Undirheimar – Heljarrúnar (album – Cyclic Law)

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

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