Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient.

Background/Info: Romanian artist Stefan Casian has released considerable number of productions on his own label Essentia Mundi. He now joined back with Winter Light for the second time to unleash this new opus featuring six cuts.

Content: The influences and style remain pretty similar to previous works from Abbildung. There’s a constant mix between dark-ambient and soundscapes, which is directly illustrated on the opening cut “Brejor”. There’s a slow progression running through the tracks, which are constructed with numerous field recordings and obscure, overwhelming sound waves. From sharp sounds to boiling noises, this work also reveals a kind of liturgical chants (cf. “Astrolatry”).

+ + + : If you’re familiar with dark-ambient music you’ll have to agree it’s not that easy for projects involved in this genre to distinguish themselves from the masses. I’m not saying that Abbildung is an exception to the rule, but the dark-ambient style has something really obscure. It feels like walking through an eternal darkness inviting the listener to experience visions of horror. I like the slow progression running through the opening cut, the chants featured at “Astrolatry” and sharp-cutting noises from “Hymni Zahir”. Last, but not least I also have to say a word about the great digipak featuring a ritualistic front cover.

– – – : I also noticed a few more monotonous passages, which often sounds more inspired by soundscape music.

Conclusion: When you think to have experienced the most horrible horror in life, Abbildung will take you a way for an even more extreme experience. Luckily for us, it’s just the vision of a fantasy world created by the power of music…

Best songs: “Astrolatry”, “Hymni Zahir”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.abbildung.ro / www.facebook.com/abbildungmusic

Label: www.winter–light.nl / www.facebook.com/winter.light.1

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient.

Background/Info: Stefan Casian is a Romanian artist and label-owner who’s been active in the wider fields of dark-ambient music since 2004-2005. After having released multiple productions on his own label (Essentia Mundi) he got signed by Winter-Light to release this new work, which comes to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Abbildung.

Content: The title of the album sounds pretty ritual and demonic, which is a feeling that immediately comes through when you hear the first passages of the work. Casian is a real expert in conceiving progressive and meticulous dark-ambient compositions. It feels like a sonic web that slowly comes to catch its prisoners.

Monstrous sound treatments and multiple field recordings lead the listener into frightening journey. The overwhelming and dark production fill the space with an apocalyptic feeling. There are no traces of happiness running through this work. You feel like you are enduring an endless ice age where the sun has been banished forever.

Abbildung sounds like the antechamber of hell. But it also is a subtle production with a fascinating imaginary strength. Every single song sounds like its own surreal story.

+ + + : This is a purely chilling production revealing a great progression in its total writing. The songs have been composed like real artwork. The somewhat tribal passage running through “Anthropocosmos & Dark Aum” is a real great moment of sound.

– – – : This is the kind of record that needs your entire attention to catch all the little details and microscopic sound elements running through the composition. So you’ll really have to discover this album in the right circumstances.

Conclusion: “All Demons Are Horned” sounds like an ode to the antichrist. This is music to awaken ghosts and bring the world into darkness and fright.

Best songs: “Usdeno”, “Anthropocosmos & Dark Aum”, “Srater & Two-Sphere”.

Rate: (DP:8)DP.

Band: www.abbildung.ro / www.facebook.com/ABBILDUNG-426359480733297

Label: www.winter-light.nl / www.facebook.com/winter.light.1

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com