ProtoU & Oljus – Mørketsland (Album – Cryo Chamber)
Genre/Influences: Cinematic, Dark-Ambient, Ritual.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: This collaborative work features Ukrainian Sasha Puzan aka ProtoU and Swedish Stefan Sandberg aka Oljus. ProtoU is a familiar project from the Cryo chamber roster while Oljus released a few self-released works and the CRyo Chamber collective work “Tomb Of Ordeals” (2019). This work has been introduced as inspired by Vikings. Mattia Giovanni Accinni (Chaigidel) and Thomas Langewehr (Ager Sonus) contributed as guest artists.
Content: The debut track leads the listener throughout a ghost-like sphere featuring whispering voices. Quite progressively we discover heavy, bombastic, and uplifting drones creating a Ritual effect. Some passages are more inhibited but always haunting. The last part of the album has been accentuated by mysterious sounds. A very specific aspect of the work is that there are 7 songs each featuring a duration of 7 minutes.
+ + + : “Mørketsland” moves a step further than the ‘classical’ Cryo Chamber production devoted to Cinematic Music. This work sounds as the right offspring between Dark-Ambient, Cinematic, Ritual and even Drone. The production sounds ultra dark and ghost-like. I even dare to say it’s probably one of the darkest productions ever released by the Swedish label. “A Howling Gale” is a brilliant exposure. The bombastic effect of drones even creates a transcendental experience. The last part of the work sounds more mysterious because of the addition of flute sounds, strings, throat singing ao. Both artists are simply complementary while the guest artist inject a true bonus.
– – – : I don’t have true minus points but it feels like this duo can even do better.
Conclusion: “Mørketsland” is a great piece of music for dark souls.
Best songs: “A Howling Gale”, “Wall Of Thorns feat. Ager Sonus”, “Spirit Of The Water”, “The Summoning”, “Hall Of Serpents feat. Chaigidel.
Rate: 8½.
Artist: www.facebook.com/protoudrone / www.facebook.com/oljusbilder
Label: www.cryochamberlabel.com / www.facebook.com/CryoChamber
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