BETIMES BLACK CLOUDMASSES

Betimes Black Cloudmasses is Aethenor's follow up to their wonderful, creepy debut album, and still follows the deep, dark, droning methods of progressive electronic. Where the debut sounded like the setting for a Lovecraftian scene of madness, Betimes Black Cloudmasses could be the soundtrack to a torture chamber in a darkened castle.

"I" consists of sinister organs, the sound of klanging chains resonate though the stone halls, tin dishes of the imprisoned sliding beneath their doors on the cement floor, the slamming of giant doors, and the whistling of electronic experiments performed on the unlucky.

"II" sounds like keys jingling before igniting an experimental thunder machine that generates noises that would turn a whole city mad. The center portion of the track is ominously optimistic with floating wooden windchimes. A buzzing drone leads the track to its end.

"III" sounds like the life of a rodent living in or around this castle - it begins completely empty, the rodent accidentally running into pails, brooms, and tools fill the atmosphere, along with the voices of some mad soul carrying through the vents.

It's kind of hard to give a review of music like this. There's nothing technical about it, and not much musical either. It's all about atmosphere, and with albums like this it's really up to the listener to craft imagery for the soundscapes presented. Above is my interpretation, and I suggest this album to anyone willing to attempt crafting similar or different mental imagery for a dark and noisy album. Also, fans of Igor Wakhevitch would most definitely enjoy the avant- gardist tendencies at work here.