Thursday, May 31, 2012

Serenity Of The Solar Existence/To The One/Kalpamantra/2011 Album Review


  Serenity  Of  The  Solar  Existence  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  dark  ambient/drone  mixed  with  post  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "To  The  One"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  are  very  atmospheric  sounding  dark  ambient  drone  soundscapes,  while  the  guitars  use  finger  picking  and  full  chords  to  bring  a  post  rock  sound  to  the  music  as  well  as  some  guitar  distortion  and  heavy  riffing  mixed  in  with  some  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  sound  effects  they  bring  and  avant  garde  experimental/noise  music  feeling  to  the  music  with  most  of  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Vocals  and  songwriting  are  all  absent  from  this  recording  with  all  of  the  music  being  instrumental,  while  the  song  themes  cover  Spaces,  Cosmos,  and  The  Sun,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it,  in  addition  there  is  a  brief  use  of  drum  programming  as  well  as  some  real  drums.

  In  my  opinion  Serenity  Of  The  Solar  Existence  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  and  dark  ambient  and  post  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sunloving"  "Orbital  Dawn"  and  "Hoarfrost  On  The  Mars  Surface".  RECOMMENDED.

https://www.facebook.com/serenityofthesolarexistence/

VelgeNaturlig/Live At Fabrica De Scorn/Kalpamantra/2011 Live EP Review


  VelgeNaturlig  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  plays  dark  ambient/drone  with  an  industrial  edge  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  live  2011  ep  "Live  At  Fabrica  De  Scorn"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  gring  a  very  dark ambient  drone  soundscape  to  the  music  with  some  influences  from  avant  garde,  experimental  and  industrial  music  for  this  long  20 minute  epic  sound, while  the  sound  effects  have  an  occult  ritualistic  feeling  to  them.

  Vocals  and songwriting  are  all  absent  from  this  recording  with  the  music being  all  instrumental,  while  the  song  themes  cover  Gnosticism  and  Occult  rituals,  as  for  the  production  on  this  recording  it  is  all  recorded  live  and  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  VelgeNaturlig  are  a  very  great  sounding  dark ambient/drone  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style  of  music,  you  should  check  this  recording  out.  RECOMMENDED.

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-fabrica-de-som

1774/Self Titled/Kalpamantra/2011 EP Review


  1774  are  a  duo  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  ep  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  are  are  dark  ambient  soundscapes  with  some  influences  from  neo-classical  music  as  well  as  a  variety  of  many  different  musical  keys  being  utilized,  while  the  violins  bring  an  avant  garde  classical music  to  the  music,  as  for  the  drum  programming  when  it  is  utilized  they  bring  a  militant  sound  to  the  music,  in  addition  there  are  some  sound  effects  that  bring  an  experimental  edge  to  the  music.

  Vocals  and  songwriting  are  all  absent  from  this  recording  with  the  music  being  all  instrumental,  while the  song  themes  are  in  German  and  cover  the  writings  of  Goethe,  as  for  the  production  it has  a  very  dark  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  1774  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  dark  ambient  and  neo-classical  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style  of music,  you  should  check  this  band  out.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Nachtwamderungen  Im  Gebrige"  and  "Von  Der  Suche  Nach  Seelenruhe-Wo  Das Leben  Sterben  wird".  RECOMMENDED.

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/1774

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Akoustik Timbre Frequency/Nivritti/Kalpamantra/2011 EP Review


  Akoustik  Timbre  Frequency  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  an  experimental  and ritualistic  form  of  dark  ambient/drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  ep  "Nivritti"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  bring  some  dark  ambient  drone  soundscapes  to  the  music,  while  the  sound  effects  have  an  experimental,  avant  garde  ritualistic  sound  to  them  with  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Vocals  and  songwriting  are  all  absent  from  this  recording  with  all  of  the  music  being  instrumental,  while  the  song  concepts  revolve  around  Eastern  Occultism,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Akoustik  Timbre  Frequency  are  a  very  great  sounding  ritualistic  dark  ambient  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED.  

