Raison D´Etre – SIDE-LINE

Raison d’être announces ‘The Empty Hollow Unfolds’ — first-ever vinyl edition due October 17 on Cyclic Law

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Sat, 13 Sep 2025 11:46:22 +0000

Swedish dark ambient project Raison d’être will reissue the 2000 album “The Empty Hollow Unfolds” for the first time on vinyl, via Cyclic Law on October 17, 2025. The double-LP arrives as part of the album’s 25th-anniversary edition.

The album is issued as a 2×LP in two variants: 200 copies on marbled vinyl and 200 copies on black vinyl (total 400). Packaging includes a heavy gatefold sleeve with matte varnish and black paper inners. This edition contains eight tracks (running time approx. 73 minutes), remastered for vinyl and including three bonus tracks not present on the original 2000 CD.

The Empty Hollow Unfolds by raison d'être

About Raison d’être

Raison d’être is the long-running dark ambient/industrial project of Swedish composer Peter Andersson, founded in 1991 in Boxholm, Sweden.

Early material appeared on cassette (including “Après Nous Le Déluge,” 1992) before Andersson signed to the legendary Cold Meat Industry label, which released a sequence of 1990s albums that established the project’s sound.

Key titles from that period include “Prospectus I” (1993), “Enthralled by the Wind of Loneliness” (1994), “Within the Depths of Silence and Phormations” (1995), and “In Sadness, Silence and Solitude” (1997), followed by “The Empty Hollow Unfolds” (2000).

Subsequent years saw further studio albums and archival projects across various labels, with Cyclic Law handling many recent reissues and anniversary editions, and “Daemonum” marking the 30-year milestone in 2021. Raison d’être remains the solo project led by Andersson.

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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Raison d’être reissues ‘Within The Depths Of Silence And Phormations’ for 30th anniversary on Vinyl and CD via Rune Serpent Europa

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 11:54:37 +0000

For the first time ever on vinyl, the original Raison d’être 1995 recording of “Within The Depths Of Silence And Phormations” comes in two vinyl editions via Rune Serpent Europa, in collaboration with The Circle Music for worldwide distribution.

Originally recorded in 1995 and released by the legendary record label Cold Meat Industry, it is widely considered a cornerstone of the dark ambient genre, the reissue will be available for the first time ever on vinyl, alongside a special triple CD edition, on 21 May 2025. “Within The Depths Of Silence And Phormations” was originally released by the legendary record label Cold Meat Industry.

You can pre-order all formats now.

Limited Double Black Vinyl Edition: Presented in a gatefold sleeve, this numbered edition is limited to 300 copies.
Limited Double Marbled Gold & Black Vinyl Edition: Also housed in a gatefold sleeve and limited to 300 numbered copies.
Limited Triple CD “Sublime Edition”: This edition is limited to 500 numbered copies and features an updated mix of the complete album, additional tracks and a second mastering of the original 1995 recording.

Raison d’être is the dark ambient project of Swedish sound artist Peter Andersson, formed in 1991. Andersson’s work often incorporates field recordings and manipulated acoustic instruments.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Mildred In Oblivion – Sisyphus’ Journey (Album – Ant-Zen)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-Ambient.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Mildred In Oblivion is a new project driven by Jan Dewulf. This Belgian musician/producer gained recognition with his different projects; from Diskonnekted (Electro/Future-Pop) to Mildreda (Dark-Electro) to Your Life On Hold (Cold-Wave, Post-Punk). This debut work by Mildred In Oblivion is a conceptual work inspired by the concept that ‘Camus’ philosophy is linked to the Buddhist idea of the ‘bardo’.

Content: Jan Dewulf composed 10 songs. The opening part of the work is pure Dark-Ambient music revealing monstrous and overwhelming sound treatments. It’s an icy Ambient trip, which has been joined by Gregorian chants. The global atmosphere is clearly reminding me of early Raison D’Être although this work is more elaborated. Quite progressively we’re entering a still dark, but dreamier part with omnipresent strings. Tracks at the end are becoming heavier and have been accomplished with orchestra sound arrangements. There also is a track with fragmented vocal parts adding a Ritual touch to the work.

+ + + : The older he gets, the more Jan Dewulf take me by surprise. All his projects are quite different from each other revealing an artist who clearly feels fine dealing with different music genres. There for sure is a touch of Mildreda running through Mildred In Oblivion. The epic arrangements and tormented atmospheres from the new Mildreda-album “I Was Never Really There” have been extracted and transposed into a pure Dark-Ambient journey. The debut cuts are impressive; not that original as you easily recognize the influence of Raison D’Être and a bit of In Slaughter Natives, but the format sounds fully accomplished. The tracks are extremely elaborated for Dark-Ambient music, which in a way makes the originality of the work and the main difference with the aforementioned projects. This is a tenebrous experience reaching a new climax at “Death”. It also is an album with a strong visual appeal, creating visions of desolation and despair so this is not exactly the kind of work I would recommend listening to when having depressed feelings.

– – – : There’re a few cuts right in the midst of the album, which are more into dark, evasive fields that couldn’t convince me. There’s a kind of Cinematographic appeal emerging here, which might be an idea for another project…

Conclusion: “Sisyphus’ Journey” clearly reveals an artist who is familiar with Dark-Ambient music, and who has distilled an album with a few brilliant passages.

Best songs: “Death”, “Waves Of Bitterness”, “Conception”, “Transmutation”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.wolf-productions.be / www.facebook.com/mildredinoblivion

Label: www.ant-zen.com / www.facebook.com/antzen.official

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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And the best 25 albums of 2021 are…

Eldrina Mich — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 12:52:49 +0000

Over the past 12 months Inferno Sound Diaries‘ Stéphane Froidcoeur selected nearly 750 productions of which 600 also got a review on Side-Line. Some productions have been refused because the style of music didn’t fit, while a lot of reviews are still to be published in 2022.

Stéphane: “I’m really grateful to all labels, bands and promoters considering my work and efforts and I hope they’ll keep on providing me new promos next year. My greatest gratitude and thank goes once again to Rich Bova (NEIKKA RPM) who for years and years now is reading, correcting and improving the reviews. I don’t have enough words to express my gratitude and without Rich I simply would have to stop this job. No need to say I’ve been once again disappointed by a few so-called ‘artists’ and label owners. The attitude and lack of respect shown by those people -luckily a very few number, is just disgusting… but I’m afraid it reflects the world we’re living in… Behind a genius artist is not always hiding a great person…”

2021 has been also a very special year for Stéphane as he celebrated his 30th anniversary of journalism with an impressive series of interviews featuring very different people from this scene. Stéphane : “Big thanks to Séba Dolimont, Suicide Commando, Juno Reactor, Raison D’Être, Jürgen Vanvlasselaer, Rich Bova, Armageddon Dildos and Bernard Van Isacker who kindly accepted to contribute to this celebration.”

Here are the interviews conducted:

Like every year Stéphane has made a selection from the best albums of the year. This Top 25 covers different styles like EBM, Dark-Electro, IDM, Synth-Pop, Ethereal, Dark-Ambient, Industrial, Cinematographic, Gothic, Post-Punk, Dark-Techno and a few related genres and is taken from the promotional material we got while compilations, ‘best of’-productions, EP’s and singles were not considered for this ‘best of’.

But now, here are the 25 best albums!

Rome – “Parlez-Vous Hate?” – Trisol
Circumpolar – “Awaiting The Dawn” – Alfa Matrix
Clicks – “Goth” – Dependent Records
Of The Wand And The Moon – “Your Love Can’t Hold This Wrath Of Sorrow” – Heidrunar Mykrunar
Crystal Geometry – “Distressing Visions” – Sonic Groove
Mechanimal – “Θόρυβος” – Inner Ear Records
Raison D’être – “Demonum“ – Cyclic Law
Zwaremachine – “Conquest 3000” – Phage Tapes
Eclipsed – “Holyiens” – Electro Frequent
Nattskiftet – “Stamplar In” – Progress Productions
Nnhmn – “Deception Island 2” – Zoharum
This Morn’omina – “The Roots Of Saraswati” – Dependent Records
Skrika – “Fifth Nature” – Cryo Chamber
Llumen – “Polygon Heart” – Alfa Matrix
Not My God – “Simulacra” – Metropolis
Seasurfer – “Metropolis” – Reptile Music
Ps Stamps Back – “Au Bout De La Nuit” – Ant-Zen
The Illusion Of Silence – “Gardens In The Dark” – Shadowplay
She Spread Sorrow – “Huntress” – Cold Spring Records
Blutengel – “Fountain Of Destiny” – Out Of Line
Agonoize – “Revelation Six Six Sick” – Reporecords
The Force Dimension – “Mortal Cable” – Sonic Groove Experiments
Cubic – “The Cubic Alphabet” – Alfa Matrix
Pyrroline – “Struggling” – Electro Aggression Records
Beckahesten – “Tydor” – Cyclic Law

Eldrina Mich

As Eldrina Mich I work as a go-between and a devil’s advocate when it comes to Side-Line. If our own staff needs to be interviewed then ask the questions no one else dares to ask.

