Genre/Influences: Ritual, Dark-Ambient, Experimental.

Format: Digital, 2CD.

Background/Info: Chris Undirheimar has released an impressive number of productions over the past few years. He now moves back to Cyclic Law unleashing “Ginnngagaldr” which resulted from very personal experiences.

Content: The first disc features 7 cuts leading the listener into an obscure sound universe featuring Ritual elements mixed with a dense, Dark-Ambient music style. Heavy droning percussion empower the impact of the work while throat singing accentuates the Ritual side. The second disc features a single cut which is the title track. Sound-wise the influences remain exactly the same.

+ + + : I remain fascinated by the technique of throat singers. It has something intriguing, definitely Ritual but still magic. It injects a true bonus to the composition which is totally fitting with the obscure sound treatments. The heavy percussion drones inject some diversity. It’s interesting using headphones to discover the sonic welfare of this production.

– – – : A few passages sound a bit monotonous and missing substance. The title track is cool and definitely interesting to accentuate visual art but also a bit monotonous after a while.

Conclusion: “Ginnungagaldr” appears to be a true offspring between Ritual- and Dark-Ambient music.

Best songs: “Gandreiðarstafur”, “Þursaseiðr”, “Uphafsdauðsþjòt”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/ThursianRitualArt

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.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Ritual, Dark-Ambient.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: This new work by Undirheimar is meant as a teaser to the upcoming album. “Vardlokkur” is more a kind of mini-album featuring three songs.

Content: “Vardlokkur” moves on from where the project’s debut album “Heljarrùnar” (2020) stopped. It’s a dark and dense sound universe characterized by impressive throat singing creating this Ritual and Shamanic style which is now and then accentuated by explicit sounds. The first and last songs are more extended.

+ + + : “Vardlokkur” invites the listener to join an obscure sound universe. You’ll assist in an imaginary dark and mysterious rite which is created by the bewitching power of throat singing. The songs have been accentuated by cool percussion while horn-like sounds are emerging at the surface.

– – – : The sound formula is a bit predictable and linear although fascinating.

Conclusion: Undirheimar let us visit imaginary places and rites with a true, realistic dimension.

Best songs: “Galdra”, “Grima Unheimsins”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/ThursianRitualArt

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.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, ritual.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Undirheimar is one of the latest signings by Cyclic Law. The project has been introduced as ‘Undirhaimar is a corpse, a vehicle through which Thursian primal antinomian current is manifested within this world’. It in a way reveals some of the project’s main sources of inspiration resulting in the six tracks of this work.

Content: Behind this Icelandic title you’ll discover an album with two sides. We first get three impressive and overwhelming cuts revealing a perfect balance between ritual- and dark-ambient music. Some throated singing parts appear to be an essential element in the work accentuating the ritual aspect. On top of it all you’ll notice heavy, epic arrangements.

Next we get three long duration pieces, which are mainly driven by the specific and unique throat singing. It reminds me of Phurpa albums.

+ + + : The first three cuts of this work are simply brilliant. The dark atmosphere mixed with the ritual elements and epic arrangements on top create an original, but obscure, anguishing sound. Both debut cuts leave an impact on you; it feels like evil creatures composing bewitching music to convert poor mortal subjects. The slow progression of the tracks reach a total climax, like a morbid, transcendental experience.

– – – : I like the technique of throat singing, which has this natural, ritual effect, but the three last cuts of the album are just based upon this single technique. It creates some monotony, which is a bit disappointing after the astonishing debut. 

Conclusion: “Heljarrúnar” is an album with two sides: three exceptional tracks to take off and three soporific tracks to conclude!

Best songs: “Utgardr”, “Urthursar”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/ThursianRitualArt

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.

www.side-line.com