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/nivritti

United Gods/Aer/Kalpamantra/2011 Album Review


  United  Gods  are  a  band  from  Hungary  that  has  had  one  of  their  albums  reviewed  as  well  as  being interviewed  by  this  zine  with  a  musical  style  that  I  would  describe  as  being  atmospheric  dark  ambient/drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Aer"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  bring  a  very  atmospheric  dark  ambient  sound  to  the  music  along  with  a  great  amount  of  drone  soundscapes  being  thrown  into the  background,  while  the  sound  effects  bring  an  experimental  feeling  to  the  music,  as  for  the  drum  programming  it  makes  the  music  sound  even  more  tribal.

  Vocals  and  songwriting  are  mostly absent  from  this  recording  with  the  exception  of  a  few  spoken  word  parts  and  samples  with  the  rest  of  the  music  being  all  instrumental,  while the  song  themes  revolve  around  dark  and  metaphysical  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it  along  with  some  live  tracks  and  remixes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  recording  from  United  Goads  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band, you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Mula  Solstice"  "Burnt  Out  Heaven"  "Circle  Of  Visions"  and  "SGG (Peter's  Majic  Synth  Mix  By  Simon  Fisher  Turner)". RECOMMENDED.

Mystified/For Phillip K. Dick/Kalpamantra/2011 Album Review


  Mystified  are  a  1  man  band  that  plays  dark  ambient  mixed  with  experimental  and  industrial  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "For  Phillip  K.  Dick"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  bring  in  some  dark  ambient/drone  soundscapes  to  the  music,  while  the  sound  effects  have  a  very  dark  avant  garde  noise  feeling  to  them  along  with  a  mixture  of  short  and  long  songs,  as  for  the  drum  programming  it  brings  an  industrial/kraut  rock  feel  to  the  music.

  Vocals  are  all  spoken  word  parts  and  samples,  while  the  album  concept  is  based  upon  the  writings of  science  fiction  author  Phillip  K.  Dick,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Mystified  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  dark  ambient  drone  hybrid  and if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style  of  music,  you  should  check  this  band  out.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Overwhelming  The  Impression"  "The  Other  Police  Force"  and  "Muted  Longevity".  RECOMMENDED.

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/for-phillip-k-dick

Dead.Circuit/Requiem/Kalpamantra/2011 Album Review


  Dead.Circuit  are  a  band  that  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  very  experimental  form  of  dark  ambient/drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Requiem"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  bring  dark  ambient/drone  soundscapes  to  the  music,  while  the  sound  effects  have  an  experimental  avant  garde  noise  sound  to  it  with  a  mixture  of  short  and  long  songs,  as  for  the  drum  programming  when  it  is  utilized  it  brings  an  industrial  feeling  to  the  music.

  Vocals  are  all  spoken  word  parts,  while  the  song  themes  cover  darkness  and  depression,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Dead.Circuit  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  experimental,  industrial  and  dark  and  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style  of  music,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Requiem  Of Sorrow"  and  "Dies  Irae:  Into  The  Heart  Of  Darkness".  RECOMMENDED.

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/requiem

  

D.R.I.S.T/Ward.67/Kalpamantra/2011 Album Review


  D.R.I.S.T  are  a  project  from  Athens,  Greece  that  plays  a  mixture  of  idm,  experimental,  and  dark  ambient  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Ward.67"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  bring  some  dark  ambient/drone  soundscapes  to  the  music,  while  the  sound  effects  bring  elements  of  idm  and  experimental  music  sounds  to  the  recording  with  the songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Vocals  are  mostly  clean  singing  female  vocals  and  samples,  while  the  song  themes  cover  dark  and  psychological  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  the  music.

  In  my  opinion  D.R.I.S.T  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  dark  ambient,  idm  and  experimental  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical style,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "WD.67".  RECOMMENDED.

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/ward-67

Taphephobia/Corph'Antae Tryr/Counting The Days/Kalpamantra/2011 Split Album Review


  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Norway's  Taphephobia  and  Corph,  Antae  Tryr  called  "Counting  The  Days"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra  in  2011  and  we  will  start  of  the  review  with  Taphephobia  which  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  dark  ambinet/drone.