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Vaev – Drømmenes Spejl (Album – Winter-Light)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Cinematograpic, Dark-Ambient.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Vaev is a Danish solo-project, unleashing its official debut work on Winter-Light. Vaev (‘web’ in English) has been inspired by personal depression, the music being a perfect cure to give it a place. Notice by the way the album has been mastered by Peter Andersson (Raison d’Être).

Content: The sound universe of this artist has something pretty intimate, this feeling being accentuated by sounds reminding me of the melancholia of cello and the solemnity of trumpet. The sphere has something pretty Cinematographic although also Dark-Ambient like for the hostile passages.

+ + + : I like the obscure reverie of this work and especially both debut tracks are excellent. The atmosphere reflects sadness, but still a kind of abyssal sensation. “Fornægtelse” is another noticeable cut for its visual strength leading the listener to face his darkest demons. The album is also characterized by an ‘authentic’ touch through the ‘classical’ sounds of cello, trumpet and guitar.

– – – : The album reveals heights and lows, but globally speaking this is a promising debut.

Conclusion: Depression and internal struggles have been a perfect inspiration –and cure, to accomplish this Dark-Ambient opus.

Best songs: “Harpokratesprotokollen”, “Glemmebøgerne”, “Fornægtelse”.

Rate: 7.

Artist:

Label: www.winter-light.nl / www.facebook.com/winter.light.1

Inferno Sound Diaries

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Raison d’Être releases 3 re-prints on double CD with bonus-tracks of long unavailable albums

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 11:59:55 +0000

(Photo via Raison d’Être) Out via Old Europa Café on December 3rd are 3 re-prints on double CD with bonus-tracks of long unavailable c albums.

The first is “In Sadness, Silence and Solitude” which was first released in 1997. It was the fourth full-length album of Peter Andersson aka Raison d’Être. This new 2021 expanded edition is an updated version of the long sold-out expanded edition from 2014. It contains the same tracks but with a fresh new K-14 level mastering.

Next is “The empty Hollow unfolds”, originally released 2000 on Cold Meat Industry. This new 2021 expanded edition is an updated version of the long sold-out expanded edition from 2014, now being a double CD release. Disc one contains the same tracks as the previous expanded edition. The additional disc contains session-related compilation tracks (also available on the “Collected Works” album) and a selection of live tracks from the special expanded edition of “The Empty Hollow Unfolds” from 2014. All material has a fresh new K-14 level mastering as well. The artwork is, as the earlier editions, styled with the somber industrial photos by Martín Pels.

The 3rd release is “The Stains of the embodied Sacrifice”. This expanded 2021 edition is an updated version of the long sold-out expanded edition from 2012. It contains four bonus live tracks recorded at Club Revolver, San Dona di Piave, Italy, 2011 in occasion of the VIII Congresso Post Industriale (OEC’s festival) and again a fresh new K-14 level mastering.

Below are the covers of the re-issues.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Raison d’être returns with ‘Daemonum’ – check out the first track

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 16:06:18 +0000

“Daemonum” marks the 30-years anniversary of Raison d’être. The 6-track album “Daemonum” will be released on September 16 and comes as a standard edition CD of 500 copies in 6-panel digisleeve,and a dtandard edition 2LP of 300 copies.

A special edition also avaialable and holds the extra album “Daemoniacum”. The formats for this release are a 2CD and a 3LP. Think of “Daemoniacum” as some sort of anti-polarized version of “Daemonum”, as if “Daemonum” was haunted and possessed by a demon. Not our words, but that of the label Cyclic Law.

Raison d’être is a Swedish dark ambient project formed by Peter Andersson in 1991. The name of the band was taken from a sentence in a book by Carl Gustav Jung: “the individuation is the raison d’être of the self.” Dark ambient atmospheres, drone elements, industrial sounds, ecclesiastical hymns are all blended together to constitute the music of Raison d’être.

The band’s first release was “Après nous le Déluge” released on cassette in 1992. The first label release was “Prospectus I” on Cold Meat Industry in 1993. Since then the project released albums on such labels as B.o.C.a. Tapes, Slaughter Productions, Old Europa Cafe, Spirit Of Sound Source, Eternal Pride Productions, Transgredient Records, Essence Music, and now Cyclic Law.

Check out a first track from the new album, the 12:35 long “The Implacable Portal”.

Daemonum by raison d'être

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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’30 Years Of Journalism – Celebration Interview’ with Peter Andersson / Raison D’Être: ‘Music Had Much More Mystery Surrounded To It In The 80’s And 90’s’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 17:00:00 +0000

I’m honoured Peter Andersson accepted doing this interview to celebrate my 30^th anniversary as journalist. He remains without a shadow of a doubt one of the absolute masters in Dark-Ambient music, but he this year also celebrates the 30^th anniversary of his main music project Raison D’Être. So to me this interview became a way to pay homage to this genius artist. He definitely injected new ideas in the ‘Ambient’ genre, creating tormenting and sometimes disturbing atmospheres with a strong visual appeal. I often experienced his work as a mirror reflecting the inner world; a way to face our most hidden inner demons and experience feelings of despair, desolation, solitude…

(Picture credits by Kirche / Interview courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: 2021 must be a special year to you as Raison D’Être is celebrating its 30^th anniversary. What comes directly into mind when evoking these 30 years of creation and involvement? What are the greatest points of satisfaction and disillusion?

Peter: The immediate feeling is, wow, that is a long time, and time goes fast. Not that I ever thought I would not make music after 30 years. During these 30 years I have done a lot of music, for a lifetime. But I will not stop, so rest assure, I will continue another 30+ years if health is with me. Music is such a big part of my life, and utterly important for my well-being.

I think every new album has been a great satisfaction. Working on the music, being immersed in the creative process, realize a plan, and being overwhelmed and thrilled about the outcome, that is a lot of satisfaction in there. On the way there has been some disillusion, I guess. In the mid 90’s I thought it was possible to live on making music and to do live performances, but such a dream became impossible when the illegal downloading started, and CD sales sharply went down. But there are really not many big moments of disappointment or so.

Q: How much of the young Peter Andersson do you still recognize in your approach and spirit of composing music today?

Peter: I think I still have a playful approach when creating sounds. I have always been attracted to sounds and to make or play sounds from both real instruments and from anything that can make noise. I can’t really play any instrument, so the approach has always been to experiment. A famous Electronic composer once said: ‘if someone gave me an acoustic guitar, I would not know what to do with it except using it as a pot for a flower’. So, we see various use for the same things depending on our needs, which may differ from time to time, and this kind of limitless approach is still with me.

Q: I can imagine you must have seen a lot of things changing and evolving over the years; the way of making and producing music, the formats of releasing music (from cassette to digital), the rise of streaming platforms, the impact of social media etc… What do you think about these changes/evolutions and what do you see as the pros and cons?

Peter: Yes, it has been a revolution in many ways. Music making and distribution has become much more democratic. Everyone can do it; all you need is a computer really. There are many fantastic things with the new technology. It is also many downsides, a mess really, too much of everything, very difficult to get your voice heard or to get visible at all. It is like drowning in a sea of shit, not easy to pick the cherries.

I might be a bit nostalgic, but I think music had much more mystery surrounded to it in the 80’s and 90’s. You could almost only read about the music and artists in obscure magazines, and it could be a difficult task to buy physical releases, especially from a foreign mail order, but when you did you treated the album like it was something holy. I do not get the same feeling now.

