Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient.

Background/Info: This new opus by Norwegian Svartsinn also is the first new studio album in 8 years. In the meantime Jan Roger Pettersen released a split album together with Northaunt and earlier this year the album “Collected Rarities”, which as the title indicates was an album filled with rarities. On “Mørkets Variabler” Pettersen got the company of cello player Amund Ulvestad. Notice by the way the album is also available on vinyl format as a double disc.

Content: Svartsinn bring us back to the essence of dark-ambient atmospheres characterized by the vision of abandoned landscapes and other endless sound corridors. Long and monotonous vibrating sound waves are leading the listener into a universe of discomfort. And when resonating screams of horror are suddenly disturbing the nihilistic mood hanging over the work you really get shocked. The cello adds an extra touch of sadness. The last cut is a remix by Kammarheit.

+ + + : “Mørkets Variabler” is an album without real surprises and I can’t affirm it’s innovating. But as I already say it brings us back to the essence of qualitative dark-ambient music, which is constructed with chilling sound, deep vibrating sound waves, elements of horror like screams, ghost-like voices and even some passages with percussion. It all together creates a strong visual appeal reaching its climax at “Where No Other Can Follow (Demon Stalker)” and “Echoes Of Silent Cries – Among The Sea Of Trees”.

– – – : This is a great album, which will hold you in its grip from start till finish, but it doesn’t bring anything new. But is it really necessary when you get such a great result?!

Conclusion: Svartsinn opens a gate to an imaginary vision of horror and hell. Forget the beauty of life and get ready to embrace the magic of darkness.

Best songs: “Where No Other Can Follow (Demon Stalker)”, “Echoes Of Silent Cries – Among The Sea Of Trees”, “In The Wake Of Azathoth – A Lovecraftian Epilogue”, “And In This Cloak Of Darkness I Cast My Shadow Short – Ghost Boy”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.svartrsinn.com / www.facebook.com/svartsinn1

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

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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The 47th track on our free download compilation “Face The Beat: Session 4” (featuring 92 tracks) is by My Dear Killer.

My Dear Killer is the solo dark electro project of James A. Hepburn. You might already know the project from its contribution to “Endzeit Bunkertracks Act VI” and from the Rgesus Factor’s “Mann der Albeit – The Remixes (Vol. 1)”. The project has had a steady output the last 2 years and is slowly but steadily gathering a following thanks to the project’s dark electro style that has its roots in the early 90s dark wave / electro. Check the band right here on Facebook.

Listen to “Sea Of Trees” below and download it right here.

Check our “Face The Beat: Session 4” page on Bandcamp to discover the other 91 bands. All donations will go to charity.

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.

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The dark ambient act Flowers for Bodysnatchers, aka Duncan Richie, has released a brand new album, “Love Like Blood” which takes you to the dark underworld of Tokyo (Japan). “Love Like Blood” serves as a companion piece to Flowers for Bodysnatchers album “Aokigahara” released in 2015.

Aokigahara, also known as the Suicide Forest or Sea of Trees, is a forest located at the northwest base of Mount Fuji in Japan. The forest is a notoriously common suicide site.

You can listen to the album below, or download it on Bandcamp. It will please those looking for minimal piano pieces mixed with soundscapes. Very much recommended and an excellent soundtrack to what is the general atmosphere you’ll find back in Aokigahara (which we visited a few years ago).

The album is also being released on CD (in full color 6-panel digipak) and as a 2CD bundle, including the “Aokigahara” and “Love Like Blood” albums, via the label’s Bandcamp page. Good to know, Cryo Chamber is now offering free shipping on all U.S. orders so you might want to keep that in mind when ordering!

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.

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