  Synths  bring  a  very  atmospheric  dark  ambient/drone  sound  to  the  music,  while  the  sound  effects  bring  a  very  dark  avant  garde  experimental  soundscape  sound  to  the  music.

  Vocals  and  songwriting  are  all  absent  from  their  side  of  the  recording  with  the  music  being  all  instrumental,  while  the  song  themes  cover  darkness  and  nature,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Taphephobia  are  a  very  great  sounding  dark  ambient/drone  band  and  if  you  are  a fan  of  this  style  of  music,  you  should  check  them  out.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "The  Sky  Is  Turning  Grey".  RECOMMENDED.

  Next  up  is  Corph'Antae  Tryr  another  band  that plays  a  very  atmospheric  form  of  dark  ambient/drone.

  Synths  bring  a  very  dark  ambient/drone  sound  with  somewhat  of  an  epic  feeling  to  them,  while  the  sound  effects  bring  in  experimental  music  sounding  soundscapes  to  the  music.

  Vocals  and  songwriting  are  all  absent  from  their  side  of  the  recording  with  the  music  being  all  instrumental,  while  the  song  themes  cover  dark  subjects,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my opinion  Corph'Antae  Tryr  are  a  very  great  sounding  dark  ambient/drone  band  with  the  best  music  on  this  split  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of this  musical  style,  you  should  check  them  out.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Matea".  RECOMMENDED.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  this  to  all  fans  of  atmospheric  dark  ambient/drone.  RECOMMENDED.  

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/counting-the-days


















Grist/Meditation Zero/Kalpamantra/2011 Album Review


 Grist  are  a  band  from  Australia  that  plays  a  very  ritualistic  and  occult  form  of  dark  ambient/drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Mediatation  Zero"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  are  very  dark  and  occult  sounding  dark  ambient/drones,  while  the  sound  effects  bring  a  very avant  garde  ritualistic  sound  to  this  long  and  epic  20  minute  song.

  Vocals  and  songwriting  are  all  absent  from  this  recording  with  the  music  being  all  instrumental,  while the  song  theme  revolves  around  meditation  and  rituals,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Grist  are  a  very  great  sounding  ritualistic,  occult  dark  ambient/drone  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED.

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/meditation-zero
  

Monday, May 28, 2012

Defiantly Fading/Unkno/Kalpamantra/2011 Album Review


  Defiantly  Fading  are  a  1  man  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  mixture  of  experimental,  industrial  and  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Unkno"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Sound  effects  bring  in  elements  of  industrial,  ambient  and  experimental  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  while  the  synths  mix  industrial  and  ambient  together  with  the  songs  not  either  being  too  long  or  short  in  addition  there  is  also  some  use  of  drum  programming.

  Vocals  are  all  spoken  word  parts  and  samples, while  the  song  themes  revolve  around  darkness,  evil,  violence,  hate and  anti  religion,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  while  you  can  still  hear  everything  that  is  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Defiantly  Fading  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  experimental,  industrial,  and  dark  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Peaceful  Abduction"  "What  Is  Evil"  "The  Aggressor  Always  Wins"  and  "Then  Jesus  Wept".  RECOMMENDED.

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/unkno

The Unreality Of Time/Kalpamantra/2011 Ep Compilation Review.


  This  is  a  review  of  a  compilation  called  "The  Unreality  Of  Time"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra during  the  year  of  2011  and  we  will  review  the  songs  one  by  one.

  Cogwheel  brings  us  "I"  a  very dark  and  atmospheric  sounding  experimental  dark  ambient/drone  song  that  utilizes  a  great  mixture  of  synths  and  sound  effects.

  Next  up  is  Psychomanteum  with  "Time  Is  Only  Myth"  a  very  dark  sounding  ambient/drone  song  that  utilizes  a lot  of  atmosphere  and  drones.

  Next  up  is  Rasalhague  with  "Persistent  Illusion  On  Perpetual  Minds"  a  very  dark  and  avant  garde  ambient  drone  song  that  utilizes  some  experimental  synths  and  sound  effects  as  well  as  some  noises.

