
Knot Of Fire * Tempest Over Refuge (cd 2012)
“Tempest Of Refuge” is the debut album of this American project. It comes in a nice digipack, has 10 tracks and lasts about 40 minutes. It is a varried album, opening with “ambient noise”, the “wall of sound” type, sometimes with an industrial rhythm and thus reminding a bit of Ex.Order or Operation Cleansweep at times. Furtheron the vocals become clearer and there is some melody. I prefer the darker, noisier tracks which are very interesting. Go to the project’s website to hear samples and to obtain a copy.
Link: Knot Of Fire, Peasant Spring Recordings
Marek X. Marchoff & MJ Caroline Rider * Voxfields (cd 2012)
Just when spring is in the air, the temperatures are too high for the time of the year and the sun shines all day, Zoharum sends me two dark ambient soundscapes releases. Is that not more music for fall or winter? Both names are new to me, but Marchoff plays in a handfull of other projects as well. “Voxfields” contains soundscapes, or better: soundcollages. They are pretty dark, also pretty weird, but also not uninteresting. An industrial atmosphere created by low beats, the sounds of machines (or something), somewhat of a rhythm here and there. Indeed, this is quite alright for a soundcollages album.
Link: Zoharum
Ab Intra * Supremus (cd 2012)
After a slightly noisy opening, “Supremus” is a soundscape album. Stretched sounds, a flinch of dark ambient or drone, but mostly minimalistic and continuing sounds. Here and there the album is somewhat dark. Not entirely my cup of tea.
Links: Ab Intra, Zoharum
Der Blutharsch And The Infinite Church Of The Leading Hand * The Beginning And The End (7″ 2012)
This 7″ was released for the 2012 tour and is undoubtely highly limited, etc. Previous tour-singles prove to be available for quite a while and from different sources. Apparantly Herr Julius’ releases are not (always) as popular as they used to be these days. When you have heard the latest cd, this 7″ will come with no surprises. With the church added, Der Blutharsch makes dirty and slow psychedelic rock and that is exactly what you hear on this 7″. Nice, but since Der Blutharsch moved to the rock sound, I must say that they become more interesting live and less interesting in the living room, but I am certainly not against the new directions of Julius’ musical outlet.
Link: Der Blutharsch And The Infinite Church Of The Leading Hand/WKN
Bain Wolfkind * Lone Wolf (mcd 2012)
No surprises on this special tour mcd. Six tracks of Wolfkind’s slow bluesrock sound. Perhaps it is a bit less dirty than before, but no changes in the approach. The drums sound computerised (however Wolfkind is drummer in Der Blutharsch And The Infinite Church Of The Leading Hand) and, at least on stage, the guitars also come from a computer. Not as good as his classic albums, but “Lone Wolf” is another nice Wolfkind release.
Links: Bain Wolfkind, Hau Ruck!
Varunna * Ferro E Ruggine (mcd 2012)
As on this mcd, I know Varunna as a band with a line-up in the vein of Alessio B., Jörg B., Albin Sunlight Julius, Dennis Lamb, but yesterday on stage, Alessio was all by himself while at least Sunlight and possibly (I do not know his face) Dennis Lamb were also present. Because of the band-line-up, Varunna sounds more ‘spartan’ than the average neofolk band and combined with some Mediterranean temperament, made Varunna refreshing in the whole wave of cheesy neofolk. The show was minimalistic and however on this special tour-mcd there is more of a line-up, the sound is not as lively as on the “Cantos” cd. Some of the Der Blutharsch And The Church Of The Infinite Hand krautrock sound krept in and now knowing that Alessio is partly responsible for that sound, I see how. In any case, “Iron And Rust” is a lot less interesting than “Cantos”.
Links: Varunna, Hau Ruck!
Gustaf Hildebrand * Heliopause (cd 2012)
Other than I expected, Gustaf Hildebrand makes dark ambient soundscapes. “Heliopause” opens nicely dark, but starting with track 2 this could have been one of the softer releases of Jérôme Nougaillon. Very dark ambient with a similar use of echoing samples and a little bit of noise here and there. Waiting for new releases of Jérôme, highly welcomed!
Links: Gustaf Hildebrand, Cyclic Law
The Floating World * The Apparition (cd 2012)
The Floating World is a new name to me. A girl making dark ambient, that is not too common, but it works in the case of Allseits. So far Amanda Votta released three cdr’s under this name and she has or used to have a project with Gustaf Hildebrand. “The Apparation” contains very soft and monotous soundscapes, sometimes with a flute or vocals, a sample or a deep drone on the background. I am not too fond of the ‘lighter’ tracks, the darker tracks in the beginning are more of my taste. Overall the stretched-sounds soundscapes are too monotous for me. The cd has it moments though.
Links: The Floating World, Cyclic Law