More new cds delivered by the postman this week. Firstly Mantras by Grand Loge from France. It is ritualised dark ambient type of music typical of the label Cyclic Law, who host some amazing artists.
While ostensibly falling into the tribal ambient subcategory, Mantras is so richly composed and performed that anyone who appreciates folk, ambient, free improvisation, or throat singing would find much to like herein.
Instrumentation centres around violin, buzuki, nafar, shaman drums, and tanpura, giving the tracks a medieval and ritualistic feel. The vocals are layered chants that encompass ancient prayers, apparently in both established languages as well as patterns of syllabic utterances. The registers of the voices vary from bassy to midrange. Accompanying them are martial percussion and strummed strings.
This is their debut album, and is sold out now. Only 300 cds and LPs were made. Check it out here.
The other new album is Melinoë by Akhlys, on Debemur Morti Productions.
It comes in a nice digipak cd format. This is much darker black metal. Akhlys is the creation of American Naas Alcameth.
‘Naas is one of those incredible musical talents who seems to turn all he touches to (black) gold. His portfolio of brands includes amazing works such as Nightbringer, Aoratos, Excommunion and of course Akhlys. Being the primary creative and musical force behind them all its of little wonder that there are notable familiarities in the sounds, styles and themes. That said, although clearly all part of the same family, these are distinct individuals with their own personalities. Akhlys is the darkest and most sinister of them all. Existing somewhere between your darkest fears, lucid nightmare and Hell on Earth, Akhlys is the manifestation of subconscious terror. Melinoë is the perfect name for his latest spectral masterpiece. This record does more than capture the horror and madness struck into the souls of those visited by the apparition of Melinoë; it forces you to see it yourself through their eyes, to feel it and experience it as one.
Comprised of five songs spanning forty five minutes the tracks aren’t brief. Signature high-pitched shrieks, tearing tremolo picking and cataclysmic drumming coupled with brilliant production results in a huge sound. But what makes this album what it is, is the masterful way in which the dark Ambient synths are not only woven into each track but envelop the record as a whole and you with it. The resulting atmosphere is thick, intoxicating and beautifully emotive. Each track is dense with layers and brimming with content, despite the slightly longer track times everything is composed in measure and balance. Indeed every time I’ve listened to this album it seems to be over in a mere moment, much like a dream.
Between the synths and the tremolo picking the eerily dark melodies are clear and succinct, which makes this an easy album to listen to and enjoy. That shouldn’t be confused with simplicity. Too many Black Metal bands these days create unnecessarily complex and inaccessible structures which, when done for the sake of nothing more than complexity itself result in a very forgettable record. Thankfully not here. The delivery is both clear and very memorable. The complexity resides in the understated genius of the song writing and musicianship and that’s why this album must surely be at the very top of any list for this year. A terrifying masterpiece of modern Black Metal.’
You can listen to it here.
Audio Satori 
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