  Closing  the  compilation  is  Taphephobia  with  "Timeless  Silence  For  The  Mind"  a  very  dark  and  atmospheric  sounding  dark  ambient  song  with  a  great  amount  of  synths  and  sound  effects.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  to  is  a  very  great  sounding  compilation  ep  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  songs  all  atmospheric  dark  ambient  music.  RECOMMENDED.  

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/the-unreality-of-time-2



  

Whispers Of Ghosts/Ghosts In The Wind/Kalpamantra/2011 Album Review


  Whispers  of  Ghosts  are  a  1  man  band  from  Mexico  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  form  of  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Ghosts  In  The  Winds"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  bring  a  very  atmospheric  and  dark  ambient/drone  sound  to  the  music  with  a  variety  of  many different  musical  keys,  while  the  sound  effects  bring  a  very  dark  avant  garde  experimental  sound  to  the  music  along  with  a  mixture  of  short  and  long  songs.

  Vocals  and  songwriting  are  all  absent  from  this  recording  with  the  music  being  all  instrumental  except  for  some  spoken  word  parts,  while the  song  concepts  revolve  around  dark,  supernatural  and  paranormal  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Whispers  of  Ghosts  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  dark  ambient  band  and  if you  are  a  fan  of  this style,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ghost  Lover"  and  "Phantom  Of  The  Night".  RECOMMENDED.

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/ghosts-in-the-wind

Nedicry/Violation/Kalpamantra/2011 Album Review


  Nedicry  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  a  mixture  of  dark  ambient/drone  and  neo-classical  music and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Violation"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  are  very  atmospheric  and  dark  ambient  sounding  with  a  great  amount  of  drones  being  thrown  into  the  music,  while  the  violins  bring  a  very  dark  avant  garde  and  neo-classical  sound  to  the music  with  the  songs  not  being  either  too  long  or  short,  in  addition  there  are  also  sound  effects  and  other  musical  instruments  being  used  at  times  which  gives  the  music  an  industrial  feeling.

  Vocals  are  all  spoken  word  parts  and  samples  when  they  are  utilized  but  for  the  most  part  the  music  is  pretty  much  instrumental,  while  the  song  themes  revolve  around  dark  themes, as  for  the  production  it has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  to  it  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Nedicry  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  dark  ambient  and  neo-classical  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Grinning,  Raging  Bloodsucker  In  A  Flesh"  "Powerless  Before  The  Fallen  Circumstances"  and  "Eclipse  Exciting  Blood  In  The  Veins".  RECOMMENDED.

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/violation

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Contemptus Mundi/Blessed Is He/Kalpamantra/2011 Album Review


  Contemptus  Mundi  are  a  band  that  plays  dark  ambient/drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Blessed  Is  He"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  bring  a  very  dark  ambient  drone  sound  to  the  music  with  a  mixture  of  short  and  long  songs,  while  the  sound  effects  bring  a  very  dark  avant  garde  experimental  sound  to  the  music  as  well  as  some  distorted  noises  that  are  amplified.

  Vocals  are  all  spoken  word  parts,  while  the  songs  revolve  around  Darkness  and  Lovecraft  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Contemptus  Mundi  are  a  very  great  sounding  dark  ambient/drone  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Seven  Gates  Of  Death  (Yaldabaoth)"  and  "Hyle".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.  

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/blessed-is-he

Gloomintrolls/Trollsorrow/Kalpamantra/2011 Album Review


  Gloomintrolls  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  dark  ambient/drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Trollsorrow"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  are  very  atmospheric  sounding  dark  ambient  drones  with  a  variety  of  many  different  keys  being  utilized  with  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  while  the  sound  effects  bring  experimental  and  avant  garde  sounds  to  the  music.

  Vocals  and  songwriting  are  all  absent  from  the  recording  with  the  music  being  all  instrumental,  while the  song  themes  revolve  around  darkness  and  nature,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Gloomintrolls  are  a  very  great  sounding  dark  ambient/drone  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Nebula  Of  Trollsorrow".  RECOMMENDED.

