Jowisz – Trench Rat’s Banquet (CD Album – Spartha Production)
Genre/Influences: Martial, experimental, dark-ambient.
Background/Info: Jowisz is a Polish solo-project I earlier this year discovered on the split-album together with H.ø.s.t. “Ages Of Determination”. The artist send me some earlier work, “Trench Rat’s Banquet” being released in 2016. The work of Jowisz is inspired by ‘the history, art and war, especially the World War One in all of its meaning; from the muds of trenches, to the bloodlust of events, sorrows and heroism of the soldiers’.
Content: The work perfectly reflects the imagery of WWI and the life of the soldiers in the trenches. Jowisz recreates this universe by the use of numerous samplings, and also by a self-constructed arsenal of noises and dark atmospheres. The album has a strong visual appeal creating the illusion to watch a movie without images, but only with sounds. Some minimal electronic treatments can be heard while another track features church bells like announcing the imaginary requiem of the poor victims.
+ + + : The visual strength of this album is absolutely impressive. But that’s also created due to numerous samplings –and I here especially like some soldier songs, but also thanks to the efforts of the artists using a wide sonic canvas. The artwork and digipak format of the album is also a bonus.
– – – : This album is missing a climax; there’s a lot to experience and discover, but not leading us to a total apotheosis.
Conclusion: This work makes me think of a sonic documentary instead of a music release, but it however is an interesting experience.
Best songs: “The Crawling Horror – In Tribute For Mark I)”, “Polen KampfKult”, “Trench Rat’s Banquet”.
Rate: (7).
Artist: www.facebook.com/jowiszofficial
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