Q: Back in time I got the feeling Raison D’Être was bringing a different kind of Dark-Ambient; I mean different from what we’ve heard in the 80s. What was your original perception about the music you composed? Did you’d specific references and criteria?

Peter: If you google a bit on the Dark-Ambient genre you will see on Wikipedia that Roger K, head of Cold Meat Industry, coined the term Dark-Ambient to describe the sound of Raison D’Être. So, if this is true then I was doing the right kind of Dark-Ambient and everybody else must have done something else or being copies of me, or something.

So, no Dark-Ambient music in the 80’s, it was called something else. I grew up and listened to the music of the 80’s in the 80’s, and of course many bands had a great impact on me and when I started to make music in the end of that decade and more seriously in the early 90’s I created something that was my own unique sound, but with influences of those older bands. It is a pretty natural process to be influenced and then making something new out of those influences. Even if I could be influenced by bands there were no perfect band. They always had some annoying element in their songs or just too much bad song material around a few good song materials.

What I wanted to do was something perfect, for me 100% perfect. Something that I could enjoy that was not annoying. If it were annoying, I could do something about it because I created the song and had access to how the song was constructed.

Q: What did you keep in mind from your early compositions? Was there a specific way of working and how did it evolve throughout the years?

Peter: Back in the earliest days it was much about melodies and rhythms, so it started mostly by composing a melody or a rhythm and evolve from that. The equipment was just basic stuff and functions. I had no experience whatsoever so there were many trial and error moments. It could take many hours to tweak sounds because the displays were so small. I remember the first sampler I used, poor quality thing and expensive special sized floppy discs to save sound, one sound on each side of the disc. Instead, I sampled the sounds from the cassette sources each time I wanted to work on a specific song and remember all the edits. I had all such edit information written down on a paper, but it was difficult to get it right. So, each time it sounded a bit different just because of loading the sounds.

I did plenty of tracks in the beginning, I could do one a day for a month or so. Things were complicated back then, but songs were simple constructed, so it was a straightforward way to work. And maybe I was unpretentious back then, I just did things. It was just fun making music, so I did a lot of music.

Now is a different story. I am much more aware of what I am doing and what I want. I try to make it all perfect. I do not make loads of tracks just because it is possible. I follow concepts and are aiming for certain goals. And now, the equipment is high class, almost anything I possible, tweaking sounds on a surgical level, and it is easy to recall a track with one button. The tools become more advanced for every new album, so gradually my sound universe became larger for each time. Today I start with making a lot of sounds, tweak them to perfection. I am not so much into melodies and rhythms now (at least not for Raison D’Être), it is more about creating specific atmospheres with intriguing sounds. Compositions are much more complex today than in the early years. The sounds are also much more complex and varied. I strive to get an organic quality of the sounds. Maybe things were more spontaneous in the early days, a free feeling just doing stuff, but I like to have some goals with things, think about the whole package and follow concepts.

Q: You got directly signed to Cold Meat Industry, which was a leading label from the Dark-Ambient genre. CMI has been often introduced as a ‘big family’, but how did it really feel and are you still in touch with some CMI artists?

Peter: Most of the bands were really close, so yes, it was shaped like a big family. When we went on tours in the 90’s and early 00’s we were like 15 bands in three minibuses and it was great. Of course there were some fractions and people who preferred some better than others, but still we were a solid gang. Most of us also originated from the same region in Sweden, probably helped and strengthened the family bounds.

Occasionally I acted like a support centre, people from many of the other bands called me and asked how do to things. Simple things like how to connect this equipment to that equipment, or more complex like what do you think about this working method instead of doing it in another way. I am still impressed that some bands could even make any music at all because they had no knowledge how their equipment worked. Now, when CMI since not exist anymore I still have good contact with many of the bands, especially Brighter Death Now, Deutch Nepal, IRM and Desiderii Marginis. Sometimes I see people from other CMI-bands, when there are occasionally bigger festivals with CMI theme, then we got a chance to see each other again. It’s always a great time.

Q: I know it’s always difficult for artists to give a favourite album and/or song, but I can imagine there must be productions/songs, which are more important to you than others? And which song/album would you chose to make listen to people who don’t know your work?

Peter: For me, my latest album is always the most important. I mean, that is my latest creative and psychological development and something that I recently put all my effort into, and something I can relate to because it is now. It is difficult to say something means anything to me now that I did 25 years ago. It did mean something or everything back then, but not now.

If I must say an album of the past I would say “The Empty Hollow Unfolds” because it was voted to be the best release ever on Cold Meat Industry. So, that albums mean a lot to my listeners, and it has a pretty unique sound that stand out from every other album from Dark-Ambient bands done around that time. For a newcomer I would probably choose something more easy listening, like “In Absence Of Light” from “In Sadness, Silence And Solitude”.

Q: I a previous interview you said to be fascinated by the inner world; dreams, subconscious and unconscious, archetypes, symbols and imagination… It all reminds me to the psychology courses and the work of Freud and Jung. Do you feel related with their work and what’s the importance of the inner world in your life vs. artistic life?

Peter: What is going on inside us, in the inner world, is absolutely fascinating and important, because it is completely about oneself and there is a lot of hidden potential inside us, I believe.

I am not much into Freud, but to Jung, his world is much more diverse and complete. Jung is basically fundamental for understanding Raison D’Êtreand my own personal life. I see no difference between my life and the artistic life, they are one and the same. I use music as one way to get knowledge of my inner self, and Jung’s theories are there for guidance. I do not say that Jung is right or so, but he offers interesting tools to make the inner life better understandable and to realize the one’s true self.

Q: In which way does the ongoing pandemic has an impact on your personal inner world and its connection with music creation?

Peter: Well, for me the pandemic did not change much really. I live pretty much isolated in the forest so I would not even notice if the civilisation would end, it almost feels like that at least. In Sweden we did not close down things in the way most the rest of the world did. We just try to keep distance here, without having any lockdown, curfews, or other drastic restrictions. So, I still have/had to get to my work, but with optional working from home if I can.

So, life is and was pretty much normal, and did not affect the creativity in any particular way. I guess it must have been very difficult to be inside a small apartment for months only to get out a few times to buy stuff at the supermarket. Not inspiring at all, and I suffer with those who experienced a lockdown.

Q: Next to Raison D’Être you’ve been involved with an impressive number of side-projects. Which ones are still active today and where does this need to get involved with multiple projects comes from?

Peter: I do not want a particular style of music to limit my ideas. Creativeness may go any direction and you do not know what it will bring, but something. It is an ocean of possibilities. Nevertheless, I do not want to confuse people. So, I have a lot of projects instead.

Sure, I could have used one project name making various styled music and albums, but what about the audience. Some people say they cannot hear much difference between let us say Raison D’Êtreand Necrophorus. I think it is a vast difference. It is totally different concepts, methods, directions and sounds. Sometimes they are crossing, but that is just on short term or mere coincidental. A band like Controlled Bleeding could change direction on every new album, and I just got confused and almost sad. So, I do not want to make the same mistake for my followers.

My side projects Cataclyst, Svasti-Ayanam, Panzar and Grismannen are not alive at all. Stratvm Terror has been dead a little while, but it has slowly come alive again. Bocksholm and Necrophorus are slow projects at the moment, but things are happening soon. It is only Atomine Elektrine and Raison D’Êtrethat have been active lately. So, still several side-projects to nurse and care for.

Q: How do you make the difference between all different music projects and how do you switch from one till the other?

Peter: I almost never work with more than one project at time. I want to fully concentrate on one album, not run two or more different albums or projects the same time. So, having a lot of projects have not really caused me any confusion and the switching is easy since I complete an album before starting another one with another project, and having some rest in-between.

Q: Most of your work always had a very strong visual appeal, but how strong is your connection with visual expression and arts? Is there a work (movie, picture, painting…) you feel related with and, which in a way could symbolize your work as musician and especially Raison D’Être?

Peter: When composing I do not visualize my music very much. I might evoke some imagery, but it is less important. The starting point when composing is often just words: the title and basic concept. Then I follow my intuition and emotions response. However, many tells that my music got a very visual expression, and that is probably true for not only my music, but the whole Dark-Ambient genre. I often create dramatic atmospheres or soundscapes which may evoke sinister or beautiful things, and that is pretty much what can sometimes be seen in a movie or a picture or a painting too.

