Genre/Influences: Electro-Ambient, Experimental, Industrial.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Russian born Jana Komaritsa comes to celebrate the thirteenth anniversary of her Darkrad project with this new work. The album features new songs, live tracks and remixes.

Content: The work takes off with 6 new tracks featuring one song composed together with Flint Glass. The tracks are into Electro-Ambient while achieved with Industrial sound treatments and the artist’s spooky vocals on top. We next get 4 live cuts taken at different places and featuring a few familiar cuts. The last part brings 5 remixes by Chaotalion, Aphexia, Mandelbrot, Anatoly Grinberg and Alamren. 

+ + + : The new songs bring this uncompromised sound of Darkrad; a dark fusion between different styles and supported with ghost-like -and sometimes whispering, vocals. The song featuring Flint Glass sounds more Industrial-like than the others and is a cool piece of music. I also like the live version of “Black Mask” for its overwhelming sound atmosphere. Among the remixes I recommend listening to the remix of “Solace” by Anatoly Grinberg injecting broken beats and a modern touch.

– – – : I experienced some of the tracks as being a bit short. The live cuts reveal a more improvised approach which can’t always convince me.

Conclusion: Darkrad isn’t releasing new material at regular basis but always has something to offer.

Best songs: “In Haze feat. Flint Glass”, “Sentenced To Love”, “Black Mask – Live”, “Solace – Anatoly Grinberg Remix”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.komaritsa.com / www.facebook.com/darkradproject

Label: www.audiophob.de / www.facebook.com/audiophob

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: Electro-Ambient, IDM, Techno-EBM, Industrial, Cinematic.

Format: Digital, CD.    

Background/Info: Nearly four years after the previous “Hyperakusis”-compilation German Audiophob label unleashed the fourth chapter of the series. Nine bands from the labels have been selected and twelve tracks have been featured.

Artists: Spherical Disrupted, Axiome, Gamlaskatten, Mortaja, Wesenberg, Mandelbrot, Starmen, Autoclav1.1, Darkrad.

Content: This compilation perfectly represents Audiophob’s roster. From Electro-Ambient with Industrial sound treatments to old-school Electronics to powerful Techno-Body to Ambient-Techno to space-like electronics to Cinematic music the bands bring a very diversified menu.

+ + + : Audiophob is a small label but with a great taste of music. Most productions stand for true sound intelligence and a visionary approach. I’m getting once more totally wild of the heavy, bouncing Techno-Body music by Mortaja which is characterized by devastating, solid, bass lines. This artist brings two exceptional cuts. Wesenberg is a more familiar name and still a visionary artist when it comes to Electronic music. He brings a great mixture of techno and Ambient. I also want to mention both debut cuts by Spherical Disrupted remaining one of the label’s flagholders and a great Electro-Industrial project featuring haunting passages. Notice by the way the sampler is only featuring new and exclusive cuts.

– – – : Some artists didn’t feature their best work to date but on the other hand, it’s an opportunity to get something unique.

Conclusion: This work celebrates the 40^th Audiophob release which remains a label devoted to intelligent Electro underground music.

Best bands: Mortaja, Wesenberg, Axiome, Spherical Disrupted.

Rate: 8.

Label: www.audiophob.de / www.facebook.com/audiophob

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: Minimal-Electro.

Format: Digital, Cassette.

Background/Info: Two years ago Mirko Hentrich celebrated the twenty fifth anniversary of his Spherical Disrupted project by the massive release “25” featuring three albums. He for the very first time collaborated with singers. The songs “Basalt” and “Transneptunian Objects” was featured on this album and a few months ago now re-released as EP.

Content: “Basalt “ is featuring TC75 while “Transneptunian Objects” features Darkrad. You’ll find 2 remixes and an instrumental version of each song. “Basalt” sounds a bit EBM-driven but remains pretty minimal-like. One remix was accomplished by Trilogy.  “Transneptunian Objects” is more into overwhelming atmospheres although still pretty minimal-driven. One of the remixes has been made by Phasenmensch.

+ + + : This tape is a nice addition to the great “25”-production and for the biggest fans of the project. “Basalt” remains a cool song revealing a rather unfamiliar EBM-touch for Spherical Disrupted. The “Xenocryst”-edit has a pretty cool retro-EBM sound.

The ”Sednoid”-edit of “Transneptunian Objects” is another cool cut for its Industrial sound treatments and ghost-like vocals.

