Genre/Influences: Cinematic, Dark-Ambient.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: British composer Tom Moore remains ultra-prolific. While reviewing this album released by the end of 2023 and dealing with sci/fi themes, the artist is already releasing new material.

Content: This work immediately creates a  strong visual appeal which rapidly turns into a nightmarish vision. Ultra-dark sound wave constructions adorned by field recordings are leaving the listener in a stupor. The tracks have been progressively built up to create a final effect of torment.

+ + + : Prolific artist aren’t always able to keep the quality of their work to a higher level. Tom Moore is an exception to the rule. From album to album he deals with different themes while adapting his composition to the concept. He this way don’t repeat himself although the sound remains connected to his proper sound DNA. The album reveals an impressive number of sonic details; subtle noises and arrangements you would discover by using headphones. “Interdimensional Rift” is one of these cuts featuring impressive, low sound vibrations, and getting the listener into an abyssal sci/fi universe.

– – – : A very few of the passages -and especially on “Incorporeal Existence” remain monotone.

Conclusion: A new sonic exploration resulting in a fascinating, obscure, Cinematic odyssey.

Best songs: “Interdimensional Rift”, “When The World Began To Bleed”, “On The Strings Of Divergence”, “Transportal Awakening”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/thedeadmelodies

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.

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Genre/Influences: Cinematic, Dark-Ambient.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Tom Moore has released an impressive number of productions since 2016. Early last year, he released “Memento” followed at the end of the year by “Murken Hollow”. The work is a conceptual one about several, strange, murders that happened in a city over one month.

Content: The concept is fully appropriated for the music of the British artist. He built up a dark, obscure and inferno-like atmosphere with electronics, guitar playing, percussion parts and also invited a guest musician to play saxophone parts and another one to bring ghost-like vocals.

+ + + : The use of guitar, bass guitar and especially the saxophone inject an authentic sensation to the work. The dark atmospheric side has something to prosper and yet you can feel danger as an invisible presence right behind you. “Murken Hollow” sounds like a sonic thriller which is clear because of its strong visual appeal. The album sounds like a true Soundtrack and is according to me, one of the best production of Dead Melodies.

– – – : Because of the theme I sometimes wanted this album even darker and more disturbing instead of relaxing.

Conclusion: Dead Melodies invites us to explore unexplained, imaginary, murders; a morbid atmosphere that has been created by the strength of music.

Best songs: “Empty Reflection”, “One Way Ticket”, “Chasing Shadows – Part 1”, “When The Night Calls”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/thedeadmelodies

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

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Cinematographic, Dark-Ambient.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: The prolific British artist Tom Moore is exploring the world of dreams in his newest work. This must be his eighth solo-work while he also released several collaborative pieces.

Content: “Memento” is moving from pure Dark-Cinematographic music to Dark-Ambient. The artist brings both universes together while accentuating some passages with evasive guitar playing. The tracks have been progressively built up until reaching an ominous sphere achieved with field recordings.

+ + + : Dead Melodies holds onto his familiar sound formula. It’s a typical Cryo Chamber release for its Cinematic format but also an interesting Dark-Ambient approach reaching a climax at “Eyes Of The Sun”.

– – – : Dead Melodies moves on composing a pleasant and even fascinating sound but the albums are progressively becoming more predictable. The effect of surprise is gone.

Conclusion: Dead Melodies has accomplished a new dark composition touched by grace and serenity.

Best songs: “Eyes Of The Sun”, “Welcome Delirium”, “Where Lonely Embers Grow”. .

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/thedeadmelodies

Label: www.cryochamberlabel.com / 

www.facebook.com/CryoChamber

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Cinematographic, Dark-Ambient.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: “Crier’s Bane” resulted from the common efforts between French artist Pierre Laplace (Beyond The Ghost) and British artist Tom Moore (Dead Melodies). They both are label mates and Tom Moore is used to working on collaborative works.

Content: This work is from start on characterized by a strong inhibited aspect. The sound is dark and prosper, but progressively evolving towards more intriguing passages. You’ll notice screams and chants joining in during the last part of the album. But here again the work remains intimate and inhibited, creating a delicate sensation in darkness. Other cuts have been accomplished by metallic sound treatments while the addition of field recordings is quite noticeable as well.