Paintings has been inspiring, for example the darker work of Hieronymus Bosch. At least in the earlier stage Bosch paintings could symbolize some of my work. In the mid 90’s I did a homage to Salvador Dali, by selecting six of his paintings to score (released by my side-project Necrophorus). That music needed to be visualized the very moment it was created.

Q: But you composed music for ‘film and exhibition’ so what have been your experiences so far? Does the production need a specific and/or different approach than for ‘normal’ productions?

Peter: It is indeed different making music for film and exhibition. Until now I have only made scores for my own short films, so it would probably be different to work with professional made movies.

For scoring film I have needed to adapt the music to frames and the story, follow the movie frame by frame. So, the score is very bound to the movie and its visual components. In normal production cases there are no visuals to adapt to, but the music can induce visuals to appear in the eye of the beholder, but that is something else. Music for exhibition is a bit more of a free bird than music for movies, but still many things to care for, many rules.

The exhibition music should enhance the visitor experience for everyone without being disturbing. The mixing should be done in the exhibition room using the final speakers. Length must be adapted to the typical length of a visitor experience. I prefer making music free of any rules or framing but I must admit it can be very interesting to make music with some limitations or under certain conditions, if the theme is interesting enough.

Q: You this year released a new Raison D’Être album entitled “Daemonum”. As most of your album titles, this once again sounds very intriguing. What did you try to express and how do you see this album in the wide discography of the project?

Peter: Basically, the whole “Daemonum”-album is a journey from start to end, a dive into the subconsciousness that goes deeper for each track, much like my previous albums “Alchymeia” and “Mise En Abyme On “Daemonum” the search is for the Shadow archetype, specifically the Anima/Animus representation. Each track renders one step on the path to finally reach the Anima/Animus. On such a journey one must face different parts of the unconsciousness, and not all pleasant things, one’s weaknesses for example. But for each journey one become stronger and has better understanding of the inner self. I am much into the ideas of Carl Gustav Jung as we talked about earlier. I have been dealing with his psychoanalytic theories in many, if not all, of my previous albums. So, this is another journey inside the subconsciousness, now dealing with the secrets of the Shadow archetype in form of the Anima or Animus (which is that inner voice, a Daemon). This is a part of how to get better knowledge and find hidden potential within ourselves, and part of the process of self-realization, which is the very foundation in the Raison D’être project itself. As with every new album, I see this as the pinnacle of Raison D’Être. I try to keep pushing things forward, so the next album will be even better, and be the next pinnacle moment. Each album is like climbing a mountain, when you are on the top you see another higher mountain ahead of you to climb.

Q: What are you doing in between two albums? I mean what keeps you busy next to music?

Peter: I am resting, accumulating energy for the next creative output. I do a lot of mastering jobs for bands and labels. I try to avoid such work during the making of an album, but in-between albums I have some spare time. I have a regular job as well, being an exhibition producer on a museum. I cannot live on music alone. And I have a girlfriend, house and garden that needs care. So, I am far from doing music all days, it is just some weeks of the year that I put on music making. That is why it can take three years to complete an album.

Q: How do you expect yourself evolving after 30 years of Raison D’Être?

Peter: Well, yes, what to expect? Maybe that things make more sense in life, deeper understanding how things are connected, and I have a more mature approach to things in general than 30 years ago. But I am not sure, it can be the other way around really.

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Atomine Elektrine – The Antikythera Mechanism (Album – Winter-Light)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 17 Feb 2020 19:00:49 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, experimental.

Format: Digital, CD, vinyl (2xLP).

Background/Info: Atomine Elektrine is one of the numerous projects set up by Peter Andersson –who we all know as the instigator behind Raison D’Être). He released several albums over the years, worked with multiple labels, but this new opus is the first one released by Winter-Light. The title of the album reflects an old Greek system, which was used to predict astronomical positions.

Content: Atomine Elektrine probably is one of the most experimental or abstract projects by this famous artist. This work is not that different although it is also supported by dark-ambient atmospheres. From field recordings to endless sonic manipulations, you also get the impression some tracks are more into improvisation. But some passages also have something evasive.

+ + + : This artist is a great addition to the Winter-Light roster. The album has something unique for being somewhere in between ambient and pure experimental music. Peter Andersson transformed himself into a kind of noise scientist collecting sounds and noises to transpose them into a sonic puzzle. Some sound waves are overwhelming, creating a frightening sensation, which mainly comes through at “The Exeligmos Pointer”. Last, but not least the digipak of the CD format is an artistic creation.

– – – : Atomine Elektrine never has been my favorite project from this artist for being sometimes a bit too much in experimental music. Peter Andersson remains to me a true reference when it comes to dark-ambient music.

Conclusion: Even if I’m not a huge fan of experimental works, this new work by Atomine Elektrine has something pretty accessible.

Best songs: “The Exeligmos Pointer”, “Metonic Spiral”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www .facebook .com /Atomine –Elektrine -217997168224549

Label: www .winter –light .nl / www .facebook .com /winter .light .1

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V/A Homo Strepitus (CD Album – Entartete Musikk)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 16 Nov 2019 19:00:01 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, industrial, ritual.

Background/Info: Entartete Musikk is the music label set up by Deutsch Nepal’s Lina Baby Doll. He mainly releases his own work, but gives also attention to other formations. This compilation featuring eight projects seems to be the first sampler ever released by the label. It has been introduced as ‘the result of a thematic raw material forwarded by Lina Baby Doll to the musicians – given free hands for their personal aesthetic decisions in the process of their creativity’.

Artists: Horse Give Birth To Fly, Brighter Death Now, Trepaneringsritualen, Raison D’Être, Reutoff, Deutsch Nepal, Morthound, Kollaps.

Content: It all sounds like the artists have been selected with care while most of them are also related with Deutsch Nepal. There’s a perfect twist between dark-ambient and industrial music styles. Horse Give Birth To Fly is not the most common name from the list and yet an interesting opener mixing the main influences running through this work. There also is a surprising cut from Brighter Death Now –which has less in common with the familiar death-industrial style. Trepaneringsritualen injects the ritual touch to the album. Deutsch Nepal moves on in the industrial approach featured at the last album. There also is a great cut by Morthound, which is a project I haven’t heard since several years. And there’s of course one of the absolute masters of dark-ambient music: Raison D’Être!

+ + + : The tracklist doesn’t only reveal great names, but there’s an interesting cohesion between the bands and their tracks. This compilation has something original and it’s fascinating to discover the tracks by Brighter Death Now and Morthound. There is also a certain industrial ‘intelligence’ featured by artists such as Deutsch Nepal and also Reutoff (it’s not a coincidence they both worked together at the album “Eating The Dust” released in 2018).

– – – : There’s no real cut to throw away although I expected a bit more from Raison D’Être and that’s probably because I’ve always considered this artist as the absolute reference when it comes to dark-ambient music.

Conclusion: Compilations are no longer successful, but there’re always a few a year bringing something extra for their originality. “Homo Strepitus” is one of them!

Best bands: Horse Give Birth To The Fly, Deutsch Nepal, Morthound, Trepaneringsritualen.

Rate: (8).

Label: www.facebook.com/entartete.musikk

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Résonance Magnétique – Sign (CD Album – Neris Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 30 May 2019 18:30:35 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, ambient-gothic.

Background/Info: Four years after the debut album “Revoke”, French artist Ludovic Dhenry (Exponentia, Zauber) strikes back with a new opus of 13 songs.

Content: Résonance Magnétique definitely sounds like the ‘ambient’ project of the artist. You for sure will recognize sound treatments and arrangements that will remind you of Exponentia, but globally speaking this album is driven by dark-ambient music with a ritual flavor on top. It sometimes makes me think of a primitive fusion between Sopor Aeternus, Das Ich and Raison D’Être. The tracks are instrumentals, revealing an ultra haunting atmosphere accentuated by subtle bells sounds and choir sounds. The main particularity is the rhythm, which is not that usual for pure dark-ambient.

+ + + : Résonance Magnétique is not the most familiar project Ludovic Dhenry is involved with, but it’s maybe his most original one. He transposes dark-ambient and gothic music into a new dimension where both genres are merging together. I like the extremely dark and ghost-like atmospheres hanging over the songs while the few ritual aspects get it more mysterious. It feels like a secret black mass.

– – – : The sound formula rapidly becomes repetitive and that’s often a remark concerning all projects of this artist.