– – – : The original version of “Basalt” but also the remix that was made by Wesenberg (released at “25”) both were more convincing than these EP-edits.

Conclusion: I’d rather see this item as a collector’s item or a little bonus to “25”.

Best songs: “Basalt – Xenocryst Edit”, “Transneptunian Objects – Sednoid”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.disrupted.de / www.facebook.com/sphericaldisrupted

Label: www.audiophob.de / www.facebook.com/audiophob

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

Mirko Hentrich last year celebrated the twenty fifth anniversary of his sonic brainchild SPHERICAL DISRUPTED. Better than unleashing a ‘best of’ he released a totally new album plus two extra discs featuring remixes and previously unreleased material. The box has been released on Mirko’s own label Audiophob and is a new sonic exploration and mix of different Electronic styles. With this interview I want to pay homage to a talented and visionary artist who released numerous great productions.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You last year celebrated the 25^th anniversary of your main music project SPHERICAL DISRUPTED. What comes directly into mind when evoking these 25 years of commitment and what have been the main facts and best memories?

Mirko: 25 years ago the first public release came out. I’d started to make music a couple of years earlier. It is a pretty long journey so far and the beginning is really far away. But on the other hand me and all the other contributors on the release are thinking that the time went by really fast. Yes, it’s very ambivalent. So, all the thoughts about the past time of making music and the past of the project is the main thing that comes to my mind regarding the anniversary.

Of course every new release was an important moment for me and the founding of my label Audiophob with Carsten Stiller, which is already 17 years ago as well. But the best memories are mostly all the great live experiences, especially the ones at “Maschinenfest”-festival or the journey to Moscow and so on. It’s always great playing live and getting the reactions by the audience immediately.

Q: Do you notice main changes/evolutions in your approach of composing music between 1995 and today?

Mirko: The way I’m producing my music evolved not that much. Of course the gear and software have changed from time to time, which brings some changes in workflow naturally. But the main approach and even the master keyboard is still the same than over 25 years ago.

Q: You celebrated this 25^th anniversary by the release of a very special album featuring new work, but also remixes. Tell us a bit more about the new songs and the entire concept of “25”?

Mirko: The concept itself changed during production process. The initial plan was to release a double CD compilation with only a couple of new tracks plus some of my remixes for other artists, which are very important to me. There are some tracks I’m still liking a lot, but they weren’t available anymore or were even unreleased, like the remixes for THE_EMPATH and MIMETIC or for my own band from the 90s, EXPERIMENTUM CRUCIS.

But due to some serious health issues I wasn’t able to go to work in my regular job for several months last year and so there was the time for more new music and for more research in the archive, which resulted in a lot more tracks I originally wanted to put on “25”. Finally I decided that the box will contain a completely new album plus the two CD compilations.

For the first time there were two tracks with vocal contributions. This idea came before the whole box thing. I had to do a remix for the project PHASENMENSCH and I liked the music I had done for it, but something was missing to make this remix complete. So I had the idea to add some vocals by Jana Komaritsa from DARKRAD. We both liked the result a lot and so we wanted to do a completely new track in this combination as well.

The other vocal track was first planned as an instrumental for which I liked to have a remix by Tino Claus from TC75, AMNISTIA etc.. But when I’d asked him, he said, that he would rather do vocals for it instead. And yes, it worked very well.

Q: SPHERICAL DISRUPTED has been always a kind of ‘sonic enigma’ to me; a true fusion between different influences. How do you perceive your own music and the ‘sound’ you create? What kind of musician/producer are you?

Mirko: I’m very open minded to much kinds of music and all of them are influencing the music of SPHERICAL DISRUPTED. Besides these influences I’m experimenting with and trying to find new sounds or a unique combination of them. But the main aim with this project is to create dark and cold atmospheres, sometimes in a quieter more Ambient style, sometimes more rhythmic or noisier.

It’s an Electronic project and so it should sound like this, influenced by the machines themselves or astrophysics themes, in which I’m personally into.

Q: I can imagine you would have liked to celebrate this anniversary by doing live performances, which due to Covid-19 hasn’t been possible so far. How do you experience the artistic restrictions due to the pandemic and how do you see things evolving for your own activities and the music scene?

Mirko: Yes, there was planned a very nice event at the venue where the very first SPHERICAL DISRUPTED live appearance took place in 2000 with some other projects who had played back then as well plus other live shows, which all had to be cancelled. I’m missing a lot to play live and of course all the nice festivals where our other label bands should have played.

