Genre/Influences: Cinematographic, Electro-Ambient, EBM.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Behind this project is hiding Chase Dobson who you may know from his C.DB.SN-project. That was back in time when this artist was dealing with Experimental- and IDM releasing an album on Tympanik Audio. Cellar Graves is another sonic trip. The album “Omen” was already released back in 2018.

Content: “Omen” clearly sounds like an Electro-Ambient exploration, most of the tracks having this astral-like dimension. But the work isn’t entirely into ambient and still deals with early EBM influences, which sometimes remind me of Frontline Assembly. Other songs are featuring Industrial sound treatments, which are still mixed with space-like influences.

The album features 5 songs plus 2 remixes by Blackcell and Statiqbloom.

+ + + : There’s an interesting duality running throughout this work; it has something bombastic at one side and refined with subtle arrangements at the other side. The mix between overwhelming space-driven atmospheres and EBM influences comes mainly through on “Tormented”. This is for sure the best song, which also inspired Statiqbloom to make a cool remix.

– – – : I regret some songs aren’t featuring real vocal lines, Cellar Graves preferring to use the good-old spoken samplings formula.

Conclusion: “Omen” is a promising debut album by Cellar Graves and I’m sure there even is more potential hidden inside. 

Best songs: “Tormented”, “The Dig”, “Tormented – Statiqbloom Remix”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/cellargraves