Ah-Cama Sotz – Chimère Obscure (EP – Ant-Zen)

Genre/Influences: Tribal, Industrial.
Format: Digital, Vinyl.
Background/Info: Herman Klapholz strikes back with a new work of his sonic alter-ego Ah-Cama Sotz. While walking throughout the streets of Venezia (Italy) , inspiration grew and brought him to write this EP.
Content: Ah-Cama Sotz has been active for nearly 30 years and has experienced with different music influences often related to Industrial music. “Chimère Obscure” is getting back to the Tribal roots of the artist. It’s a well-crafted production featuring next to the slow, Tribal cadence influences and sound treatments reminding me of atmospheres of the Middle-East.
+ + + : Ah-Cama Sotz took me by surprise with this ‘pure’ composition wherein the mysterious atmospheres are remind me of the mystery of Muslimgauze. The tracks have a dynamic and uplifting effect which you can experience by yourself on “Mantichora” and “Orazione”. The work also has a very intimate aspect while reminding us of the open-minded approach of the artist.
– – – : After different Industrial-Techno driven works this production sounds as something totally different. The schizophrenic sensation might scare fans of Ah-Cama Sotz.
Conclusion: This EP is a cool Tribal surprise by this long-time ambassador of the Industrial scene.
Best songs: “Mantichora”, “Orazione”.
Rate: 7½.
Artist: https://ahcama-sotz.com / www.facebook.com/AhCamaSotz
Label: www.ant-zen.com / www.facebook.com/antzen.official
About Ah Cama-Sotz
Ah Cama-Sotz is the project of Belgian producer and DJ Herman Klapholz, running since 1993 and moving between industrial-techno, ritual-tribal and dark ambient. Klapholz also records under other names, among them Gatto Nero, and runs his own Bats & Cats imprint.
The discography opens in 1997 with “Épithaphe” on Hands Productions and “La Peste” on Bats & Cats, followed by “Terra Infernalis” on Hands Productions in 1999, “U-Boot” on Nautilus in 2000 and “The House Of The Lordh” on Ant-Zen the same year. “La Procesíon De La Sangre” arrived in 2002, “The Way To Heresy” in 2005, “Dead Cities” in 2007 and “Blood Will Tell” in 2010. Klapholz set out his approach in ‘Click Interview’ with Ah-Cama Sotz: ‘Believing In Yourself Is A Must’ in February 2019.
“Chimère Obscure”, the EP reviewed here, was released by Ant-Zen on 14 April 2022 as act423. Klapholz recorded, mixed, produced and mastered it at Terra Inhibita VI and Illlektrik.Toolz, with artwork by Salt. The album “Burning Souls. Brandende Zielen” followed on Bats & Cats in 2022, “Deepest Reflections” in 2024, and the collaborative Ant-Zen albums “Wakan Tanka” and “Wakonda” with Flint Glass in the same year. “Blood Moon” and “The Empire Of Time” arrived on Bats & Cats in 2025.
Support Side-Line
More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.
Why we ask
Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.
Handled by PayPal.

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
