Genre/Influences: Dark-Ambient, Experimental, Cinematic, Neo-Folk.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Clay Ruby strikes back as Burial Hew unleashing a new album on Cold Spring which is a kind of compilation. “In Hiding” indeed features nine cuts which have been originally released on compilations.

Content: I’m used to discovering very diversified influences by this project. It’s not that different now, the album sounding as a true compilation. The influences are very diverse; from Dark-Ambient to Experimental to Neo-Folk impressions to a kind of obscure Chamber-Music to Power-Electronics to Martial. Now bombastic and then dreamy; now instrumental and then featuring vocals, this album really reveals the total sonic universe of the project.

+ + + : Clay Ruby sounds comfortable with any kind of dark music genre. From merciless Power-Electronics to artistic Neo-Classic elements his music canvas seems to be endless but always touched by creativity. The music is often complex and appealing for a strong  visual aspect. It’s first of all a work without compromises.

– – – : Diversity means that you’ll always find a few tracks to your taste but I’m sometimes missing a bit of cohesion between the tracks.

Conclusion: Definitely not the best work from this artist although an interesting selection of maybe forgotten and/or less familiar tracks.

Best Songs: “A Kiss To Birth The Rotted Sun”, “Penitential March”, “O’ Crescent Shedding Queen! A Dark Tide Is Cast Inside The Hearts Of Those Who’d Lay Siege To Your Luminous Shade”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/burial.hex

Label: www.coldspring.co.uk / www.facebook.com/coldspringhq Read the news on ‘In Hiding’.

About Burial Hex

Burial Hex is the long-running solo project of musician Clay Ruby. Its catalog draws on Dark-Ambient, Experimental, Neo-Folk, Power-Electronics and Martial influences, released through labels including Cold Spring. “In Hiding” collects nine tracks previously issued on various compilations.

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.

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Out on September 8th is a brand new label sampler from the fine Cold Spring label. “Arise – A Cold Spring Sampler” is being released as a 2CD in gatefold ecopak and holds 33 tracks.

“Arise” is the first sampler in this 20+ years old label sampler series since the “Earthen”, which was released in November 2018. Included is material from Cold Spring’s current and forthcoming releases covering industrial, esoteric, dark ambient, noise, ritual, drone, doom metal, experimental, electronica, or yet dark soundtracks.

Included is work from Kollaps, Llyn Y Cwn, Khost, Jagath, Trepaneringsritualen, Coil, Merzbow, She Spread Sorrow, Frank Hall, Dead Voices On Air feat. Cevin Key, Lull, Mz.412 , The Circular Ruins And Mystified, Common Eider, King Eider, Colossloth, We Be Echo, George Fenton, Kristian Eidnes Andersen / Lars Von Trier, , Himukalt, Sonologyst, Satøri , 400 Lonely Things, Tunnels Of Ah, Sleep Research Facility, Burial Hex, Tenhornedbeast, Fm Einheit / Lee Ranaldo, Spk, Oleg Karpachov, Drew Daniel / John Wiese, La Breiche,
Neil Chaney, Gp-Orridge & Dave Ball.

Check out the tracks below. Warmly recommended!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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The Wisconsin based horror electronics / post-industrial project Burial Hex is back with an all new album, “In Hiding” on the fine Uk label Cold Spring later in September.

When we say ‘all new’ we’d like to point out that “In Hiding” is actually a selection of 9 compilation tracks, curated by Clay Ruby, all featuring 2022 mixes by Clay Ruby and Nathaniel Ritter and remastered by Nathaniel Ritter.

Out on 22nd September 2023 many of the tracks on this album were from cassettes, vinyl, or digital-only releases for labels such as Brave Mysteries, Aurora Borealis, Clan Destine, Small Doses, and Buh, appearing here on CD for the first time – or in the case of “Pentitential March”, never-before released.

You can pre-order the set below from Bandcamp. Read the review of ‘In Hiding’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Genre/Influences: Death-Industrial, Horror-Electronics.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Clay Ruby strikes back with a new conceptual piece of music released under The Burial Hex Moniker. “Gauze” has been released after a few collaborative productions.

Content: The sound universe of Burial Hex remains dominated by the fusion between different influences. Industrial sound treatments have been mixed with Minimal-Electronics, field recordings and heavy screams. it creates this familiar horror-sensation which also moves into mystic parts accentuated by Gregorian chants.

+ + + : Burial Hex remains a master when it comes to compose disturbing music. It’s mainly due because of the freaky, obscure atmospheres hanging over the work. The songs move from harsh, Death-Industrial parts to sophisticated, ghost-like passages. “Two Rivers” is a great track in this genre. There also is something authentic running through the work; a more intimate part creating a dark serenity which mainly emerges at “Double Scorpio”. Another attention grabber is the opening piece reflecting sadness created by the cello-like tune.

– – – : Burial Hex has been never an easy going sound experience, but rather a work for initiates.

Conclusion: Burial Hex has released an endless number of works, but “Gauze” sounds as a must have for tormented souls.

Best Songs: “Two Rivers”, “Double Scorpio”, “Lion’s Breath”, “Lost Sailor”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/burial.hex

Label: www.coldspring.co.uk / www.facebook.com/coldspringhq

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: Horror-electronics, death-industrial.

Background/Info: Clay Ruby gained a serious reputation in the private and selected universe of ‘horror-electronics’. This prolific artist can look back on an endless discography which started in 2007. Ten years of powerful and deadly electronics. “Throne” is a selection of rare songs that were originally released on 7” and 12” featuring a few tracks from split-releases.

Content: This album starts off with the title song originally released on a split 7” with Sylvester Anfang. The track stands for a clear and perfect summary of Burial Hex’ work and influences. Heavy screams have been transformed into an extra source of noise, which assimilated with the multiple noise treatments and drones that will bring you into a stupor. From metallic sounds to noise scratches to obscure atmospheres bring the listener into an imaginary, nihilistic experience, “Throne” has this magical power to transform reality into a nightmare vision.

The tracks are quite elaborate and often reveal different parts. Burial Hex likes to move from a heavy noise-minded outburst towards ‘softer’ and more ambient like passages to finally jump back upon merciless noise waves.

+ + + : Bringing different tracks from different releases together might be risky, but “Throne” sounds like a homogenous and compact production. The tracks perfectly match together and constantly move in between death-industrial parts –appealing for some Brighter Death Now fans, to dark-ambient parts. I enjoy the nihilistic vision running through this opus while “Actaeon” is my personal favorite cut I especially like for its industrial noises and percussion parts.

– – – : The title track is maybe the only cut that couldn’t totally convince me. It rather sounds like a poorly inspired teaser for the real consistent part coming up. You better avoid this kind of work if you’re not a bit familiar with Burial Hex and death-industrial generally speaking.

Conclusion: If music is generally conceived to please and entertain people, Burial Hex sounds like a true nightmare making you simply shocked and afraid. This is a dangerous creation composed by a tormented soul!

Best songs: “Actaeon”, “The Coming Of War”.

Rate: (7).

Band: www.facebook.com/Burial–Hex-159520650742375

Label: www.coldspring.co.uk / www.facebook.com/coldspringhq

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