EMPTINESS WITHIN

Misanthrofeel are an experimental project created and performed by the Russian composer. The album is fully instrumental with horror themes. As soon as the album begins the room will go darker as we hear a scratchy vinyl sound of eerie piano. The doomy metal chords created on the next few tracks generate a heavy ominous atmosphere. The keyboards are well executed and it is at times difficult to believe the whole album was created on a computer. The stark cold synth lines and crunching guitar sounds juxtaposed together form a layer of Gothic ambience. The front cover of the album may well be the scene of a death or suicide which would be fitting to the music. This is not an album for the faint of heart as it is downright creepy.

'Nightmares' has a chilling vibe, very downbeat and ethereal, as if it is a soundtrack to a horror movie. The creaking footsteps and crying baby effects augment this haunting atmosphere. The effects tend to tell a story, albeit a macabre one involving a pervading portentous occurrence. The music threatens to scream out suddenly and jolt the listener but never does, yet the permeating distorted guitar chords over a layer of keyboard motifs are the main threat.

After a musical box is heard, a symbol of innocence, there is the sound of waves on a beach, a symbol of isolation. 'On The Shore' features a very ambient synth line and some chittering effects until a strong piano is heard playing a haunting melody. The wind howling adds to the atmosphere of doom. I liked the high piano notes that are as sinister as the soundtrack to "Eyes Wide Shut". The slow melodies patiently meander along, and this track has a spacey sound on synths. One of the better tracks.

'Through Anxiety' has a nice bassy synth and strong descending chord structures. It builds very slowly, with stark gloomy sounds. It is one of the darkest tracks especially due to the disturbing effects. It may be the soundtrack of a killer stalking his prey in the darkened forest.

'Wreckage' begins with a car driving off and we can guess that the track will be based on a horrific car crash. The melody is downbeat and foreboding, as we hear the sounds of cars driving past. One may imagine a lonely road with a driver about to meet their fate. The car screeches and crashes eventually, heavy breathing is heard, so we can presume the driver survived.

'Ortni' is another scratchy track with weird backtracked effects. We hear the sounds of a gun being cocked back and then there is the disturbing sound of a machine gun firing and dogs wailing. The atmosphere is blood curdling on this. The sound of a woman crying is heard as she discovers the dead animals. This is as bleak as I have heard; a very disconcerting track.

The bonus track 'Expectance' is more of the synth lines and cold glum atmospheres. The distorted guitar chords return and it ends the album with some more skittering effects.

Overall this album would work as a chilling soundtrack to a stalk and slash movie or a movie that centres around death or shadowy ghostly occurences. It was certainly worth a listen but I am not sure I would return often to this rather unsettling eerie music.

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