dark ambient
Well, it's Saturday noon and I don't feel so good. In the aftermath of a long lasting flu attack I'm still often plagued by headaches, nausea and fatigue. My resistance towards viruses and bacteria is still very low and since it is already been going on for several weeks, the whole thing is making my quite depressed.
On the other hand, I'm not one to procrastinate very often, especially not when there are heaps of albums to be reviewed. A day like this one is perfect to check out the dark, low, slow and obscure. In that aspect, this new Atrox Pestis album is a perfect companion for this dreadful day.
Atrox Pestis is Grant Richardson, also known for harsh ambient/noise project Gnawed. The music on this album can easily be described as dark ambient. It's minimal, lingering and gloomy, more or less a calm mishmash of soundscapes and drones. In four lengthy tracks, Atrox Pestis guides the listener along a gallery of foreboding, impending and eerie noises. Comparisons with acts like Atrium Carceri, Desiderii Marginis and Inade appear frequent, which is not a bad thing in this case. It just means that we are dealing with high level dark ambient.
Everything about this record looks and feels like the glory days of dark ambient, when labels like Cold Meat Industry, Cold Spring and Equilibrium music frequently delivered stunning soundtracks for depressed souls and tormented minds. 'Choking on the Waters of the Firmament' is my favorite track here but that is not an easy choice to make, not with this level of musical murkiness. So, obviously, for fans of dark ambient and ritual industrial and whatever you want to call these styles today, this is a highly recommended album, no doubt about that...
Serge
On the other hand, I'm not one to procrastinate very often, especially not when there are heaps of albums to be reviewed. A day like this one is perfect to check out the dark, low, slow and obscure. In that aspect, this new Atrox Pestis album is a perfect companion for this dreadful day.
Atrox Pestis is Grant Richardson, also known for harsh ambient/noise project Gnawed. The music on this album can easily be described as dark ambient. It's minimal, lingering and gloomy, more or less a calm mishmash of soundscapes and drones. In four lengthy tracks, Atrox Pestis guides the listener along a gallery of foreboding, impending and eerie noises. Comparisons with acts like Atrium Carceri, Desiderii Marginis and Inade appear frequent, which is not a bad thing in this case. It just means that we are dealing with high level dark ambient.
Everything about this record looks and feels like the glory days of dark ambient, when labels like Cold Meat Industry, Cold Spring and Equilibrium music frequently delivered stunning soundtracks for depressed souls and tormented minds. 'Choking on the Waters of the Firmament' is my favorite track here but that is not an easy choice to make, not with this level of musical murkiness. So, obviously, for fans of dark ambient and ritual industrial and whatever you want to call these styles today, this is a highly recommended album, no doubt about that...
Serge
