Genre/Influences: Cinematographic, Dark-Ambient.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: “Quasi” is a collaborative work between Ukrainian artist Oleg Puzan aka Dronny Darko and Danish artist Johan de Reybekill aka Phaedrus.They also joined hands together with Tineidae, Hilyard, Phelios and Silent Universe who are each featured on one track.

Content: The work features 5 tracks, which are mainly characterized by dark prosperity. But just at the point you think it sounds relaxing you’ll notice some more obscure passages. The work has been accentuated by sweeps and boiling sound structures, the tracks being slowly built up.

+ + + : The work sounds at the edge of reverie and nightmare… a dark expression leading the listener to face his inner demons. A strong visual exposure, which especially shows on “Forbidden Symmetry” featuring Phelios is reaching a peak of coldness.

– – – : I expected a bit more out of this collaborative opus; it’s a fascinating experience in its genre, but without a true apotheosis.

Conclusion: This is a new Dark-Cinematographic experience perfectly illustrating the sound and approach of Cryo Chamber.

Best songs: “Forbidden Symmetry feat. Phelios”, “Xanthe Terra feat. Tineidae”.

Rate: 7.

Artists: www.facebook.com/dronnydarko / www.facebook.com/Johandereybekill

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, Cinematographic.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Over the past eight years Bryan Hilyard has released an impressive discography. He was already familiar with Cryo Chamber, having released an album together with ProtoU (cf. “Alpine respire”) in 2017. “Division Cycle” is the American’s artist newest creation.

Content: “Division Cycle” perfectly matches with the sound approach of Cryo Chamber; a sonic trip throughout Cinematographic and Dark-Ambient fields. Mixing buzzing sound waves together with field recordings, the composition has something inhibited and mysterious. The last track was achieved together with Dronny Darko and ProtoU.

+ + + : I like the intimate approach of the composition. It feels as a sonic voyage through dark, imaginary places. The album has a strong visual appeal; at least some passages have this magic strength to stimulate your fantasy, facing images and feelings of despair and solitude. “Abandoned The Ramparts” is a perfect illustration of this vision.

– – – : A little bit more diversity would have been a bonus.

Conclusion: “Division Cycle” stands for a dark, chilling experience in Ambient music. 

Best songs: “Abandoned The Ramparts”, “Of Hatred And Wrath”, “Altars Of Warfresh”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/hilyardmusic

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: Cinematographic, Dark-Ambient.

Format: Digital, 2CD.

Background/Info: Since 2014, each year we get a “Cryo Chamber Collaboration”-album. It always consists of a collaborative- and conceptual production between label artists paying tribute to the work of H.P. Lovecraft. This latest production has been released at the end of 2020 and features the following artists:Neizvestija, ProtoU, Dronny Darko, RNGMNN, In  Quantum, Dead Melodies, Atrium Carceri, Keosz, Northumbria, Beyond The Ghost, Wordclock, God Body Disconnect, Randal Collier-Ford, Hilyard, Council Of  Nine, Dahlia’s Tear, Lesa Listvy, Creation VI, Aegri Somnia, Ager Sonus, Ruptured World and Alphaxone.

Content: The work features two extended pieces from 70 and 69 minutes. “Yig 1” is more diversified featuring buzzing noises, passages with slow rhythms, vocal effects, dreamy atmospheres, and field recordings. It’s a pure Cinematographic sensation, which becomes even more explicit on “Yig 2”. We here get an abyssal sensation featuring low sound resonations and progressively evolving into a total ‘film music’ approach refined with piano parts.

+ + + : This collaborative concept remains a unique experience, but also a true tour de force set up and masterly lead by Cryo Chamber’s owner Simon Heath. The common thread of this work is the dark atmospheres reflecting a pure Cinematographic style. It’s a collage of different parts, which all together create a sonic osmosis. I personally prefer the first disc “Yig 1”, which is more diversified and also a bit darker. You don’t really get the feeling listening to tracks of one hour; there’s enough variety resulting in different passages, which are now refined and then rougher. This is the perfect release to accompany a visual performance.

– – – : Even if the production is diversified, there however is a monotonous sphere hanging over the work. I’m missing highlights.

Conclusion: This album once again stands for the true spirit of Cryo Chamber; Cinematographic music around a conceptual theme accomplished by the artists of the label roster.

