Hiemis – Zothique (Album – Noctivagant)
Genre/Influences: Cinematic, Dark-Ambient.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: Spanish Hiemis project has released an impressive number of works in a few years. After the album “La Chose” released earlier in 2021, “Zothique” was released during the last days of the past year. It’s the third full-length album released on Noctivagant.
Content: “Zothique” holds on to the Cinematic and Dark-Ambient inspiration this artist has mainly dealt with. But where “La Chose” was more intimate and even into Neo-Classic music, this one sounds more ‘classical’. This work is made by dark buzzing sound waves, a few bombastic arrangements and field recordings while I also noticed passages with mystical-like chants.
+ + + : I like the fusion between the more dreamy Cinematic influence and the obscure Dark-Ambient elements. The darkest part of the work emerging at “Ornava” is driven by a hostile atmosphere creating a strong visual appeal. I also like the more detailed passages of the work mainly accentuated by little noises and field recordings.
– – – : A bit more diversity here and then would have been a bonus.
Conclusion: Hiemis has accomplished a fascinating work, which also is the best production I’ve heard from this project.
Best songs: “Ornava”, “Xylac”, “Uccastrog”.
Rate: 7.
Listen to “Zothique”:
Artist: www.facebook.com/hiemisband
Label: www.navagant.com / www.facebook.com/nvagant
About Hiemis
Hiemis is the solo project of Juan Carlos Toledo, a Spanish musician working in dark ambient since 2018. Before Hiemis he recorded as Silent Love Of Death, releasing “The Poet’s Senses” in 2004 and “Donde Habite El Olvido” in 2011.
Noctivagant, run by Phillip Abraham in North America, has released a large part of the catalogue: “Hyperborea” as a limited numbered CDr in 2019, “Radix” in 2020 and “Zothique” as a CD in 2021. The Spanish label Gradual Hate Records issued “Nachtstücke” in 2018, the cassette “Thule” in 2019 and the limited CD edition of “La Chose” in 2021.
After “Zothique” the project stayed with Noctivagant for “Yggdrasil” in 2022, “Malleus Maleficarum” in 2023, “Nephilim” in 2024 and the compilation “Compendium” in 2025.
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