THE SLUMEBRING - Looking for Sorrow Within Ones Fears
HAIKU FUNERAL - Drown Their Moons In Blood
CAVE DWELLER - Invocations
In this short article I want to introduce you to few recent releases from Aesthetic Death Records. As you probably know by now, this is a label, which can constantly surprise with the variety of musical landscapes offered in their releases. It's like their motto is “expect anything”. But you will be surprised anyway, most likely with something very experimental and unusual, speaking of the musical genres that Aesthetic Death bands convey. Well, the best thing is that a lot of their releases are not even metal, which makes them even more difficult to comprehend – at least to such listener like myself. But I always give a try and never say no to new musical explorations and experiences. So, here are few interesting, yet completely not-metal projects from Aesthetic Death, which I got recently.
Starting with The Slumbering and “Looking for Sorrow Within Ones Fears” album. It's a project of Clint Listing, dude who’s in other experimental bands – but none of them will tell you much, so I won’t bother to list their names. He describes The Slumbering as doom / noise... well, don’t expect doom metal here, in my opinion, but noise / experimental / electronics / industrial – yes, that makes more sense. This is anti-music, a collection of sounds and noises, sometimes they sound inhuman and mechanical, other time like an echo resounding in bottomless, dark abyss. So, when you listen to “Looking for Sorrow Within Ones Fears” it’s more like taking a weird, frightening journey into the unknown. It isn’t a music with all its characteristics, but well... sound and noise, but in interesting sense of this word. Because with all its noisy, cacophonic character The Slumbering intrigues. And it is an experience I recommend, even if it’s quite uneasy and very disturbing to listen to. (70/100)
Next up is an album titled “Drown Their Moons In Blood” from a mysterious project called Haiku Funeral. I have no idea what smart I can write about this album, other than that I really fuckin enjoyed the music. Oh, I did. I can say that it’s one of the most spectacular releases from Aesthetic Death. It’s not an easy job for me to fully describe the content of “Drown Their Moons in Blood” and to give it a full justice at the same time. Well, forgive this old metal head then. But let’s say that it's some sort of ambient / industrial / neoclassical... The music is powerful. I love that bombastic drumming and mystical keyboards in tracks like “The Universe Murders Itself” (best song here), some pumping bass parts and many more instruments, including sitar in tracks like “The Head of the Innocent One”. The latter instrument gives the music a bit oriental feel, with even more sinister and dark atmosphere. It sounds just brilliant. On another occasion “To Illuminate a World” drills into mind with some disturbing, ghoulish sounds, giving an impression of almost trance-like state of cosmic journey. Basically, we could speak of every song separately, this album is varied and sounds interesting all the way through. Unlike The Slumbering, the music is easier to get into, which is maybe why it caught my attention so much. Or maybe it’s just its dark atmosphere what speaks to me... whatever it is, this album is bloody good. (80/100)
I'm sure the first thing that will catch your attention when you take "Invocations" in your hands will be the amazing, very beautiful artwork of this album. It is filled with many photographs of Massachusetts area nature – and I won’t even guess, which is my favourite picture. That obviously will give you an idea about the direction for Cave Dweller music. And that is neofolk / ambient... something very haunting and mesmerizing, melancholic and atmospheric. It’s one of those albums, which you’ll play in certain circumstances, like if you want to calm yourself down, maybe shut off from the world around and even when you take a walk in the woods. The music will put you in trance like mood, it will enchant you, as some parts maybe even disturb. I like that every song is shortly described in the booklet and their notes will tell you about the origin of it and maybe about the concept behind the music. It certainly helps getting into the atmosphere of the album. Its sole creator, Adam R Bryant, plays acoustic guitars, piano, keyboards, drums, he does some vocals here and there... And you know... I can’t tell he has the best voice ever or it's the best neofolk I’ve heard. There are better songs like “Mirror”, which are good and some, which I liked less like “Entelechy”. Overall though, I think that “Invocations” is unique and worth checking out. (65/100)
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