O Saala Sakraal – Oastar (Digital/CD Album – Cyclic Law)
The Dutch collective O Saala Sakraal returned at the end of last year with this new six-track release. Drawing inspiration from ‘nOh v°v’ (Trepaneringsritualen, Norn) and ‘Sunnifa St. Álander’ (Hadewych), they continue to explore mystical realms while further shaping their distinctive Ritual sound.
O Saala Sakraal strike a strong balance between Ritualistic elements—primarily expressed through voices in various forms—and darker, more Ambient atmospheres. The music is further elevated by percussion, which, as on previous releases, introduces an Industrial edge. Appropriately, the second track leans heavily into classic Industrial territory and even recalls Einstürzende Neubauten. While this piece is not fully representative of the album as a whole, it serves as an intriguing detour within the tracklist. The album then returns to its core Ritual influences, carried by deep, vibrating sound waves, echoing gongs, and ultimately screaming, tormented, voices.
O Saala Sakraal remain a compelling project, likely to resonate with a select audience, particularly due to their highly personal style and uncompromising approach. (Rating:7½).
Listen to “Hamalandar Harg”:
https://cycliclaw.bandcamp.com/track/hamalandar-harg
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