Negative-Existence - DARK AGES "Twilight of Europe" Digi CD

DARK AGES "Twilight of Europe" Digi CD
[IPR011]

~~$12.00~~ $8.40

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Artist: DARK AGES

Title: Twilight of Europe

Format: CD

Country: Ukraine

Genre: Dark Ambient

Record Label: Primitive Reaction / Inferna Profundus

Haunting, chilling dark ambient soundwaves from the Ukraine. A must for fans of the Cold Meat Industry artists.

Tracklisting:

1. Breath of the Black Plague 04:58
2. Birth of the Antichrist 04:26
3. Dungeons 03:01
4. Art of the Dark Ages 03:09
5. Gothic Architecture 04:34
6. Malleus Maleficarum 05:02
7. Fate of the Templars 03:50
8. Rise and Fall of Empires 05:12
9. Formulas Written in Blood 02:36
10. Walpurgis Nacht 02:27
11. Ignorance 03:59
Total playing time 43:14

Sounds:

Review:

Written by Groops [Metal Archives]

Although I have been following Dark Ambient for a number of years now, it has only been recently that I have truly got into the genre. It was not that I found the genre impenetrable, but rather that I was just too interested in pursuing Black Metal projects to have the patience to give Dark Ambient more of a chance. This is perhaps not uncommon in followers of Metal, though the links between Dark Ambient & Black Metal just keep appearing. Dark Ambient was one of those genres I knew I would grow on me, if only I could be less impatient. That was, until this year, when I started developing more of an interest in Ambient & electronic music. I have found that as my musical taste has matured, Ambient has become ever more present. For example; there are some excellent Black Metal bands with dominant Ambience such as Hellveto, Moat, Elffor & Reusmarkt. Hellveto in particular lead the listener to Dark Ambient, as the band has a side project; Blakagir which is Medieval Dark Ambient. This is where the relevance of bands such as Dark Ages come in. Dark Ages is another Dark Ambient project linked to the Black Metal scene (a side project of Drudkh). It is impossible to follow Black metal without stumbling upon Ambient somewhere along the line!

One of the most morbid & truly sinister periods in history was the Dark Ages & it is a subject which provides no end of inspiration for musicians. It was most apt that Dark Ages chose their moniker, as their take on Dark Ambient is so bleak & melancholic. The sound tends to be made up of Apocalyptic Black Ambient with almost Neo-Classical arrangements. There are mesmerising samples, haunting choirs & sinister Medieval pieces. “Twilight of Europe” is an absorbing release which seems to suck all the oxygen out of the room, it takes the listener through the depths of their imagination. All the darkness of European history is brought to life via Dark Ages, & the band manage to evoke the journey through history as marked out through their music. The Black Plague, death, disease, desperation, Gothic Art/Architecture, the rise & fall of empires, the drowning of witches, burning of heretics, chaos, & alchemy all come to mind.

The music is hellish & reflects the misery of the time, but is also beautifully haunting & spectral. The reason the release is so hypnotic could also be due to the arrangement of the Medieval pieces which are arranged into loops. There is a Drone quality bringing to mind Maeror Tri or Aiden Baker. The overall sound is incredibly rich with some cleverly used effects. At times chilling bell chimes may be heard, plus the sombre tones of a Church Organ, the subtle vibration of strings, almost Satanic chanting choirs & dreamlike loops & drones. I must say, the use of chanting is very effective. This technique works particularly well in Apocalyptic music, especially bearing in mind masters such as Melek-Tha. The use of loops is also used with a great sense of atmosphere. The Caretaker released an album entitled “The Haunted Ballroom” which was made up of old 1940s ballroom music arranged into looped pieces. Although the release was quite interesting, it didn’t really reach it’s full potential. Dark Ages takes this sort of musical experimentation further & basically demonstrates how samples/loops may be used to create unworldly atmospheres. “Twilight of Ages” is a triumphant example of Dark Ambient/Neo-Classical, it sounds accomplished, skilled & intelligent which is quite an achievement.

The quintessence of grimness, Dark Ages is abyssic, nightmarish & may be compared to classic Cold Meat Industry releases. Dark Ages has an overwhelming historical vision, poignancy, & creativity, utilising electronics in the most imaginative ways. The album is strangely emotive & taps into the pyche, showing how effective Dark Ambient can be. This album proved to be well beyond my expectations & has awoken my interest in the Dark/Black Ambient genre.

This product was added to our catalog on Wednesday 30 December, 2009.

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