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/trollsorrow

Argentum/Inmanentizando El Escaton/Kalpamantra/2011 Album Review


  Argentum  are  a  band  from  Argentina   that  plays  dark  ambient/drone  mixed  in  with  some  neo-folk  and  noise  elements  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Inmanentizando  El  Escaton"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  bring  an  atmospheric  and  dark  ambient/drone  sound  to  the  music  mixed  in  with  some  ritualistic  noises  with  a  mixture  of  short  and  long/epic  songs  being  presented  on  this  recording,  while  the  drum  programming  when  it  is  utilized  brings  a  tribal  feeling  to  the  music,  as  for  the  sound  effects  when  they  are  utilized  they  bring  harsh  noise  elements  to  the  music  with  a  good  amount  of  distortion.

  Vocals are mostly  clean  singing  chanting  that  bring  in  the  pagan  neo-folk  elements  to  the  music  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  growls  being  utilized  on  one  song  while  most  of  the  music  is  instrumental,  while  the  songs  are  in  Spanish  and  cover  dark  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw,  and primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Argentum  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  dark  ambient,  drone  and  noise  and if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Artes  Del  Tiempo"  "La  Inciciacion  Dioniscia"  and  "Reduscubriendo  La  Existencia".  RECOMMENDED.

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/inmanentizando-el-escaton

  

Nanohex/Closure/Kalpamantra/2011 Album Review


  Nanohex  are  a  1  man  band  from  Macodenia  that  plays  dark  ambient  mixed  with  experimental  and  industrial  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Closure"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  bring  a  very  dark  ambient/drone  sound  to  the  music,  while  the  sound  effects  bring  in  sounds from  experimental,  noise  and  industrial music,  as  for  the  drum  programming  it  brings  a  ritualistic  sound to  the  music.

  Vocals  and  songwriting  are  all  absent  from  this  recording  with  the  music  being  all  instrumental  except  for  a  brief  spoken  word  part  being  utilized  on  one  song,  while the  song  themes  cover  darkness  and  death,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Nanohex  are  a  very  great  sounding  dark  ambient/drone  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Behind  The  Mirror"  "Ego  Death"  and  "Non-Existence".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/closure 

Traumflug/Self Titled/Kalpamantra/2011 Album Review


  Traumflug  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  dark  ambient/drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2011  album  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  are  all  very  atmospheric  dark  ambient  drones,  while  the  sound  effects  bring  experimental,  avant  garde  and  noise  music  sounds  to  the  music  with  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Vocals  and  songwriting  are  all  absent  form  the  recording  with  the  music  being  instrumental,  while  the  songs  are  in  German  and  cover  dark  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Traumflug  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  dark  ambient/drone  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Das  Weisse  Land".  RECOMMENDED.  

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/traumflug 

Demorph Desform/Defragmaya/Kalpamantra/2012 Album Review


  Demorph  Desform  are  a  band  that  plays  ritualistic  dark  ambinet/drone/noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  album  "Defragmaya"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  bring  a  dark  ambient  drone  sound  to  the  music  with  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  while  the  sound  effects  bring  an  avant  garde  ritualistic  noise  sound  to  the  music,  as  for  the  drum  programming  it  beings  a  tribal  feeling  to  the  music .

  Vocals  and  songwriting  are  all  absent  from  the  recording  with  the  music  being  all  instrumental  except  for  a  brief  use  of  chanting  being  used  on  the  last  song,  while  the  song  themes  cover  dark  and  occult  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Demorph  Desform  are  a  very  great  sounding  ritualistic  dark  ambinet/drone/noise  hybrid  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Noventa  E  Tres".  RECOMMENDED.

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/defragmaya 

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Qafas/Al-Ahlaam/Misty Graveyard/2010 EP Review


  Qafas  are  a  band  from  Bahrain  that  played  a  very  atmospheric  and  ambient  form  of doom metal on this  release  and  this  is  a  review  of their  2010  e.p  "Al-Ahlaam"  which  eas  released  by  Misty  Graveyard.