I really hope that all these events can be held very soon when we all got our vaccination. But due to the mentioned health problems I personally would have had to cancel most of the events last year anyway. And so I was able to concentrate more on creating music and doing label work and so on.

Q: You are still active as DJ and busy with other music projects. But you are also together with Carsten Stiller running Audiophob. Do you still have time for non-music related activities and what means music and these different projects to you? 

Mirko: Yes, sometimes I’m pretty busy, but never that much that there is no time for other things. But of course music is an extremely important part in my life: Making music, running two labels (Audiophob and its sub label Krater Recordings), DJing, some sound engineer jobs. Besides that I’m a manic music collector and this needs a lot of time as well. A life without music is simply unthinkable!

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: Electro-Ambient, IDM, Industrial, Cinematographic, Minimal-Electro.

Format: Digital, 3CD Box.

Background/Info: Mirko Hentrich set up Spherical Disrupted in 1995. He later on became co-owner of Audiophob and moved on releasing new works as Spherical Disrupted, but also still with side-projects like Sick En For and Capsular. “25” is celebration record featuring a new album plus two more discs with remixes and songs that are now released on CD for the very first time.

Content: The first disc “25 (Future)” features 11 new songs, which clearly expose the project’s diversity. There’s a constant mix between genres; moving from freaky Ambient-Electronics to Klinik-al Electro sequences to cinematographic passages to pure Electro-Minimalism to some groovy parts. The major innovation consists of 2 songs featuring guest singers. Tino Claus (TC75, Amnistia, MRDTC) and Jana Komaritsa (Darkrad) have been invited to join in.

The two other discs are titled, “25 (The Past)” bring us back to 25 years of history although a few songs have been previously unreleased (mainly live versions). You’ll also (re)discover songs spherical disrupted has remixed for other artists such as Bloody Dead And Sexy, Experimnetum Crucis, Yipotash, The Trial, Kiew, Mimetic Dancing, The_Empath, Xabec, Mandelbrot and Still Patient?

+ + + : The new album, which stands for “Future” reveals Mirko Hentrich in a good light. The work is accomplished with an impressive arsenal of influences, which I think is pretty characteristic for this project. Spherical Disrupted is not easy to seize and often resulted from a true sonic symbiosis of multiple ideas. I like the haunting atmospheres and icy, ‘klinik-al’ sequences emerging at “Basalt” featuring Tino Claus. “Transneptunian Objects” featuring whispering vocals by Jana Komaritsa is another successful collaboration. I here especially like the atmospheric side of the song. The remixes by Disharmony and especially Wesenberg at the end of the first disc are worthy of examination.

The 2^nd disc features several attention grabbers, but here again I like the variety of influences. From the cold-like and Industrial sounding “Monasteria” to the metallic sound treatments of “Yderligere Oplysninger”, this disc brings some essential –although often forgotten and unknown, pieces back to life. I’m especially fascinated by the icy, analogue sound treatments supported with an anguished sphere.

The 3^rd disc is more diversified and that’s because of the many bands Spherical Disrupted has accomplished remixes for. If there’s one song I would recommend (re)discovering is the Cinematographic rework of Mimetic Dancing’s “Small Spherical”.

– – – : Referring to the new tracks from this album I have to admit I already heard more convincing works from Spherical Disrupted. But as a celebration release this album is a real must have as it’s not a ‘best of’, but a true gift for the fans.

Conclusion: Spherical Disrupted probably is the kind of project you can label as ‘difficult music’ and that’s maybe the reason why this German artist never got a wider recognition. I can only express my respect for 25 years of great music!

Best songs: “Basalt”, “25”, “Basalt – Wesenberg Rework” + “Monasteria”, “Yderligere Oplysninger”, “Cavity block (Not The :W: Master)”, “Solar Luminosity – Terminal Mix” + Mimetic Dancing: “Small Spherical – Extended Nova Stella Mix”, “Kiew: “Zentrifuge – Inertia Mix”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.disrupted.de / www.facebook.com/sphericaldisrupted

Label: www.audiophob.de / www.facebook.com/audiophob

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: IDM, techno-body, dark-ambient, experimental, cinematographic.

Background/Info: This compilation is the third chapter in the “Hyperakusis”-series set up by Audiophob. It also celebrates the 15^th anniversary of the German label driven by Carsten Stiller (Alarmen) and Mirko Hentrich (Spherical Disrupted).

