Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, cinematographic.

Background/Info: Ästrälflüidz is a Russian project featuring two artists from different music universes, but who find a common interest in the creation of this ambient-driven work dedicated to ‘alchemy as Royal Art’.

Content: The global sound influences are clearly and constantly getting us back to an ambient sound creation. It’s a rather dark approach revealing industrial noises, but still a part of drama and reverie. That’s what makes this album somewhat cinematographic-like. A few passages even move into a real horror-scape accentuated by some piano playing.

+ + + : “Mÿsteriüm Mägnüm” is the kind of composition appealing for imagery. This visual strength is marvelously reinforced by different elements, but I especially like the Gregorian-like chants emerging from “Chaos” and the overwhelming –somewhat dramatic like, arrangements running through “The Red King”. The music sounds like a story where the power of your imagination will create surreal and maybe horror-like images. “Enigma Regis” is an absolute masterpiece in its genre. I also want to say a word about the artistic and symbolic digipak of this release.

– – – : The main strength from this album might be also a point of discussion. It sometimes feels a bit like you really need a visual work, which would be complementary with the sound created by Ästrälflüidz. It feels a bit like a ‘total concept’ where the different artistic disciplines are nothing without the others. Just listening to the album might become a bit monotonous after a while and especially for the long-duration tracks.

Conclusion: Ästrälflüidz invites the listener to visit the secret and magic laboratory of the alchemists. With some imagination you might discover some of the alchemist’s’ secrets and who knows the formula to create gold.

Best songs: “Enigma Regis”, “The Red King”, “Tria Prima”.

Rate: (7).

Band: www.facebook.com/astralfluidz

Label: www.zhb.radionoise.ru / www.facebook.com/zhbrecords