  Drums  are  all  slow  playing  with  no  fast  playing  or  blast  beats  being  present  on  this  recording,  while  the  keyboards  bring  a  very  dark  ambient  sound  to  the  music,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  dark tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  is  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

  Rhythm  guitars  are  all  slow  funeral  doom  riffs  that  are  very  dark  and  melodic  sounding  with  the  songs  are  very  short  for  this  genre,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  classical  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  finger  picking  to  enhance  the darkness  that is  coming  out  of  the  music .

  Vocals  are  all  absent  form  this  recording  with  the  music  being  all  instrumental,  while  the  songs  revolve  around  dark  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark  and  primitive  sound  to  it  while  the  instruments  still  sound  very  powerful.

  In  my  opinion  Qafas  created  some  very  great  sounding  atmospheric,  dark  ambient  funeral  doom  with  this  recording,  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Al  Sadma  Al  Mutakererra"  and  "Ijtima'  Al Shua'ra".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

ReverbNation

  

Friday, May 25, 2012

Nagual Art/Sternlieder/Kalpamantra/2011 Album Review


  Nagual  Art  are  a  band  from Germany  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  symphonic  form  of  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Sternlieder"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  are  very  symphonic  and  atmospheric  dark  ambient  music  along  with  a  variety  of  many  different  keys  being  played  on  that  musical  instrument,  while  the  sound  effects  add  the  drone  elements  to  the  songs  along  with  a  mixture  of  short  and  long  songs.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  clean  signing  male  and  female  choirs  and  spoken  word  parts,  while  the  songs  are  written  in  German  and  cover  dark  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Nagual  Art  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  and  atmospheric  dark  ambient  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check  this  recording  out.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Gesichite"  "Das  Lied  Vom  Traurigen  Traum"  "Polarland"  and  "Prozession".  RECOMMENDED.

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/sternenlieder

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Tabor Radosti/Self Titled/Kalpamantra/2011 Album Review


  Tabor  Radosti  are  a  band  from  the  Chezch  Republic  that  has  had  their  previous  album  reviewed  in this  zine  and with  this  recording  they  go  more  for  a  dark  ambient/drone/ritual  sound  with  an  experimental  and  industrial  edge  and  this  is a  reviewed  of  their  self  titled  2011  album  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  bring  a  very  atmospheric  and  dark  ambient  drone  sound  to  the  music  along  with  some  influences  from  industrial,  while  the  drum  programming  is  all  slow  beats  that  bring  a  militant  industrial  sound  to  the  music,  as  for  the  sound  effects  they  bring  experimental  and  noise sounds  to  the  music.

  Vocals  are  mostly  distorted  with  some  clean  singing  female  chanting  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  samples,  while the  song  themes  revolve  around  occultism  and  philosophy,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it  with  some  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  release  from  Tabor  Radosti  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  dark  ambient,  drone  or  underground  industrial,  you  should  check  this  album  out.   RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Supove  Ega"  "My  Lide"  and  "Kaz  Ve  Vzoru (1996)".  RECOMMENDED.

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/tabor-radosti

  

Tabor Radosti/Havamal/Kalpamantra/2011 Album Review


  Tabor  Radosti  are  a  band  from  the  Chezch  Republic  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  experiemntal  form  of  dark  ambient/drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Havamal"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  bring  a  very  atmospheric  and  dark  ambient/drone  sound  to  the  music  with  experimental  influences  being  thrown  in,  while  the  drum  programming  is  all  slow  militant  beats  that  have  an  industrial  feeling  to  them,  as  for  the  sound effects  they  bring  a  very  dark  and  avant  garde  sound  to  the  music.

  Vocals  are  all  spoken  word  ritualistic  parts,  while  the  song  themes  cover  Asataru  and  Norse  Paganism,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it  with  the  least  song  being  recorded  live  during  the  year  of  2001.

  In  my  opinion  Tabor  Radosti  are  a  very  great  sounding  ritualistic  dark  ambient/drone  band  with  an  industrial  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style  of  music,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Blot"  "Havamal-Teiwaz"  "Havamal-Raido"  and  "Runa-Pertho".  RECOMMENDED.