Conclusion: “Sign” sounds like music for ghosts or… should it have been composed by a ghost?

Best songs: “The Crypt”, “Vein”, ”Sign”, “Grim Cave”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: http ://exponentia .pagesperso –orange .fr / www .facebook .com /ResonanceMagnetique

Label: www .facebook .com /NerisRecords

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Raison D’Être – Enthraled By The Wind Of Loneliness (Vinyl 2 Albums – Cyclic Law / Old Europa Cafe)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 04 May 2019 20:00:13 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, dark-cinematographic, ritual.

Background/Info: After the vinyl (re)release of Raison D’Être’s debut album on Cold Meat Industry “Prospectus I”, Cyclic Law now releases the second one, “Enthraled By The Wind Of Loneliness” for the very first time on vinyl as well. And just as its predecessor it got also re-released in 2013 by Old Europa Cafe. The songs have been again remastered by Peter Andersson while we also get 4 bonus cuts.

Content: This work moves on there where “Prospectus I” stopped. The dark-ambient, industrial, experimental and dark-cinematic influences have been picked up again while the composition is more elaborated. It still sounds icy and freaky-like while the ritual passages appeal for the darkest thoughts of our imagination.

+ + + : And here again you can realize why Peter Andersson is considered as a genius in the dark-ambient music genre. His compositions have a very strong visual appeal and the images you might figure have something tormenting. The ritual side of the work accentuated by sacred elements like bells and choirs are leading the listener towards stupor, but that’s precisely the experience we want to live while listening to this music. The atmosphere created by Raison D’Être is mysterious, but still hostile.

– – – : If you consider this album has been originally released in 1994 and still has a great impact more than 20 years later, you probably will have to agree it’s a masterpiece. The only thing I can say is that it not my favorite Raison D’Être in history, but there are still more albums that have to be released on vinyl format…

Conclusion: The sound of Raison D’Être is comparable to a spider patiently spinning its web to catch innocent victims.

Best songs: “The Narrow Gate”, “Spiraal”, “Sophrosyne”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: https ://raison –detre .info / www .facebook .com /raisondetreofficial

Labels: www .cycliclaw .com / www .facebook .com /cycliclaw

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Raison D’Être – Prospectus I (Vinyl 2 Albums – Cyclic Law / Old Europa Cafe)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 04 May 2019 19:00:31 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, dark-cinematographic, ritual.

Background/Info: Raison D’Être is a dark-ambient project, which is for a long time considered as one of the major projects in the genre. Set up by Peter Andersson, Raison D’Être gained recognition through the early productions released on Cold Meat Industry. “Prospectus I” was the first official album released on Cold Meat Industry (1993) and, which for its 20^th anniversary in 2003 got a redux version on Old Europa Cafe featuring multiple bonus tracks. And now for the very first time the work has been released on vinyl by Cyclic Law. The original songs have also been remastered.

Content: The early sound featured at “Prospectus I” features all familiar elements that would make become Raison D’Être one of the absolute dark-ambient phenomenon in history. It’s not only a dark-ambient experience, but still a ritual-one empowered by the numerous Gregorian chants, choirs passages, speeches, bells ao. Industrial sound treatments, field recordings and epic arrangements are easily recognizable and were the basis of the later successful releases.

+ + + : Raison D’Être revealed on this debut album on Cold Meat Industry why Peter Andersson has been considered as a visionary artist in his genre. He created very proper sound DNA mixing dark-ambient, cinematic and ritual elements together. The result is cold and frightening and even featuring disturbing passages. The compositions are elaborated while the four bonus cuts make this vinyl format even more interesting.

– – – : The vinyl format definitely is the single good reason to purchase this record. We already know the “Prospectus I”-album while the bonus cuts also appeared on the 2013-edit on Old Europa Cafe.

Conclusion: The destiny of all great artists and influential albums is that they’re re-released at regular basis. This vinyl format is available in two different editions, but both are strictly limited so this is stuff for collectors.

Best songs: “Ordeal In Chapel” , “Cenotaphium”, “Chalixtins”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: https ://raison –detre .info / www .facebook .com /raisondetreofficial

Labels: www .cycliclaw .com / www .facebook .com /cycliclaw

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Raison d’être reissues first 2 albums on double vinyl

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 29 Oct 2018 17:54:17 +0000

Out in December are 2 vinyl reissues of the following Raison d’être albums: “Enthralled by the Wind of Loneliness” and “Prospectus I”.

The “Enthralled by the Wind of Loneliness” 2LP vinyl reissue (available here) comes on black vinyl and is limited to just 300 copies. This was the second album by Raison d’être, originally released in 1994. For this recording all sounds have been restored and re-recorded from the original source material and all tracks have been remixed. The material was re-mastered for vinyl according to the K-14 level standard by Peter Andersson.

This re-issue also contains 4 bonus tracks not featured on the original album.

Next is the 2LP vinyl reissue of “Prospectus I” (available here), the legendary very first album by Raison d’être, originally released in 1993. For this recording all sounds have been restored and partly re-recorded from the original source material and all tracks have been remixed and remastered for vinyl. This re-issue also contains 4 bonus tracks not featured on the original album.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Natura Est – Natura Est (CD Album – Ant-zen)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 11 Jun 2018 18:30:22 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-ambient, industrial, cinematographic.

Background/Info: Natura Est resulted from the common efforts and the passion for dark-ambient music between Tony Young (Autoclav1.1) and Andreas Davids (Xotox). It’s an interesting meeting between one of the most talented IDM composers (Young) and a musician who’s more familiar with harder and industrial music (Davids). “Nature Est” is the self-titled debut album of the British-German duo.

Content: You rapidly will notice the ambient approach running through this work. It clearly walks towards darker paths accentuated by humming sound waves and background droning kicks. The work has a visual appeal giving me the impression to get lost in an imaginary sound labyrinth. Some passages are more into experimental music while there also is a strong cinematographic touch emerging from the tracklist.

+ + + : I consider Tony Young as one of the most talented musicians when it comes to IDM and related genres. His sonic trademark is maybe less noticeable at this work although there’s a real great songwriting characterized by a progressive evolution in the composition and structure of the songs. There also is a noticeable evolution towards darker sound territories revealing the great “Black Town”. I personally prefer this obscurer side, which also reveals a great visual strength.

– – – : If the main goal was to create a pure dark-ambient release comparable to bands such as Lustmord, Raison d’Être ao I should say Natura Est still has a way to go. “Natura Est” is a different kind of ambient music.

Conclusion: Ambient music is a style with multiple faces. Natura Est likes it dark, a bit astral-like and sophisticated plus diversified. It also is an interesting project between 2 artists who deal with different kinds of music, but who still are complementary.

Best songs: “Black Town”, “Causatum”, “The Soil”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: http ://autoclavonline .com / www .facebook .com /andreas .davids

Label: www .ant –zen .com / www .facebook .com /antzen .official

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Silent Universe – The Infinity Coordinates (CD Album – Cryo Chamber)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 18:30:48 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient.

Background/Info: This Belarus project driven by Pavel Malyshkin (still involved in other projects such as Ugasanie, Polterngeist ao) joined hands with Cryo Chamber to unleash the third full length album of Silent Universe.

Content: The work features familiar dark-ambient ingredients, which are carried by long, dark sound waves. The tracks have been progressively built up revealing low, sound treatments and resonating, humming noises. The album features 5 cuts and the final song ends with an overwhelming apotheosis.

+ + + : The sound universe of “The Infinity Coordinates” makes me think to a spider web that has been patiently constructed. The progression of the composition is slowly evolving reaching a first climax at “Fractal Essence Of The Universe” and an absolute sonic orgasm at “In Cosmic Microwave Background”. The deep tones feel like announcing a nearby disaster while other passages reveal the obscure space-ambient approach of Silent Universe. There where Raison D’Être accomplished his composition with the famous monk chants and other sacred noises, Silent Universe deals with an astral dimension of dark-ambient music.

– – – : The tracks are pretty similar so I would have liked to get a bit more diversity.

Conclusion: Silent Universe has accomplished a misty and somewhat inhibited opus where you get the impression to get lost in a dark whole.