Artists: The Negativity Bias, Wesenberg, Mortaja, Spherical Disrupted, Darkrad, Alarmen, Mandelbrot.

Content: The sampler first of all stands for a nice sonic canvas from the label’s roster and the different music genres. From pure IDM to electro-ambient to techno-body music to darker, cinematographic plus ambient to a final tribal driven cut, the common element between all the artists is the sound intelligence.

+ + + : The album only features exclusive tracks and that’s a real positive point. I already mentioned the sound intelligence, which I think is the keyword to define Audiophob. The label is not releasing that many new productions, but quality is clearly more important for Carsten and Mirko than quantity. I especially want to mention a great opening piece in the purest IDM format by The Negativity Bias, Wesenberg on his best with an ambient/IDM track, the techno-body approach of Mortaja, the tribal style of Mandelbrot and the dark-astral sound travels by Spherical Disrupted, Darkrad and Alarmen.

– – – : There’s nothing to throw away on this sampler although there are two remixes, which aren’t exactly my favorite cuts.

Conclusion: This sampler simply confirms the great sound taste of Audiophob, which is a label I particularly appreciate and which gets my total support! This is the pure sound intelligence!

Best bands: The Negativity Bias, Wesenberg, Mortaja, Mandelbrot, Spherical Disrupted.

Rate: (8½).

Label: www.audiophob.de / www.facebook.com/audiophob

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: Cinematographic, dark-ambient.

Background/Info: This album is not a compilation, but a collaboration between numerous Cryo Chamber artists. Atrium Carceri, God Body Disconnect, Dronny Darko, ProtoU, Kolhoosi 13, Neizvestija, Northumbria,
Apocryphos, Randal Collier-Ford, Dead Melodies, Flowers For Bodysnatchers, Ager Sonus, Council Of Nine, Kammarheit, Gydja, Creation VI, Darkrad, Aegri Somnia, Ugasanie, SiJ, Alphaxone and Keosz have all contributed to this work, which took them over a year to accomplish “Shub-Niggurath”. It’s a conceptual work inspired by H.P. Lovecraft. Cryo Chamber already released previous Lovecraft tributes as a collaboration between label mates on “Cthulhu”, “Azathoth”, “Nyarlathotep” and “Yog-Sothoth”.

Content: “Shub-Niggurath” features 2 albums. It’s impossible to know what has been the real contribution of each artist, but one thing becomes rapidly evident: it’s a truly Cryo Chamber work. The influences and especially the dark-cinematic approach are easily recognizable. Each disc features a long duration track. The work is driven by the strength of the dark atmospheres and their visual appeal. From nihilistic landscapes towards cellar music, the work is joined by passages with drones, slow rhythms and an impressive arsenal of subtle noises, scratches and other sound effects.

+ + + : This kind of album featuring an endless list of artist is a real ‘tour de force’. It’s a fascinating concept, which I think would be interesting to realize how this album took shape and what have been the inputs of the artists. Next to the way it has been accomplished the album also reveals exciting passages and I here especially refer to low sound vibrations, the detailed format of the work with its endless number of sounds and noises, but most of all the baleful atmosphere recovering this tribute to the Master of fantasy and fiction.

– – – : Some passages are a bit long in duration and monotonous, but globally speaking there’s a real flow running through his work. I personally prefer the first disc although the final part of the second disc sounds pretty cool as well.

Conclusion: I don’t know other labels other than Cryo Chamber releasing this kind of conceptual work. It’s not only about a conceptual theme, but also about a label, which seems to be a real ‘family’.

Best songs: “Shub-Niggurath 1”.

Rate: (7½).

Label: www.cryochamberlabel.com /  www.facebook.com/CryoChamber

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: Experimental, industrial, electro-ambient, cinematographic.

Background/Info: Russian artist Jana Komaritsa is based in the USA and has been involved with many projects dealing with music. She’s also member of Tanzfront Project, is active as a DJ, runs the label Mrakmur and is promoting the Russian underground scene. After a debut album (cf. Abnormal Love”) released in 2012 on the now defunct Cold Meat Industry and the album “Little Black World” (2014) released on her own label Mrakmur as cassette format and on Audiophob as CD, she now joined hands with Audiophob to unleash her newest opus.

