Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, industrial.

Background/Info: Akem Mainyu is a Russian project active since 2016. This is the first time I ever heard of this formation.

Content: The main basis of the work is influenced by dark-ambient music. I noticed industrial sound treatments and field recordings (or samplings) bringing an experimental touch to the work. The tracks are diversified, featuring ghost-like voices and a few epic arrangements. The final cut creates a kind of glasshouse effect.

+ + + : This is not the most common kind of dark-ambient music. Akem Mainyu claims to be inspired by ritual music and that’s maybe, even if I don’t notice these elements, what makes the work ‘different’. I like the album’s diversity and its strong visual strength. Both debut cuts are overwhelming and create a sensation of cold sweat. I also want to say a word about the cool artwork, which is definitely ritual-like.

– – – :  The artwork is cool, but you really need to decode the name of the project.

Conclusion: What I like on Noctivagant Records is the rather atypical style of all projects. It’s definitely dark-ambient driven, but with some different elements making the originality. Akem Mainyu definitely belongs to this fine list. 

Best songs: “Under The Dying Sun”, “Spheres”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/AkemMainyu

Label: www.nvagant.com / www.facebook.com/nvagant

About Akem Mainyu

Akem Mainyu is a Russian dark-ambient and industrial project active since 2016; this review was Side-Line’s first encounter with the act. Discogs credits a later Akem Mainyu track on “Quindecennial”, a Noctivagant Records label-anniversary compilation released in 2026.

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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.

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