Best songs: “In Cosmic Microwave Background”, “Fractal Essence Of The Universe”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www .facebook .com /silentuniverse .by

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

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‘Click Interview’ with Raison D’être: ‘Symbols Are The ‘Common’ Language Between Our Inner And Outer World’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 17:00:33 +0000

Swedish artist Peter Andersson set up Raison D’Être in 1991. He rapidly became one of the most praised- and influential artists from the dark-ambient scene. He became one of the flag holders from the legendary and now defunct label Cold Meat Industry. Peter Andersson set up different side-projects such as Atomine Elektrine, Bocksholm, Necrophorus, Stratvm Terror, Panzar, Anonyma Alkoholister ao but always moved on with his main project. He this year joined hands together with Canadian label Cyclic Law to unleash his newest creation “Alchymeia”. It’s a new opus revealing the dark- and artistic sound approach of Peter Andersson. It also was an opportunity to make an interview with this talented and unique musician.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: I first of all want to ask you if you’re satisfied with the new album and what kind of work did you want to accomplish by releasing “Alchymeia”?

Peter: I can’t be anything, but satisfied with a new album, else it would not have been existing. The previous album was the same, just as the next one will be. With all of my albums I want to establish and accomplish some sort of connection with my inner self; to get to know myself better.

The process of creating the album is the most important phase because then the connection is deeper and more intense than when listening to a completed album a few years later, but after a few years I might start to understand things in or around the album better, like pieces of a puzzle finding their correct places.

Q: When listeners are listening to music they only hear the result of a long-time during process featuring numerous aspects such as sound creation, the equipment/gear to compose music, influences, eventually a conceptual theme, the writing and recording process, mixing, mastering, artwork etc… How do you manage all these aspects and do you have a specific way of working/proceeding?

Peter: Yes, there are many aspects, and the ways may vary in different degrees from album to album. I don’t lock myself to one specific way, even if that may seem like a safe and confident way. But I don’t want to be safe, it would mean stagnation. I want to find new/other methods and work with new/other gear which give raise to new/other possibilities.

The concept is never the same for one album to another, even if there may be similarities and relations between them.

Q: During the last years Raison D’Être has released several live recordings and these albums together with Troum. Does it mean it becomes more and more difficult to compose a new studio album after more than 20 years of involvement and maybe finding new challenges?

Peter: No, it’s not the case really. Sure it’s a challenge to create an album, but as long as ideas, inspiration and curiosity is part of my life I know there will be ways to do good material. The truth is this: in the early and mid 90’s I released a new Raison D’Être album each year because I had the time to do it. I was young and searching for employment, but did not get any job. In the late 90’s I got an employment and from that moment it took longer time between the albums. And times seem to go faster the older you get. And in recent years I have a family and a house to take care of, so at the end there is very little time for music.

Not many can live on their music alone, they need some kind of employment to pay the bills. I wish I would only work half as much and make more music, but at the moment it’s really not possible for various reasons. I choose to release live albums because they are unique and very different from studio albums, and the material that are performed are almost always (at least since ten years back) tracks that does not exist in studio versions, they are made on the fly during the performances. The live tracks may remind of studio tracks, but that’s just because they may share some common sounds, and then they evolve into something else.

And the two collaboration albums with Troum, well it is like making one normal studio album in effort I guess. These albums were released within a two year period but the material for the first album were completed between 2011-2014 and the second album between 2013-2017, so they were pretty slow processes. To complete a Raison D’Être album I would typically need a year (noneffective time) from the start of making sounds to complete everything including the release of the album, but before that start of making the first sounds a concept has been developed, and my mind has been accumulating energy and adopted itself to the concept maybe two years earlier.

Q: What I especially like in your sound is that Raison D’Être –and a few other number of dark-ambient projects, has created a kind of very own sound DNA; I mean you directly can recognize it’s Raison D’Être! What do you think makes your sound that specific and recognizable and what does it say about your perception of composing music?

Peter: I agree that artists can have a specific and recognizable sound profile. I think the most important (and maybe the only way) in order to get a unique and very own sound DNA is to find one self in the creative process and to find where I belong in all this, what is my talent so to speak. When this has been found, and it may take many years, than that unique sound profile will follow naturally and be a natural part in every creative process. This kind of profile is not unique to music, it can be about any type of creative output. It’s just a matter of finding one self.

Q: The album has been introduced as ‘diving deep down to the shadows of the unconsciousness’. What fascinates you in the inner world of human being, which is a path mostly explored by psychologists, and how do you transpose these themes into a sound, a track and finally an album?

Peter: What does not fascinate with the inner world? The dream world, the subconscious, the unconscious, archetypes, symbols and imagination is perhaps the most fascinating for me I think.

How things work between the inner world and the creative output, how things are rendered into music, is a bit of an enigma. It’s just happens and it works as it was a natural process. But I believe the language of symbols plays a big part. Symbols are the ‘common’ language between our inner and outer world, but the decoding process is the difficult issue. Anyway, I believe it works, a connection with the inner world must be there and I follow the voice of my inner which guides me to follow a path that may not exist, but are created while I follow it. When a sound is the right sound I will feel it, when a track is the right track I feel it, and when an album is final I feel it, and this feeling resonates in accordance with my inner resonance.

Q: I read that this album will be the first time a Raison D’Être production will be released on vinyl format. How does that feel and how do you explain the come-back of vinyl while CD sales are going the other way round?

Peter: Yes, and we are still waiting for the vinyl production. The aim was to release the vinyl at the same moment as the CD and digital release, but there is a very large queue and all is crazy because of all the records that need to be produced for the record store day. It screws up the production for the rest that are not interested in the that specific day. I think the return of the vinyl is good, but the production companies and equipment are not enough to meet the greater amount of possible vinyl releases. I like the impact and size of the vinyl, but I prefer the sound quality of the CD, at least for my own music.

Eventually all my studio albums will get a vinyl release. After “Alchymeia” I will start to make vinyl master for “Prospectus I” and then go in chronological order. I guess the return of the vinyl has to do with a reaction against the digital and less physical world of music, and also the 80’s is in retro fashion at the moment, and vinyl were big in the 80’s just before CD’s got popular. Vinyl is a collector’s item with high status while a CD don’t have high collector status at all.

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Raison D’Être – Alchymeia (CD Album – Cyclic Law)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 16 Apr 2018 18:30:55 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient.

Background/Info: One of the absolute leaders and most influential artists of contemporary dark-ambient music Peter Andersson aka Raison D’Être joined hands with the Canadian Cyclic Law to unleash his newest creation. “Alchymeia” has been inspired by the famous theme of archetypes from Carl Gustav Jung. The album is available as a CD and for the very first time in a vinyl format as well.

Content: The work takes off with church bells and lethargic chants, which often has been a trademark of Raison D’Être. Quite progressively the work moves towards dark sonic corridors reflecting a strong visual appeal. “Alchymeia” slowly touches the senses of the listener who rapidly will develop a state of paranoia. The grim sound atmospheres are regularly accentuated by ritual/mystical elements. Industrial sound treatments reinforce the icy sensation of the composition.

The album features 4 long duration cuts, each going over 17 minutes. The final track is driven by slow, monotone drone sections while new lethargic chants are once again joining in.

+ + + : The main strength and characteristic of Peter Andersson always has been to create a very unique and recognizable dark-ambient sound. He’s one of those artists with a real particular sound DNA. This album reminds me a bit of his earlier work and especially the sacred and ritual elements running through the work are brilliant. The lethargic chants accentuate this sensation while the global sound production recovers the tracks with an extremely anguished touch. All aspects together create a strong and freaky visual sensation, which remains the essence of great dark-ambient music.

– – – : I can’t really say there’s one single minus point on this work. I may be expected an ultimate climax, but got 4 cool cuts instead.

Conclusion: Raison D’Être hasn’t released that much ‘new’ studio albums during the past few years, but “Alchymeia” reveals the Master of dark-ambient music hasn’t lost his creativity to compose tormenting music.

Best songs: “Nigredo”, “Rubedo”, “Albedo”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: https ://raison –detre .info / www .facebook .com /raisondetreofficial

Label: www .cycliclaw .com / www .facebook .com /cycliclaw

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Long awaited Raison d’Être LP ‘Alchymeia’ out now on CD and vinyl (+ limited edition T-Shirt)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 18:28:05 +0000

Out now via Cyclic Law is the latest album by Swedish dark ambient act Raison d’Être, “Alchymeia”. On this new album Peter Andersson scrutinizes the paths of Carl Gustav Jung’s notions of archetypes and the individuation process. The new album has 4 tracks spread over more than 71 minutes: “Nigredo”, “Albedo”, “Citrinitas” and “Rubedo”.

