Genre/Influences: Cinematographic, dark-ambient.

Background/Info: “Before Time” is the second artistic exposure of the duo Mario Grönnert (Germany) and Mason Metcalf (USA). They in 2016 unleashed the album “Nightmares And Dreamscapes: Silhouettes Of Urbia” and are now back on track with this EP featuring 2 new cuts.

Content: “Before Time” sounds a bit more into the soundtrack approach than its predecessor. It’s an ambient creation revealing mysterious sound passages and icy treatments. Both tracks are going over 12 minutes and are perfectly illustrating the images of solitude from the artwork.

+ + + : I can imagine this is the kind of work that has been done over the net by two artists exchanging their files and completing the work of each other. It’s not an easy thing, but the result is complementary and a noticeable experiment in cinematographic music. I like the duality between evasive passages at one side and the icy atmospheres at the other side.

– – – : This is the kind of work that feels like belonging to a wider artistic concept. I’m missing the visual content, which would elevate the music to a higher dimension. Some passages are a little bit monotonous right now.

Conclusion: “Before Time“ feels a bit like an invitation to watch a movie, but in the end you only get the music while you’ve to created the images and entire storyboard in your mind.

Best songs: “Point Black”.

Rate: (6½).

Bands: www.facebook.com/osama.binsimsalabama / www.facebook.com/CommonSen5e

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.

Background/Info: This album resulted from the common efforts of German ambient artist Mario Grönnert and American electronic composer Mason Metcalf. I already had the opportunity to discover work of Grönnert, but Commonsen5e was totally unknown to me.

Content: The work of both artists brings the listener into a total ambient sound dimension of dark atmospheres and mystery. It’s an obscure universe filled with many noise sources like field recordings and manipulated sounds. Both artists seem to like decomposing sounds creating sharp, industrial noises.

This icy, sonic creation has been joined with astral atmospheres reflecting certain prosperity and surprising, refined piano playing. You get the impression of hearing a piano lost in a dark and endless space. It creates a somewhat cinematographic feeling. The astral dimension of the work ends with a great apotheosis on the final track of the album.

+ + + : Grönnert wants to create a different kind of ambient music. Even if it rather sounds like a challenge I have to admit this album is not dealing with the stereotypical dark-ambient format. There’s a different approach, which is due to the impressive spectrum of sound treatments and noises. Some of these sounds are sharp like a razorblade and can’t leave you unmoved. The last cut “The World Rewinded” is a beautiful climax.

– – – : The sound formula is a bit repetitive and a few cuts can’t fully catch my attention.

Conclusion: “Nightmares And Dreamscapes: Silhouettes Of Urbia” is a mysterious voyage throughout imaginary and unknown parts of our imagination. This is the point where music becomes a paranormal phenomenon instigated by the writing skills of Mario Grönnert and Commonsen5e.

Best songs: “The World Rewinded”, “A Radiance”, “Breathing In The Ash”.

Rate: (7).

Bands: www.facebook.com/MarioGroennert /  www.facebook.com/CommonSen5e

Label: www.audiokulkt.at / www.facebook.com/audiokult

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