Nitrous Flesh "Abominations" CD
[Tantric Terror]
This is a collection of demos, outtakes, compilation appearances, and unreleased material from this bleak dark ambient project. Of the previously released tracks are "Skinwalker" (from the split cassette with Gerritt), "Wormwould" (the studio version of a live track from the "Shadow Fracture" CD), and "Ghosts and Blood" and "As Above, So Below" from compilations. Most of the material is very sinister and somewhat quiet, based around low drones and various textural samples (generally dealing with nature on some level), with tracks ranging in length from around three minutes to more than 12. In a sense some of the samples can be too much, because they often play too large a role in otherwise interesting tracks and take away from the creativity of the work (the growling wolves and such in "Goetia" for example). Some of the more minimal and hypnotic tracks with subtly percussive elements are the most effective, namely the excellent "Temple of the Djinn". "Beyond the Gate" employs musical synths and has a bit of a soundtrack sort of atmosphere, and I really like that approach as well. The recordings are all fairly good, a few of the tracks are somewhat muddier and a bit rawer, but the consistency of the songs is not disrupted at all. The CD-R comes in a DVD case with simple black art and text over marbled gray paper. It's simple, but gets the job done. The images could be crisper, but I can live with it. There are some great tracks here, but all in all it's very boring to me. Not only because the CD-R runs far too long in my opinion, as do some of the less effective individual compositions, but I find the songs to be less than moving in their uses of repetition, and there are too many samples and textures implemented that distract me from listening to the elements that I actual enjoy and find to be promising. A handful of these songs could make an excellent 10" or CD EP, but the presentation would absolutely needed to be stepped up to better represent the music. This isn't all that bad, but I can't see myself giving it a few more spins down the road... (5/10)
Running time - 74:40, Tracks: 11
[Notable tracks: Skinwalker, Temple of the Djinn, Beyond the Gate]
Tantric Terror - http://www.tantricterror.com

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