Melkor – Udkraxsha (Digital/CD Album – PharmaFabrik)
Melkor is an Iranian solo project led by Behrad Fountain. The artist has reportedly been active for several years, yet aside from a few tracks featured on various compilations, very little was known until now. This debut album, released in 2024, certainly deserves some belated attention.
Melkor leads us into the most remote realms of Dark-Ambient and Drone. The compositions are meticulously and precisely constructed, where deep, immersive soundscapes merge with droning textures to evoke a sensation that is both captivating and unsettling. The cold, minimal tones give rise to an icy production that reaches moments of true apotheosis.
This is a profoundly intriguing project that has completely convinced me with its first full-length release — a name to remember and to follow closely. (Rating:8½).
Listen to “The Core”:
About Melkor
Melkor is the solo project of Iranian artist Behrad Fountain, who describes himself as an interdisciplinary artist and philosopher from Persia. He began playing drums around fifteen years ago before turning toward digital composition, and spent time as a side vocalist and percussionist in a Black-Metal band. Under the Melkor name he mixes Dark-Ambient, Drone, and cinematic textures, tying each piece to a philosophical or gnostic concept.
The debut album “Udkraxsha” appeared in 2024 on PharmaFabrik Recordings, presenting ten tracks with an accompanying visual booklet. Side-Line spoke with Fountain about the record in a 2026 Melkor interview, in which he traced the album back to sessions that began in late 2022. “Udkraxsha” is the release reviewed here.
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