THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE

This is the third full-length album from this instrumental Belgian outfit whose members are unknown. Compared to the first two this one has no vocal samples and almost no crescendos. The music seems more symphonic and the bass playing is less noticeable. Here everything is more 'dark ambient' and less 'post-rock'. Very cinematic sounding and like the first two albums, it sounds like they use electronic percussion sounds only. The album is released on October 8 (2015) and along with my promotional copy received a USB thingy with a video for the first track. Lots of disturbing images to go with the music. Some of it looks like actual footage taken somewhere where people are tortured and experimented on; some of it is certainly actors trying to be scary. Weird.

"Necro" opens the album and is divided into two fragments. A melody on acoustic guitar and tremoloed guitar appears out of a doomy beginning. Things get more atmospheric and symphonic as it goes along, almost hinting at a crescendo but never quite getting there. Everything dies down with a heartbeat-like pulse from electronic beats. A symphonic crescendo appears and dies down then the remainder seems more chaotic. "The Lies We Share" starts out very cinematic sounding. Eventually violins and distorted guitar strums show up and lighten the mood somewhat. Returns to cinematic soundscapes.

"The Great Divide" begins rather noisy and avant-garde before quickly moving into atmospheric sparseness. Electronic pulses and chord changes on guitars eventually lead to another cinematic section. Towards the end an almost hip-hop style beat appears with some symphonic lushness on top; drumkit and guitar soloing join them. "They Sleep While We Burn" begins in an almost industrial sounding way. Turns into an ambient soundscape with a metronomic electronic beat.

Afterwards drumkit joins in and things get more symphonic, eventually turns more cinematic. You hear some muffled talking near the end. The title track is also the shortest but probably the least gloomy and most 'hopeful' sounding. Very atmospheric and symphonic. Overall a really good album which takes a few listens to understand and appreciate. Basically similar to the group's previous music, if you are a fan of dark ambient or post-rock at its most cinematic sounding this may be for you. I will give this 4 stars.