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: 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!

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