“Alchymeia” is the follow-up of the 2014 album “Mise en Abyme”. This release also marks the first time a Raison d’Être album is available on vinyl. The vinyl 2LP comes in a gatefold sleeve with matt lamination and is limited to only 200 copies – orders can be placed here.

Next to the vinyl, there’s also a CD in 6 panel digisleeve with matt lamination limited to 500 copies – orders can be placed here.

You can preview the album below.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Upcoming Raison d’Être album ‘Alchymeia’ also to be released on vinyl – check the previews, orders available

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 17:00:56 +0000

Out soon via Cyclic Law is the latest album by Swedish dark ambient act Raison d’Être, “Alchymeia”. On this new album Peter Andersson scrutinizes the paths of Carl Gustav Jung’s notions of archetypes and the individuation process. The new album has 4 tracks spread over more than 71 minutes: “Nigredo”, “Albedo”, “Citrinitas” and “Rubedo”.

“Alchymeia” is the follow-up of the 2014 album “Mise en Abyme”. This release also marks the first time a Raison d’Être album will be available on vinyl. The vinyl 2LP comes in a gatefold sleeve with matt lamination and is limited to only 200 copies – orders can be placed here.

Next to the vinyl, there’s also a CD in 6 panel digisleeve with matt lamination limited to 500 copies – orders can be placed here.

You can preview the album below.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Metatron Omega – Illuminatio (CD Album – Cryo Chamber)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 01 Jan 2018 20:30:51 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient.

Background/Info: This is the third full length album released by Serbian project Metatron Omega. I was deeply impressed by previous releases revealing a great mix between dark-ambient and ritual music. “Illuminatio” walks on the exploration of ancient mystery schools, esoteric Western tradition, Kabbalah, Gnosticism, esoteric Christianity, secret societies and all mysteries of the Divine

Content: The main difference with previous work is the less ritual-orientated approach of the composition. Metatron Omega however remains inspired by dark-ambient music and even remind me of Raison D’Être on a few cuts. Buzzing sound signals and deep, vibrating sound waves lead the listener into a paranoiac feeling.

+ + + : Metatron Omega remains driven by dark and disturbing music, creating a pure fantasy universe. This brings the listener into a sonic web of great sound treatments and overwhelming atmospheres. I sometimes get the impression of getting lost in an imaginary cathedral where you can hear the resonating dark sonic vibes of the musician. “Thy Light” is a real major piece, creating a truly climax of sonic fear. The final track reminds me of the glorious days of Raison D’Être, which according to me remains the absolute reference in this kind of music. Serbian artist Scorpio V definitely belongs to the new generation of genius composers in this music genre.

– – – : Speaking for myself I’m missing the ritualistic touch of the debut album. On the other side, this album also features an artist who’s not repeating himself, but simply tries to walk on different paths while holding on some sound identity. It’s not my favorite Metatron Omega album and yet, it remains a great piece of music.

Conclusion: Metatron Omega symbolizes the dark-ambient style of the years 2010, which is an approach reminding great artists from the 90s and early millennium years. This album is an antidote to happiness although a dark-ambient work can make you happy as well..

Best songs: “Thy Light”, “Mysteriis De Sanguine”, “Ecclesia Univesalis”, “Heosphoros”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www .facebook .com /metatronomega

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

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2nd collaboration Raison D’être & Troum out in late October: ‘XIBIPIIO’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 08:00:41 +0000

The second part of the collaboration that started in 2013 with the (now deleted) “De Aeris in Sublunaria Influxu” CD now sees the light of day under the title “‘XIBIPIIO'”.

For the new album Raison D’être source material was used, processed and mixed with additional recordings by Troum. You can take that literally as Troum added guitars, voices, flutes,accordion , cello, violin, didgeridoo, dombra, tapes and found sounds.

The release can be ordered right here with digipak artwork with extra silver pantone printing as created by Marcin Łojek. The final mix of the tracks was executed by Troum while the mastering was handled by Peter Andersson.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Free download Apoptygma Berzerk remix of Mortiis track ‘Sins of Mine’ + remix by Technomancer/Angst Pop

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 29 May 2017 17:30:30 +0000

A few days ago we announced that you could listen to a superb free remix by Apoptygma Berzerk of the Mortiis track “Sins of Mine”.

Good news, that remix is now available as a free download from the Mortiss Bandcamp page. It furthermore includes a remix of “Demons are Back” by Technomancer/Angst Pop. For those familiar with Apoptygma Berzerk, Per Aksel Lundgreen who is behind the projects Technomancer/Angst Pop used to be in Apoptygma Berzerk when the band started out.

Sins of Mine (Apoptygma Berzerk) by Mortiis

It’s not the first time that Mortiis is offering free downloads, here are the previous free download singles which can still be downloaded here:

– “Bleed Like You” – Merzbow & Prurient Remixes
– “The Great Leap” – Godflesh & Chris Vrenna Remixes
– “The Die Krupps & Leather Strip Remixes”

The remix by Apoptygma Berzerk is part a collection of “corrupted” tracks released as “The Great Corrupter”. That album also includes remixes by Chris Vrenna, Rhys Fulber, Die Krupps, John Fryer, GODFLESH, In Slaughter Natives, Raison D´Etre, Je$us Loves Amerika, PIG, and many more, as well as unreleased material from the original “The Great Deceiver” recording sessions.

“The Great Corrupter” is available on vinyl which will be limited to 500 copies in five different vinyl colors (all versions are available via Mortiis’ very own webstore), limited to 100 copies each, with a unique center-opening gatefold. Four vinyl colors will come with its own exclusive poster, only available with that specific color, and one with a large woven patch.

The CD version will be made up of eight-panel, DVD sized Digipak, containing a 24-page booklet of exclusive photos. The set (available here) will also include additional remixes exclusive to the deluxe CD package. This package will include download cards for three previously unreleased uncensored videos. This deluxe version will also be limited to 500, after which the CD will be available in a less elaborate standard format. The CD version is also available digitally right here on iTunes.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Apoptygma Berzerk puts synth-pop spin on Mortiis track ‘Sins of Mine’ – listen here!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 08 May 2017 18:40:15 +0000

(Photo by Sebastian Ludvigsen) On the latest single from “The Great Corrupter“, Norwegian “futurepop” group Apoptygma Berzerk transforms Mortiis’ “Sins of Mine” into a synth-loaded version. Quite a transformation but that is clearly the idea behind Mortiis’ “The Great Corrupter”, namely offering new and sometimes unconventional reworks of the tracks from “The Great Deceiver”.

“Stephan from Apoptygma Berzerk really twisted ‘Sins of Mine’ into a way more accessible format, which I really liked,” says Mortiis. “When I made that track, it was this semi-dissonant, somber piece about hopelessness and just giving up and letting past guilts and crimes wash over me and undo me, just make me disappear. So it was really dark. Stephan twisted it around to become this way more accessible, yet very uncommercial song, still about the darkness that follows guilt. Those wonderful feelings were kept intact.”

Mortiis himself was even able to add a little to the Apoptygma Berzerk version of the song. “I had this one line from the lyrics that I could never seem to fit in, so it was left out,” he said. “But Stephan wanted me to come in and add some new vocals, so I was able to put it in there. I simply repeated it, like some sort of mantra.”

You can listen to the Apoptygma Berzerk remix right below. The collection of “corrupted” tracks also includes remixes Chris Vrenna, Rhys Fulber, Die Krupps, John Fryer, GODFLESH, In Slaughter Natives, Raison D´Etre, Je$us Loves Amerika, PIG, and many more, as well unreleased material from the original “The Great Deceiver” recording sessions.

“The Great Corrupter” is also available on a vinyl which will be limited to 500 copies in five different vinyl colors (all versions are available via Mortiis’ very own webstore), limited to 100 copies each, with a unique center-opening gatefold. Four vinyl colors will come with its own exclusive poster, only available with that specific color, and one with a large woven patch.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Japanese noise legend Merzbow mutilates Mortiis on latest single

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 16:15:06 +0000

The latest single from Mortiis’ “The Great Corrupter” album comes courtesy of the Japanese dark ambient-noise artist Merzbow, who twists “Bleed Like You” into a completely new form. Check out the Merzbow Remix below.

