dark ambient
I can't remember exactly when my fascination with dark ambient began but it certainly had something to do with labels like Cold Meat Industry and Cyclic Law. There was a time when I devoured their releases. Today, still, acts like Raison D'être, Svartsinn, Desiderii Marginis and Kammarheit are almost constantly present in my playlists. Some of my friends still wonder why I am so depressed but they just don't get it. They only listen to happy music because they are scared to get in touch with their deep, dark emotions and thoughts. But, that's their problem, not mine. I'd rather lock myself in, blast one of these awesome records through the speakers and mind my own business.
Pär Boström is a master in his craft, which he has been for ages. I don't think I can remember any of Kammarheit's releases being disappointing. 'Thronal' is no exception to that sentiment. From the first drones of opener 'Iron Bloodstream' it is very clear that we're dealing with another high-quality dark ambient album. You'll get exactly what you expect from a class-act in this genre: ominous, enigmatic and suspenseful music, inspired by dreams and the growing darkness of the world around us.
“I took the crown and the throne acted as a magnet, drawing the attention of distant stars…” Boström claims somewhat predictive. Perhaps yes, perhaps Kammarheit is the current heir to the throne of the dark ambient scene, although that is an unforgiving decision to make. The genre has been growing like crazy in the past several years so It's hard to stand out in the seemingly endless pool of dark ambient artists. With that, the question rises: what is it that makes Kammarheit stand out? The answer is quite simple: experience.
Whenever someone asks you what dark ambient sounds like, you can give him a Kammarheit album. Any track will do, although tunes like 'Carving The Coordinates' and the closer 'The Magnetic Throne' are my personal favorites on this particular album. The deep drones, the strong and dreamy soundscapes, the haunting atmosphere, everything is here and everything has been put together by a highly talented and experienced artist.
Kammerheit stand for perfect dark ambient, nothing more, nothing less. Don't expect too much experimentation on 'Thronal'. Boström leaves that to some of his colleagues while he himself focuses on his tiny gloomy universes. That's perfectly fine, I'm sure all fans of classic dark ambient will agree with me on that. That's probably the only thing you need to remember from this review: Kammarheit is back, rejoice.
Serge
Pär Boström is a master in his craft, which he has been for ages. I don't think I can remember any of Kammarheit's releases being disappointing. 'Thronal' is no exception to that sentiment. From the first drones of opener 'Iron Bloodstream' it is very clear that we're dealing with another high-quality dark ambient album. You'll get exactly what you expect from a class-act in this genre: ominous, enigmatic and suspenseful music, inspired by dreams and the growing darkness of the world around us.
“I took the crown and the throne acted as a magnet, drawing the attention of distant stars…” Boström claims somewhat predictive. Perhaps yes, perhaps Kammarheit is the current heir to the throne of the dark ambient scene, although that is an unforgiving decision to make. The genre has been growing like crazy in the past several years so It's hard to stand out in the seemingly endless pool of dark ambient artists. With that, the question rises: what is it that makes Kammarheit stand out? The answer is quite simple: experience.
Whenever someone asks you what dark ambient sounds like, you can give him a Kammarheit album. Any track will do, although tunes like 'Carving The Coordinates' and the closer 'The Magnetic Throne' are my personal favorites on this particular album. The deep drones, the strong and dreamy soundscapes, the haunting atmosphere, everything is here and everything has been put together by a highly talented and experienced artist.
Kammerheit stand for perfect dark ambient, nothing more, nothing less. Don't expect too much experimentation on 'Thronal'. Boström leaves that to some of his colleagues while he himself focuses on his tiny gloomy universes. That's perfectly fine, I'm sure all fans of classic dark ambient will agree with me on that. That's probably the only thing you need to remember from this review: Kammarheit is back, rejoice.
Serge
