Artist: Lacrimorphosis
Title: Where Towers Pierce The Draconian Winter
Type: Album
Label: Digital / Sokol Keep
I almost kind of feel I have to start this with an apology for this review as it’s the second one in less than seven days from the last Sokol Keep drop. But it was a flawless drop to be honest and, fear not, I have a widely sourced list of albums left to review once they have passed my minimum listening threshold and I am but one small hamster running here on the wheel. Love and enthusiasm fuel me.
‘Gate To The Dragon Stars’ was where I thought this album might get me. It’s one of those dark, ominous intros of percussion and sombre synths, that touch of Dead Can Dance circa Spleen And Ideal wrapped in an irresistible fantasy dark romance. It is epic in sound, cinematic with the crescendos and the movement towards the gates. ‘Stormwrath Wyvern’ is led into nicely, harsh memories going back to that bloody wyvern on that bridge in Dark Souls. Inevitable, unavoidable and unbeatable. Its as though as a listener I’m searching for a way around as the size of the beast becomes clear and the routes disappear one by one. ‘Endless Passage’ is a crystalline relief. Sound shimmers from rock and crystal, feint light, delicate notes and slow steps whether caused by fear , awe or a mixture I am unsure. We reach ‘Forgotten Shrine’ and the cinematic feel rises once more. The building of tension as we approach, not a sense of malevolence so much as power, history and myth. Half chants create a chill of religion and lost lore, heart beats trip with the simple drum. It’s a tense and wondrous moment as somehow, for some reason perhaps of devotion we are accepted in this old, still space.
The most wonderful think about this album and approach by Ukrainian Lacrimorphosis is the entrancing mix of deeply old school dungeon synth but with a truly cinematic, thematic atmosphere. ‘Crystal Warlock Ascends To Death’ is a beautiful example; graceful, portentous and impossible to look away from.
‘The Maceholder’ has a strangely almost gothic feel for me, the staccato string sounds at its root. Whereas ‘The Talisman Of Black Charms’ is delicate, deceptive and quite beautiful with the droplet notes of harp sounds. Disturb at your peril.
Its with music and moments like ‘Mirror Bridge Of The Dark’ that I am completely captivated. The breathing wash of synth sounds, low in tone usher you away from this world and those bright notes layered upon it not only make you follow, but they hold your breath so wonderful is the world you have been allowed into. Magic, myth, perilous beauty in notes of light and sweetness spread across a dark silken canvas.
‘A Sinblade’ is clothed in religion, choral vocal sounds, the deep timpani sound and striking of metal. Procession of exhalation, or threat of your ending I know not. But it seems to be the lich gate into the ‘Extinguished Cathedral Of Night’ sharing the sound and the theme but rising to an imperious height. The music, a raw throated organ lights up the vast knave briefly in waves just to hint at how vast the space and how insignificant you are. For me it brings images of a monolithic, empty place yet still having a heart beating with a purpose. There is a moment of lonely cello and harp sounds, a sweet voice. Truly magnificent.
‘Majesty In Silent Chains’ brings to my old mind Arcana’s 1996 ‘Dark Age Or Reason’ (one of the formative albums of my journey into dark ambient) in the slow wave of synth and the use of percussion and chants to bring majesty to this quiet place. A heavy procession, a grim majesty. ‘Cleric Of Eternity’ by contrast is a small nook of this cathedral. Forgotten maybe, isloated certainly. Walled up in its own space but eyes led by the sweet vocal sounds to gaze far beyond the imprisoning walls.
‘Winterlord, Harbinger Of Silent Ages’ closes this book. The synths chill the air with a frost, slow windswept sounds coating the landscape. Somewhere a whisper slips by me, perhaps a far far distant bell too. A chime. But this is a world where the quiet is simply to warn us of the approach of something. Heralds, voices at least, precede the arrival and as they come into a hazy, snow swept view….quiet.
I love this. I don’t think I have heard anything that has come quiet as close to the sound of those first two Arcana albums (Cantar De Procella), but of course there is the sound too of Lacrimorphosis which has this deep, rich and epic cinematic feel to it. Each song here is a scene, set within a whole, and tugging emotions this way, that way and opening your eyes to what lies beyond the images upon some screen.
Old school dungeon synth, epic dungeon music, dark neo-classical ambient. It is such a wonderful accomplished mix and a superb album indeed.
Gizmo
Lacrimorphosis – Where Towers Pierce the Draconic Winter | Lacrimorphosis | SOKOL KEEP
Walking The Liminal Space 