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/havamal

Joran Laperre/Live At TAG Art Gallery/Kalpamantra/2011 Live EP Review


  Joran  Laperre  is  a  composer  from  Belguim  that  plays  a  very  dark and  atmospheric  form  of  ambient/drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2011  live  e.p  "Live  At  TAG  Art  Gallery"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  bring  a  very  dark  and  ambient  drone  sound  to  the  music  with  this  20  minute  long  improv  as  well  as  adding  influences  from  atmospheric  and  experimental  music,  as  for  the  sound  effects  they  bring  an  avant  garde  noise  sound  to  the  music.

  Vocals  and  songwriting  are  all  absent  from  this  music  with  the  whole  recording  being  instrumental  and  improv,  while  the  production  on  this  recording  which  was  recorded  live  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound.

  In  my  opinion  Joran Laperre  is  a  great  ambient/drone  composer  and  if  you  are  a  fan of  this  style  of  music,  you  should  check  this  recording  out.  RECOMMENDED.

https://www.facebook.com/joranlaperre

Caithness/The Knell Of Mourning/Kalpamantra/2012 Album Review


  Caithness  are  a  band  that  plays  a  very  dark  and  occult  form  of  ambient/drone  and  this  is  a  review of  their  2012  album  "The  Knell  Of  Mourning"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  bring  a  very  dark  and  atmospheric  ambient/drone  sound  with  a  variety  of  being  different  keys  to  the  music  and  is  also  the  only  musical instrument  that  is  present  on  this  recording  except  for  some  vocals  and  a  small  amount  of  drum  programming,  in  addition  the  songs  are  a  mixture  of  short  and  long  songs.

  Vocals  are  all  clean  singing  male  and  female  chanting  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts,  while  the  song  themes  cover  religion  and  occult  themes,  as  for the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  strong  and  powerful  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Caithness  are  a  very  great  sounding  religion  themed  dark  ambient  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan of  this  style,  you should  check  this  album  out.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Knell  Of  Mourning"  "Animae  Ressurecto"  "Monument"  and  "Erosion". RECOMMENDED.

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/the-knell-of-mourning

  

Illuminoscolate/Terminal/Kalpamantra/2012 Album Review


  Illuminoscolate  are  a  band  from  Melbourne,  Australia  that  plays  dark  ambient/drone  mixed  with  industrial  and  experimental  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  album  "Terminal"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  are  all  primitive  sounding  dark  ambient  drones  with  some  experimental  and  industrial  influences,  while  the  sound  effects  bring  a  very  dark and  avant  garde/noise  sound  to  the  music,  with  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Vocals  and  songwriting  are  absent  from  this  recording  with  all  of  the  music  being  all  instrumental  except  for  a  few  samples  and  spoken  word  parts,  while  the  songs  revolve  around  dark  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Illuminoscalte  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  dark  ambient,  drone,  industrial  and experimental  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of this  style,  you  should  check  this  band  out.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Temporal"  and  "Unspoken".  RECOMMENDED.

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/terminal

A Cluster Of Fungus/Out Of The Dregs Of Wine/Kalpamantra/2012 Album Review


  A  Cluster  Of  Fungus  are  a  band  that  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  dark  ambient/drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  album  "Out  Of  The  Dregs  Of  Wine"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  bring  a  very  dark  and  atmospheric  ambient/drone  sound  to  the  music,  while  the  sound  effects  are  very  dark  and  avant  garde  sounding  mixed  in  with  a  great  amount  of experimental  sounding  noises  that  are  not  too  harsh  sounding, a s  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  bring  an  even  more  avant  garde  and  neo-folk  sound  to  the  music  along  with  some  heavy  guitar  distortion.

  Vocals  are  weird  sounding  distorted  clean  singing  with  no  actual  lyrics,  while  the  song  themes  cover darkness  and  nature,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it  with  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  some  shorter  ones  are  still  included.