Best songs: “Yig 1”.

Rate: (7).

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: Soundscape, cinematographic, dark-ambient.

Background/Info: American solo project Hilyard (Bryan Hilyard) has already released several productions, but this new work is his first solo-album released on Cryo Chamber (he previously released the “Alpine Respire”-album together with ProtoU).

Content: The sonic of universe featured at this album is a rather familiar ambient experience, creating a sonic bridge between soundscape and dark-ambient music. The dark atmospheres are rather quiet, but definitely hostile. You feel like you are surfing on a dense, dark sound-wave where little noises are constantly emerging at the surface.

+ + + : “Furthermore” has something monotonous and inhibited; it’s composed with low sound resonations creating an intriguing and mysterious atmosphere. I can’t say that the album has been composed with an impressive canvas of sounds, but the power and efficiency emerge from numerous little fragments and details. This work has something paranoiac; like the impression ‘big brother’ is watching you.

– – – : The monotony of the work makes its strength, but also its only weakness. But that’s what you often will experience with these kinds of productions dealing with soundscape-inspired work. Speaking for myself I think a little bit more diversity would have made this work fully successful.

Conclusion: “Furthermore” is an enjoyable album giving me goosebumps, but I think there’s more potential in this work than what came out.

Best songs: “Airflows And Airlocks”, “Inverted Horizon”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/hilyardmusic

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, cinematographic.

Background/Info: Ukrainian artist Sasha Puzan is a very prolific musician. Since her debut album in 2015 together with her partner in crime Dronny Darko, she didn’t stop releasing new material. This is her fourth solo-work while she also released other albums together with Hilyard, Alphaxone plus the “Tomb Of Druids”-album together with other Cryo Chamber artists.

Content: “Echoes Of The Future” deals with the imaginary concept of leaving the earth. It’s an astral voyage towards an unknown destination, maybe a better world for our civilization. This theme has been remarkably adapted into a sonic voyage, which remains dark-like, but still characterized by a feeling of evasion and freedom. The tracks bring the listener into a progressive sonic storm, some of the final tracks being a little bit more hostile. Spoken samplings are accentuating the mystery around this obscure odyssey while enigmatic field recordings only reinforce the atmosphere.

+ + + : Especially the first part of the work reveals an intimate atmosphere and I even felt like an intruder entering into the secret world of the musician. But music is made to get shared with people and quite progressively I experienced the visual strength of this epos. Quite progressively the work moves into darker and overwhelming passages. “Hounds Of The Void” is the freakiest part of the work.

– – – : The single reproach I could figure is that Sasha Puzan is not exactly evolving in her approach. The influences and format remain the same-old, but at the other side she clearly has a very own sound DNA.

Conclusion: ProtoU remains one of the most delicate and subtle artists from the contemporary dark-ambient scene. This album is a real noticeable production illustrating and confirming her talent.

Best songs: “Hounds Of The Void”, “Vessels Of God”, “Transmissions”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/protoudrone

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, experimental, soundscape.

Background/Info: “Alpine Respire” resulted from the common efforts between Cryo Chamber artist Sasha Cats (aka ProtoU) and Bryan Hilyard (aka Hilyard). It also is a collaboration between artists from different continents. Ukrainian based ProtoU has already released two previous collaboration albums together with Dronny Darko and Alphaxone while Hilyard just released a split work with Elam.

Content: “Alpine Respire” leads us throughout familiar dark sound spheres accomplished with numerous field recordings and some impressive blasting tones. The field recordings definitely are one of the most essential and noticeable elements of the work.

+ + + : If you’re into visual music, the field recordings running through “Alpine Respire” will for sure bring your imagination into action. It creates an experimental exposure, which has been joined by dark-ambient atmospheres. I here especially enjoyed the impressive, vibrating and overwhelming dark tones. The final cut is more into harsher noises and is a great final cut.

– – – : The field recordings have a real important impact on this work and that’s why it sounds maybe a bit too into experimentalism. The tracks are missing a climax and feel a bit monotonous after a while.

Conclusion: ProtoU and Hilyard invite their audience to embark for an obscure trip on an endless sonic ocean, which will appeal for all of your senses.

Best songs: “Alpine Respire”, “Elwha Snowfinger”.

Rate: (6½).

Bands: www.facebook.com/protoudrone / www.facebook.com/hilyardmusic

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