In a reaction Mortiis says: “This is not a remix – it´s abuse, the good kind. If you prefer your music traditional, and your audio all pleasant and polished, you should consider walking away now. It is Merzbow mutilating Mortiis. I never really thought that that was going happen, and I don´t think anyone else did either!”

The radical remix also is visible in the artwork used for the single: “We’ve been trying to think a bit different art-wise for the last few singles,” said Mortiis. “I thought the time was right to try art directions that were not typical of Mortiis to take. The Merzbow remix single art is another idea I’ve had for a long time. As usual, it’s morphed from the original idea, into a different beast almost entirely, in time. But what else is new?”

Mortiis’ “The Great Corrupter” is due for release on April 21, and is a collection of tracks from “The Great Deceiver” album, deconstructed and ‘corrupted’. Other artists who remixed Mortiss for this occasion include Chris Vrenna, Rhys Fulber, Die Krupps, John Fryer, GODFLESH, Apoptygma Berzerk, In Slaughter Natives, Raison D´Etre, Je$us Loves Amerika, PIG, and many more. The record will also contain unreleased material from the original recording sessions.

Each of the record’s formats will be as its own art package with collectible artwork, including limited edition colored vinyl and a limited edition DVD sized double-CD Digipak with additional exclusive remixes and many other extras. “The Great Corrupter” can be preordered on LP and CD directly from Mortiis´ webstore!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Desiderii Marginis – Songs Over Ruins (CD Album – Cyclic Law)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 09 Apr 2017 19:30:37 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient.

Background/Info: Desiderii Marginis became without a shadow of a doubt the most successful formation of Johan Levin. The Swedish artist got involved in The Wounded Meadow and Lost In The Woods, but in 1997 when he unleashed his debut album “Songs Over Ruins” on Cold Meat Industry, he got an instant recognition for his music. This album has been now re-released on Cyclic Law. Johan Levin remastered the tracks. Next to the CD format the album is also available as a strictly limited vinyl (in 2 editions).

Content: I perfectly remember this album, which was just one more addition to the great roster of Cold Meat Industry. Desiderii Marginis composed an overwhelming dark-ambient music with some ritual elements on top. Some mystic chants passages might remind you of Raison D’Être, but globally speaking this project was moiré diversified although a pure dark-ambient formation.

Crashing sounds, multiple little noises, pure ghost-like atmospheres and ritual like bells will lead you into a dreamy universe and then into pure horror.

+ + + : “Songs Over Ruins” remains my favorite work of Desederii Marginis. It was a diversified work featuring all requested ingredients to accomplish a dark-ambient masterpiece. The atmospheres move from reverie towards haunting passages. This work was totally accomplished and remains a reference in its music genre 20 years after its original release. I enjoyed the somewhat ritual flavor hanging over the tracks, which only accentuates the mystery emerging from this work.

– – – : “Songs Over Ruins” is an album, which remains close to perfection so I can’t really think of any single minus point. It’s maybe less darker than some dark-ambient masters, but that’s not really a point.

Conclusion: Time goes by, but masterpieces remain! “Songs Over ruins” brings us back to the essence of dark-ambient music and a heroic period of the great Cold Meat Industry ‘family’.

Best songs: “Entombment”, “Ephemeral”, “Songs Over Ruins I”, “Chrism”.

Rate: (8½).

Band: www .facebook .com /desiderii –marginis -124477254315200

Label: www .cycliclaw .com / www .facebook .com /cycliclaw

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Torn From Beyond – If The View Freezes (CD Album – Krater Recordings)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 19:10:46 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, ritual.

Background/Info: Torn From Beyond is a new dark-ambient project set up by Bert Lehmann who already experimented with obscure music as a member of Mortaja. The debut work of Torn From Beyond also is the first CD (after some CDR) released on Krater Recordings, which is a subdivision of Audiophob.

Content: This album is a frozen sonic adventure, which will instantly remind you of some famous projects in the genre –and I especially think to Raison D’Être. You get the impression of walking throughout a truly sound cataclysm made of resonating drones, ritual bells and overwhelming sound waves.

Like all good dark-ambient music “If The View Freezes” has a strong visual appeal leading you towards imaginary wet crypts and other places of horror. The work has been accomplished by some refined piano arrangements and an impressive number of effects. You will also notice multiple field recordings and samplings.

+ + + : Torn From Beyond reveals a disconcerting sound maturity revealing an impressive canvas of sounds and noises. The extra ritual flavor running through a few cuts makes it totally freaky. The tracks are elaborate and to compare this work with Raison D’Être is more than simply a reference. The opus features 8 cuts and there’s not a single one to throw away. Torn From Beyond has accomplished a real masterpiece.

– – – : I can’t find any single minus point to this album, but I’m sure there even is much more potential in this project than what came out on “If The View Freezes”.

Conclusion: Torn From Beyond accomplished a major release in the dark-ambient genre. This is a well-crafted work with a great visual appeal leading the listener to visit and reconsider his darkest and most perverted thoughts.

Best songs: “Pripyat”, “Panspermia”, “Finis Terrae”, “If The View Freezes”, “The End Begins”.

Rate: (8½).

Band: www .facebook .com /tornfrombeyond .de

Label: http ://krater .audiophob .de / www .facebook .com /groups /audiophob

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Metatron Omega – Gnosis Dei (Digital Album – Cryo Chamber)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 17:18:20 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, ritual.

Content: Metatron Omega is a new discovery by Cryo Chamber and the least I can say is that this Serbian solo-project set up by Scorpio V is one of the new dark-ambient names you’ll keep in mind.

Metatron Omega claims to be inspired by ‘ ancient mystery schools, esoteric Western tradition, Kabbalah, Gnosticism, esoteric Christianity, secret societies and all mysteries of the Divine’.

So there’s a lot to say and more especially to transpose into music. “Gnosis Dei” features 7 cuts, which remains a magic number when dealing with esoteric subjects so I guess it’s not a coincidence. The work will absolutely move you because the sound waves and ritual-minded passages are too heavy and poignant. It all feels like Metatron Omega is driven by evil forces unleashing their bewitching sound vibes the poor mortals can only, but adhere. Scorpio V reveals himself as the newest Prince of darkness and one of the most talented disciples of Peter Andersson (Raison d’Être).

I don’t want to compare Metatron Omega with the work of Raison d’Être, but there are some similarities in the sound obscurity and ritual aspect of the work. There’s no real innovation, but simply a genius exposure of how dark-ambient music has to sound-like.

There also is a great progression in the writing, which is perfectly illustrated at the opening cut “Apotheosis”, which will hold you in its grip for more than 7 minutes. The final part builds to a climax with a kind of 3D piano part.

“Godhead Emanation” moves on where the previous track stopped and is animated by heavy bells, which are like announcing an obscure requiem. We’re entering throughout a secret universe called ‘hell’, but the final part reveals a kind of prosperity. This is just a short relief as the upcoming tracks bring us back into the darkest and most anguishing corners of our own imagination. “Gnosis Dei” has this secret power to create a dark, imaginary world by the simply strength of music. That’s what ‘ambient’ is all about and which is often lost by a lot of so-called ‘ambient’ formations.

You get the impression of hearing awakened ghosts talking to you and that’s precisely why I linked this band to Raison d’Être. Just pay attention to the outstanding “Ordo Draconis” and “Hierosgamos” to seize the ritual dimension this work has been with. Dark noises, spoken spirit-like words, bells and icy progressive sound waves are literally exposing the listener to an invisible, disturbing presence.

The few tracks left renew the obscure passages and ritual parts. The sound creation remains colored by the darkest imaginable vibes and reinforced by mysterious chants resulting in a truly esoteric climax.

Conclusion: “Gnosis Dei” appears to be a quest to create one of the most captivating, but still tormenting dark-ambient and ritual compositions in the genre. This is one of the most brilliant pieces in the genre in quite a long time ago.

Best songs: “Ordo Draconis”, “Apotheosis”, “Hierosgamos”, “Godhead Emanation”.

Rate: (DP:8½)DP.

Band: www.metatronomega.moonfruit.com / www.facebook.com/metatronomega

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

Inferno Sound Diaries