Content: “Heart Murmur” is a work revealing an impressive arsenal of influences. It makes me think to a carousel of sounds and noises, which have been now assembled into an experimental creation and next becoming pretty ambient-like. There’s a constant anguishing sphere recovering the work, which finds its apotheosis on the very last songs of the album, which are bonus cuts.

Indeed, next to the 9 tracks you get 6 bonus tracks featuring among others previously released cassette pieces and remixes by Flint Glass and Mortaja.

+ + + : This work is diversified and eclectic. It feels like there are different parts running through the work. We all have to make our mind, but I personally prefer the overwhelming, haunting cuts. It’s a cold and bewitched side of the album, which don’t get you feel comfortable. It might create a paranoiac reaction, getting the impression an invisible presence is watching you. The sensation is only accentuated by some rare, manipulated ghost-voices. Resonating sounds and slow rhythms are accentuating the global feeling of fright. The bonus part of this work is the greatest one.

– – – : I can’t say to have been totally convinced by the ‘new’ songs of the album. Some of them are maybe too cinematographic-like, creating a contrast with the heavier bonus cuts.

Conclusion: This is an album with multiple influences and 2 distinguished ‘faces’. There’s a more dark-dreamy side, which I think is the less interesting one and a great and overwhelming one on the industrial side.

Best songs: “Sleepwalking – Album Version”, “Stone Upon Stone”, “Dead Bodies – Flint Glass Remix”, “Krovomet – Mortaja Remix”, “Dead Bodies”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.janadark.net / www.facebook.com/darkradproject

Label: www.audiophob.de / www.facebook.com/audiophob

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, soundscape, cinematographic.

Background/Info: Cryo Chamber definitely appears to be under the influence of H.P. Lovecraft. The label already released the “Cthulhu”-collaboration featuring several label artists working together and achieving a great opus.

“Nyarlathotep” is a new collaboration between an impressive number of label formations. The story is about ‘A season of political and social upheaval. Mankind felt as if the world was at a breaking point, but no one wanted to speak of this. Seasons grew hotter. Our faith in the known gods faltered. The timing was ripe for the arrival of Nyarlathotep.’

It has been transposed into music by Kammarheit, God Body Disconnect, Dronny Darko, Ugasanie, Kristoffer Oustad, Alphaxone, Svartsinn, SiJ, Gydja, Atrium Carceri, Darkrad, Flowers For Bodysnatchers, Aegri Somnia, Randal Collier-Ford, Neizvestija, Metatron Omega, Wordclock, ProtoU, Northumbria, Sjellos, Sabled Sun, Council Of Nine, Cryobiosis, Apocryphos, Enmarta and Mystified. Three albums were accomplished.

Content: “Nyarlathotep 1” takes us away for a voyage throughout industrial metal sounds rapidly joined by dark, buzzing noise waves. The sound reveals heavy vibrations and the magic of an Eastern-like flute. We progressively join an imaginary world of obscure reverie, like entering a tenebrous universe featuring spooky voices. It also sounds like a misty sound universe made of disturbing passages accentuated by impressive sonic blasts.

“Nyarlathotep 2” definitely sounds more into the soundscape format. It’s not as heavy, but more into a dense and constant chilling atmosphere. It quite progressively evolves towards harder passages like echoing thunder in the background.

The final chapter and album “Nyarlathotep 3” takes off with a kind of signals from an imaginary, distant planet. It’s pretty astral-minded while reinforced by great sweeps and new buzzing sound waves. It moves towards a crescendo until reaching an absolute climax while the final part sounds pretty oppressive and tormenting, somewhat reminding to the early work of Lustmord.

+ + + : The realization of this work is absolutely amazing and rather unique. This is the kind of concept that wouldn’t have been possible without an artist taking the responsibility to create an interaction between all contributors. Simon Heath has been probably the one that made this enormous project come true. You don’t really have the impression of listening to a mishmash created by numerous artists. The work is pretty compact and homogenous featuring a great 1^st and 3^rd disc.

– – – : The release stands for more than 3 hours of sound and music so you really have to take your time listening to this work in the right circumstances. I wanted to discover the work without interruption, which took me several takes.

Conclusion: “Nyarlathotep” is a great conceptual release based upon an original idea, but it also reveals the ‘family’ approach of Cryo Chamber to unite all bands under the same wings.

Best songs: “Nyarlathotep 1”, “Nyarlathotep 3”, “Nyarlathotep 2”.

Rate: (8).