+ + + : I was deeply impressed by this collaboration between Dead Melodies and Beyond The Ghost. It clearly sounds like both artists have been working together for years. They’ve achieved a poignant work revealing a perfect cohesion between both of their sonic universes. I especially like the inhibited element supporting the composition, which is also accentuated by a true arsenal of little, subtle noises and field recordings. They’ve used a true arsenal of instruments, but it doesn’t really sound that way. The second half of the work features multiple great tracks. I’ll mention “Parlour Of Ignorance” for its terror-like sphere and “A Momentary Refuge” for its mystic connotation. “The Unforgiving Toll Of Time” is another attention grabber  for its delicacy, but also its sacred-like sound.

– – – : The work is maybe just missing a total climax, but you don’t hear me complaining. The debut tracks sound more hesitant, but quite progressively this album will reveal its true face and strength.

Conclusion: Cryo Chamber is the ultimate label for collaborations between label mates, but this work also is one of the most successful one in the genre. This is a great, mysterious and fascinating Cinematographic trip.

Best songs: “Parlour Of Ignorance”, “A Momentary Refuge”, “The Unforgiving Toll Of Time”, “At The Foundry Gates”.

Rate: (8).

Artists: www.facebook.com/thedeadmelodies / www.facebook.com/beyondtheghost

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-cinematographic, dark-ambient.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: British composer Tom Moore has already unleashed a new work emerging from his artistic spirit. “The Masterplan” is an album inviting the listener to join ‘a dystopian future where cybernetic hacking has wiped most of the population, an overgrown world painted with dark drones’.

Content: The theme that has inspired this work is different, but sound-wise Dead Melodies is holding on to its familiar and beloved elements. The work is a new sonic voyage through the dark realms. The use of field recordings –featuring familiar aquatic noises, mixed with chilling electronic layers and a few drones in the background are the main essence of the work. You here and there will notice some ghost-like whispers, which are matching with the concept. It creates a sensation of paranoia, which is a feeling I already experienced listening to Dead Melodies. More sounds make me think of guitar effects or something like that.

+ + + : There always is a kind of duality running through the work of Tom Moore; I like this sonic twist between evasive passages and truly disturbing parts. The tracks are progressively built up and I mainly like the extra noises and effects that have been added on top of the work. The album features 8 cuts, but especially the first part is noticeable, “Temporal Interference” and “Trojan Infiltration” being the highlights.

– – – : I’m not as convinced by the four last cuts from the work, which didn’t reach a similar climax. I’m still expecting a little bit more diversity in the tracklist.

Conclusion: “The Masterplan” is the right sonic exposure of an imaginary, dystopian story that has been translated into music creation. You get the sounds and just have to create your own images and perception! All I can say is that it works fine!

Best songs: “Temporal Interference”, “Trojan Infiltration”, “Electrical Sensory”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/thedeadmelodies

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

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Cinematographic.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: This album is the meeting between Tom Moore (Dead Melodies) and Phil Gardelis (Zenjungle). British project Dead Melodies is a familiar artist from the Cryo Chamber roster while Zenjungle is a Greek artist who’s mainly involved in ambient and jazz productions. He’s playing saxophone and clarinet, but still guitar.

Content: This album features an inhibited sphere created by electronic sound layers and field recordings while reinforced by the warm, yet mysterious sound of the saxophone. It feels a bit like the offspring between two different worlds, but in the end it all resulted in a truly sonic symbiosis. It’s a total cinematographic music trip, which however reveals dark passages.

+ + + : I’m probably too often linking saxophones with jazz music while it of course is an instrument that is featured in different genres. It’s not that usual to hear a saxophone used on dark-ambient/cinematic music, but it creates a delicious and wafting sensation on this album. Both artists have created an intimated sphere where you sometimes even get the impression of becoming a voyeur. The tracks are somewhat enigmatic, but also tickling our fantasy to dive into an imaginary world. “Anthropocene” is made of darkness getting the listener into a relaxing mood.

