Edgar Allan Poe was one of the first modern writers to incorporate psychological terror and macabre elements into his works. Poe’s exploration of the psyche, obsession, and the dark side of humanity continues to shape horror literature and film today. Indeed, his deliberate pacing and use of unreliable narrators – characters who deceive, have incomplete knowledge, or are insane – have become staples of the genre.

Mysterium, Incubus et Terror is the latest experimental ambient compilation of new works from Eighth Tower Records. It features tracks from Morgen Wurde, Mombi Yuleman, Kloob alone and with Onasander, Rapoon, Mario Lino Stancati, Michael Bonaventure, Lars Bröndum, [ówt krì], and Henrik Meierkord. Each of these interprets one of ten Poe stories in musical form.

At first blush, these tracks – all in the 4-8 minute range – are surprisingly consistent in their quiet approach. There is rather little in the way of dynamics…

The pieces that I had heard from Michael Valentine West prior to the release of this album were intriguing, yet I never found more than a few moments to contemplate his work. On a farewell to arms, West covers a lot of ground in experimental ambient space, the album taking the form of a single 49-minute track.

To that point, it goes through a number of distinct phases or movements, beginning with a slow-paced and moody piano interlude combined with spiky and burbling static. The tension slowly builds as the piano notes become more tightly spaced, the static louder, and drones enter the background.

Eventually, this passage fades into the second movement, which takes on a more menacing tone with synth layers stretching out chords in a fashion consistent with dark ambient. The tension and density build once again until West breaks out into a third movement of improvised…

Eighth Tower is back with another Lovecraft-inspired release. This is the second from The Great Old Ones, a stage name of experimentalist and label head Raffaele Pezzella. Guest musicians include Mario Lino Stancati on voice and electric guitar, and Alexandros Magkos (Grim Machine) on percussion, electronics, and voice.

Not unlike its predecessor, Mythos Of Cthulhu focuses on electroacoustic ambient, with synth-driven droning textures and lilting passages. These haunting pieces evoke the underwater city of R’lyeh, where Cthulhu lies in a death-like slumber, as well as the activities of human cultists.

To the latter point, The Tablets Of Ubbo-Sathla features muted ritual chant, throat singing, and tribal percussion in addition to strange effects and noises. Other pieces are more open-ended and experimental, with sculpted electronics that shimmer with discordance as well as bells, chimes, and elements from field recordings.

Rather than just encompassing the ancient terror that is Cthulhu, the album…

https://eighthtowerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/yog-sothoth

Genre: Dark Ambient

Rating: 4/5

This could be an above average Cryo Chamber release and it’s very much in the same sonic ballpark. Cryo Chamber releases almost all fall into a 3 or 4 star rating tier to my ears. Like this release, the 4 star releases have a special flair.

Yog-Sothoth has monstrous sonic waves with tentacles comprised of individual notes adding color and spice. The combination makes for an engaging listen.

The Lovecraft theme is fun and is what drew me to this record in the get.

I like Lovecraft and I think the new recent uptick in appreciation of Lovecraftian mythology is cool but I wish that Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe were appreciated more in tandem. Maybe these guys could make some Poe centered records 😡

The physical CDR comes with a poster but the poster doesn’t look as cool as the album cover which…

La Croche Oreille vous propose un survol de trois anthologies préparées par Raffaele Pezzella et ses collaborateurs sur l’étiquette Unexplained Sounds Group. Au programme, des musiques expérimentales péruviennes, des explorations musicales chinoises et des créations sonores de l’Inde. (Photo : tirée de l’Album Anthology Of Exploratory Music From India, Peinture ancienne de l’Inde © 2021)

Œuvres au programme :
À venir…

Présentée sur les ondes de CKRL 89,1 le dimanche à 21 h, La Croche oreille est réalisée et animée par Gaëtan Gosselin.

Le contenu de l’émission est disponible en baladodiffusion.
Si le lien est rompu, nous contacter.

Eighth Tower Records is proud to release a tribute CD to the Italian master of horror cinema Lucio Fulci, and his Death Trilogy.
THE BEYOND – MUSIC INSPIRED BY THE LUCIO FULCI DEATH TRILOGY (pre-order – 200 copies limited edition, 6 panels CD).

This new Eighth Tower Records project, dedicated to the Lucio Fulci’s “Trilogy Of Death”, a unique and unrepeatable achievement in the history of Italian “supernatural cinema”, tries to imagine an alternative soundtrack for those movies.

The several souls of Fulci’s movies are evoked by the musicians through a variety of music styles (electroacoustic, dark ambient, concrete music, progressive rock, drone music).

The accompanying Anthology (Release Date TBA) will include Mr. Scott’s supernatural/noir novelette, SON OF NO ONE.

Purchase or listen link:

https://eighthtowerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-beyond-music-inspired-by-the-lucio-fulci-death-trilogy?fbclid=IwAR0VSy7x_Hin2JibTow0RihsHMkVcR61NwqOCt7AXLO72m4lNN9k5nJtFOw