Label: www.cryochamberlabel.com /  www.facebook.com/CryoChamber

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

A 190 minute dark soundscape album recorded by 25 ambient artists to pay tribute to H.P. Lovecraft. That is in short what you can expect on the “Nyarlathotep” album which is going to be released September 27, 2016 as a 3CD album set (housed in an 8 panel full color digipak) and a high quality download via Cryo Chamber. Pre-orders for both formats are available now via the label’s Bandcamp page.

The release holds field recordings from the deepest dark corners of 4 continents. The release is a collaboration and huge undertaking involving 25 artists who linked their studios and sound for over a year so that they could work with each other.

Bands involved are: Kammarheit, God Body Disconnect, Dronny darko, Ugasanie, Kristoffer Oustad, Alphaxone, Svartsinn, SiJ, Gydja, Atrium Carceri, Darkrad, Flowers for Bodysnatchers, Aegri Somnia, Randal Collier-Ford, Neizvestija, Metatron Omega, Wordclock, ProtoU, Northumbria, Sjellos, Sabled Sun, Council of Nine, Cryobiosis, Apocryphos, Enmarta.

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!

side-line.com

In 2014 Cryo Chamber got some of the most prominent dark ambient artists together to synchronize their studios during a year of collaboration creating the album “Cthulhu” in tribute to H.P. Lovecraft. It was followed up by the “Azathoth” collaboration album in 2015.

Following “Cthulhu and Azathoth”, Cryo Chamber now announces “Nyarlathotep”. This time 25 artists (!!!) synchronized their studios to create this tribute to H.P. Lovecraft. The album comes as a 3CD set and will soon be available for ordering via Cryo Chamber’s Bandcamp page.

The album will be officially out September 27, 2016. And to wet the appetite (and we’re pretty sure that serious dark ambient fans will be craving for this release) here’s already the list of bands which collaborated on the upcoming release:

• Kammarheit
• God Body Disconnect
• Dronny darko
• Ugasanie
• Kristoffer Oustad
• Alphaxone
• Svartsinn
• SiJ
• Gydja
• Atrium Carceri
• Darkrad
• Flowers for Bodysnatchers
• Aegri Somnia
• Randal Collier-Ford
• Neizvestija
• Metatron Omega
• Wordclock
• ProtoU
• Northumbria
• Sjellos
• Sabled Sun
• Council of Nine
• Cryobiosis
• Apocryphos
• Enmarta
• Mystified

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!

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, soundscape.

Content: Last year Cryo Chamber released one of the most noticeable conceptual albums in history of dark-ambient music. “Cthulhu” was a collaboration of multiple artists in the genre accomplishing a phenomenal work around Lovecraft’s famous Cthulhu mythos and Dream Circle.

“Azatoth” is the successor to this impressive work. It again deals with the fantasy universe of H.P. Lovecraft, which has been transposed into dark sonorities by an impressive list of bands. It’s important to mention this is not a compilation, but an amazing collaboration featuring Atrium Carceri, Kammarheit, Foundation Hope, Taphephobia, Alphaxone, Alt3r3d Stat3, Apocryphos, Aseptic Void, Cryobiosis, Dark Matter, Darkrad, Dronny Darko, Halgrath, Mystified, Wordclock, Sabled Sun, Neizvestija, Randal Collier-Ford, Sjellos, Svartsinn, Tarradaemon and Ugasanie.

Each disc features just one single track. The 1st disc featuring “Azathoth 1” will hold you in its grip for almost an hour. It’s hard to imagine how this collaboration took part, but it once more stands for a real coup de force. You simply don’t get the impression this work resulted from the common efforts of all those bands. You’ll immediately get the impression of embarking on a heavy ambient trip leading you to imaginary freaky places. Low sound waves reinforced by overwhelming dark treatments are emerging to the surface creating a dark and frightening sensation.

Multiple sound treatments suddenly emerge like small pieces of a wider sonic puzzle. “Azathoth” stands for the chemistry of dark sounds, but especially for the chemistry between all those great artists. It’s hard to find the real input of every single formation, but I can assure you the impact of their common labor simply will leave you stupefied. This is for sure one of the most ambitious releases in history of dark-ambient music!

Cavernous passages joined by icy chain and humming sounds of imaginary spirits, plus multiple field recordings imprison the listener in a great, but freaky sonic cage from which you don’t really want to escape. You’ll progressively beg for more, just like reading a thriller which you cannot but down until the very end.