  In  my  opinion  A  Cluster  Of  Fungus are  a  very  great  sounding  dark  ambient/drone  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style, you  should  check  this  album  out.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "1 (22 07 2011)"  "2(04  02  2011)"  and  "4(22 07 2011)".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

https://kalpamantra.bandcamp.com/album/out-of-the-dregs-of-wine

United Gods Interview


Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?
Péter Kecskés: United Gods started as a performance group in late 1989. In 1990 we begun to be an experimental-industrial band, working with tapes, radio and voice and with traditional instruments. In the early nineties we released Daath, our first full-length casette and appeared on several compilations. Almost ten years after the dissolution of the original group I decided to start again with the available and much needed digital technology. In 2003 we released the double CD Joined to an Angel with new and old, unreleased materials. In 2005 with the limited edition of my artworks /Omens/ we released some music and since 2010 with the new line-up we released two albums on Kalpamantra, AER in 2011 /originally released as a limited CD in 2010/ and the new live album in 2012 and appeared on various compilations.

How would you describe your musical sound?
K. P.- It’s important that I'm coming from an experimental milieu, I’m an artist-photographer, writer, so it’s very important for us to try out new things, shed our skins with each releases and try to experiment with whatever comes our way. So we have a dark ambient, industrial, ritual, experimental and spoken word side, bur we keep on expanding!

What are some of the feelings and emotions  the  band  seeks  out  to  express  in  the  music?
K. P.- It’s different from time to time, especially when we play live. I have some very precise ideas for a couple of „songs”, but when we begin to work out them, they could change into totally different pieces. Sometimes it’s about a deep-felt anger, loss of a friend, metaphysical doubts and solutions and it could go on and on…

What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?
K. P.- Our name comes from a traditional idea of the transcendental unity of religions, in this case the imaginal God-forms as ideas or theories in Henry Corbin’s or in it’s original sense of the word.

What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
K. P.- We played some intenso shows around 1991 in the Black Hole and Young Artist’s Club, more recently we had a great show –at least in my opinion – in Bútorszalon, you can hear it on the new album, it’s pretty intense! Also we had a great concert last year in Lubensky Lodyha, that was at a festival in the Czech Republic. The performances are different, becuse of the venues, occasions and our intentions. Let’s say we have a „hc”-ritualistic-noisy side and a more meditative-ambient, sometimes even lyrical side.

DO you have any touring plans for the future?
K. P.- We’ll see, but at this stage we get invitations from time to time, if there’s an offer to have a tour, we’re looking forward to it!

The new album came out on Kalpamantra, how did you get in contact with this label and how would you describe the support that they have given you so far?
K. P.- As I remember Steven of Kalpamantra has contacted us for the compilation „Emissions” and since then we keep on working together. It’s great, because one can reach a huge audience outside the narrowing Hungarian scene!

On a worldwide level how has the  feedback been to your music by fans of ambient and experimental music?
K. P.- We have friends/fans mostly from Europe and some from the US and the feedback so far is good.

Are there any other projects besides this band or is this a full time line up?
K. P.- Yes, I started to release some music on my own last year, I did an album with the band First Aid 4 Souls, there was also a project, live appearances and a CD as Voluntas Voraginis and there’s a plan to release a noise-material I did with tgnoise in the near future. Péter Miklós, the other half of United Gods did XX4 and now doing Coreság as his own solo-project.

What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
K. P.- We begin to do some more text-oriented tracks this year, but it’s only one side of  the coin, I’m thinking about releasing another live abum as well, but that’s only an idea.

What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
K. P.- Do we have enough space? We both listening to a lot of music from the classical, contemporary, experimental, even free-jazz, ambient, industrial, electro genres. Speaking for myself Throbbing Gristle, Coil, PTV was an important inspiration, also Etant Donnés, Virgin Prunes, early SPK. But we also like to listen to Tuxedomoon, Swans, Residents or to Ligeti. Nowdays we listen to all sorts of interesting unusual new sounds or the old classics of our liking.

How would you describe your views on Occultism?
K. P.- That’s a big one also! We don’t like the word Occultism, because of it’s neptunian flavour, we prefer to use the word esoterism in a traditionalist sense. We like writers such as Henry Corbin or Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Gustav Meyrink, Fulcanelli, Suhrawardi and the Hungarian Béla Hamvas and András László.

Outside of music what are some of your interests?
K. P.- Art, poetry, writing essays, metaphysics, ancient cosmologies, astrology, alchemy.

Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
K. P.- „Attack consensus Reality!”

https://www.facebook.com/UnitedGods/