– – – : The album features five cuts, which unfortunately all sound pretty similar.

Conclusion: This album totally fits the cinematic roster of Cryo Chamber although it injects some diversity in its global approach. I can only encourage both artists to renew this experience.

Best songs: “Wisp”, “Where Demons Sleep”, “The Book”.

Rate: (7½).

Artists: www.facebook.com/thedeadmelodies / http://zenjunglemusic.com /

www.facebook.com/zenjungleMusic

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-cinematographic, dark-ambient.

Background/Info: Tom Moore active as Dead Melodies remains very prolific, unleashing his fifth full length album since 2016. The British artist invites the listeners to embark on a mysterious sci-fi journey.

Content: “Primal Destination” doesn’t sound that different from previous releases. The opening cut creates the illusion to awake among the stars and the astronauts. Quite progressively the work becomes darker, and especially mysterious. Deep, vibrating sound waves together with multiple aquatic field recordings are leading the listener into a sonic black hole. Some passages feel like Tom Moore has injected real acoustic instruments.

+ + + : Dead Melodies is the kind of project that totally fits with the Cryo Chamber approach. The cinematographic sound creation is dark and mysterious creating an imaginary film in your brain. The visual strength of the work is reinforced by the field recordings and I especially like the kind of crispy noises running through the title track. The last cut, “The Wake Of Man” also creates an impressive apotheosis to this opus.

– – – : The tracks are pretty similar to each other. It sounds more like a long duration piece separated in different chapters. I would have liked a little bit more diversity in between the tracks.

Conclusion: “Primal Destination” has something relaxing and chilling. You get the impression of getting lost in an endless space corridor.

Best songs: “The Wake Of Man”, “Somatic Mutation”, “Encounter”, “Glades”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/thedeadmelodies

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: This is the fourth studio album for Tom Moore aka Dead Melodies. It also is his second opus released on Cryo Chamber while he also got featured at the “Tomb Of Druids”-compilation.

Content: The new songs reveal an interesting twist between usual and essential influences of dark-ambient music and a kind of folk/neo-classic input featured by acoustic guitar, piano and cello sounds. It creates a cinematographic aspect for an imaginary dark- or horror movie. The ‘classical’ passages are lost in a truly sonic mayhem from which are emerging monstrous electro blasts. Especially the last songs have been accentuated by this surprising ‘classical’ touch.

+ + + : I like the diversity of the work mixing traditional dark-ambient and soundscape elements with a kind of neo-classic approach. It brings some authenticity to the work and it’s definitely a sound formula that makes sense for accentuating        a truly artistic writing. It also creates a dark reverie, which is perfectly fitting for cinema purposes. The global atmosphere is not only horror-like, but also reflecting feelings of solitude and sorrow.

– – – : Don’t get me wrong, this a real cool opus, but I’m just missing a total climax to speak about a truly successful work.

Conclusion: Dead Melodies has realized on “The Foundations Of Ruin” a kind of imaginary ambient requiem or horror-chamber music for lonely souls.

Best songs: “The Collector’s Harvest”, “Remnants Of The Missing”, “Eternal Veil”, “Entangled In Mortar”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/thedeadmelodies

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

The UK dark ambient artist Tom Moore aka Dead Melodies has released his Cryo Chamber debut with “Legends of the Wood”. The album features lush field recordings, detailed soundscapes and melancholic melodies. In short, a nice addition to the collection of high fidelity dark ambient fans.

It’s the 3rd album for Moore who previously (in 2016 that is) released the albums “Parallel Existence” and “Subtle Imperfections”.

Active since 2006 Moore’s diverse musical catalogue started with Indigolab which resulted in ten albums and EPs plus a large amount of collaborations but nearly always featuring his trademark acoustic guitar. In late 2014 he switched focus to explore the ambient musicworld. Since the project’s inception, he has released 3 EPs and two full length albums, the latter through Norwegian net label, Sparkwood Records, who also host Moore’s side project, ambient post-rock band, Understated Theory.

You can preview the 8-track album “Legends of the Wood” below and download it straight from Bandcamp, or order the album housed in a 6-panel digipak, also available via Bandcamp.

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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