The 2nd disc featuring the track “Azathoth 2” will bring you more than 60 minutes of new chilling experiences. The style hasn’t changed and will directly lead you again towards the darkest corners of your imagination. I get the impression of being aspirated by the mouth of an evil force. This composition is carried by low vibrating sound waves featuring a kind of white noises. There’s a very progressive evolution towards darker and overwhelming passages.

This composition is also characterized by a few more accessible parts accentuating some prosperity. The work however remains ultra dark revealing chilling strings and echoing sound treatments.

Conclusion: It simply sounds incredible how this album has been realized while revealing a perfect cohesion between the input all of artists. I guess there’s no better sonic ode to Lovecraft than this work.

Best songs: “Azathoth 1”, “Azathoth 2”.

Rate: (DP:8½)DP.

Label: www.cryochamberlabel.com / www.facebook.com/CryoChamber

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, industrial.

Content: Jana Komaritsa, better known under her artist name JanaDark is one of the few female artists dealing with dark-ambient music. This Russian born musician released a debut album (cf. “Abnormal Love”) on the now gone Cold Meat Industry label, and a self-released tape as a successor (cf. “Little Black World”) in 2014.

Audiophob often has a nose for talented artists and picked up Darkrad to re-release the sold-out tape as a CD format with some extra tracks. It will be an opportunity to (re)discover this project, but the CD-issue of “Little Back World” is also a must have for all of those who already know the cassette as they’ll get 7 bonus cuts.

“Little Black World” takes off with ghost-like voices floating in a dark, humming and somewhat misty sound universe. A dense, dark atmosphere hangs over the composition, which makes it all a bit mysterious. It feels a bit like exploring an unknown cavern filled with dangerous secrets which can emerge to the surface at every moment. JanaDark creates a paranoiac sonic platform with a strong visual appeal. Deep vibrating loops and the ghost-like voices are constantly coming back to terrorize the listener.

This album clearly reveals a scary touch created by the multiple sound manipulations and different effects. The opening part will take you by surprise and finally bring you to a climax on “Someone Beneath” and “Ocean Beckons”. Darkrad definitely sounds like music for evil spirits! But when you think to have reached the ultimate point of anger, the album moves a step further, pushing the level of angst to its most extreme point. “All Is Wrong” is the darkest track on the list and is animated by deep vibes and monstrous sound treatments. The least I can say is that the ‘original’ album featuring 8 cuts is a well-crafted and freaky composition.

The bonus part reveals 5 extra cuts plus 2 remixes. I get the impression that those cuts are much more than simple album fillers, but visionary pieces revealing new evil inspiration. The sound become really disturbing on “Die In Eclipse” where Jana Komaritsa reveals herself as a sonic witch.

Dirk Geiger and Spherical Disrupted were asked to create remixes and I mainly recommend the blasting and echoing sound treatments of Dirk Geiger remixing “Feel The Blood”.

Conclusion: I think it would have been a pity to imagine “Little Black World” been reduced to a strictly limited and already sold out tape format. This album deserves this re-issue featuring some extra poignant tracks.

Best songs: “Die In Eclipse”, “Feel The Blood – Dirk Geiger Remix”, “Ocean Beckons”, “Someone Beneath”, “Feel The Blood”, “All Is Wrong”.

Rate: (DP:7½)DP.

Band: www.janadark.net / www.facebook.com/darkradproject

Label: www.audiophob.de / www.facebook.com/audiophob

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

In 2014 Cryo Chamber got some of the most prominent dark ambient artists together to synchronise their studios during a year of collaboration creating the album “Cthulhu”. This year Cryo Chamber almost doubles the effort with a rumoured 2CD release follow-up. No less than 20 artists have been working for the last year to synchronise and co-create “Azathoth”. The album is scheduled for release in late 2015.

Note that “Cthulhu” and “Azathoth” are not compilations but collaborations.

The full artist list is as follows: Atrium Carceri, Kammarheit, Foundation Hope, Taphephobia, Alphaxone, Alt3r3d Stat3, Apocryphos, Aseptic Void, Cryobiosis, Dark Matter, Darkrad, Dronny Darko, Halgrath, Mystified, Wordclock, Sabled Sun, Neizvestija, Randal Collier-Ford, Sjellos, Svartsinn, Taphephobia, Terradaemon, Ugasanie.

Here’s a glimpse on what “Cthulhu” sounded like:

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!

side-line.com