This is the second release in VidnaObmana's Dante trilogy, and this particular release revolves around Dante's "Inferno". I guess this stuff is often called "ethno-ambient" or whatever, and I guess that's a fair tag. I would certainly describe this material as dark ambient, and there is what could be called an ethic flare to the musical overtones, so... The sound sources credited on this particular release are Fujaras (a Slovakian folk instrument), overtone lutes and percussion, a dreampipe, recycling and abstract mutations, voices, electric guitar and EBow harmonics, etc. There are also a few guest musicians handling the trumpet (in "Resonant Gore") and double bass and strings (in "The Humanity Underneath" as well as "Resonant Gore"). Like the first installment of the trilogy, this is a very professionally structured piece of work that flows very well and makes for a great listen, even at a whopping 74 minutes in length (with many individual songs reaching seven or eight minutes, and one a mighty 17+). "Skin Strip" is the first track that introduces some percussive rhythms and vocal work, some of which continues in "Duality of Passion", which is even more percussive and definitely starts to give off the feeling that the record sort of moves through phases. "The Nihilist" seems to be slightly more minimal to a degree, but it's pulsating bass and intriguing rhythms certainly stand out and become more and more involved as the piece progresses. And the closing track, "Resonant Gore", is a definite epic at 17:39. Despite the fact that some of the other songs that are only a fraction of its length can tend to feel slightly repetitious, this masterful composition ebbs and flows, keeping things interesting with several buildups and careful dynamic shifts. I especially love the sustain of the EBow textures blended with the subtle string arrangements. Of course the recording is pristine. I have no complaints. Listening in headphones everything sounds perfect and there is obviously a great amount of detail involved with each composition, but every layer and texture is audible thanks to a clean mix and a great sense of balance. The layout is very simple, using large, precise photographs that show amazing detail and are presented in a slightly abstract format along with minimal text (recording information, tracklist, and a quote from Dante's "Inferno"). This is certainly a worthy follow-up to "Tremor", and one that I enjoy just as much, if not ever so slightly more than its predecessor. If you're into the more structured and pointed side of the experimental realm, one that refrains from taking things too far from its experimental roots, I would recommend giving this a shot. Nice work.
[Release]
Running time - 73:39, Tracks: 9
[Notable tracks: Skin Strip, The Nihilist, Resonant Gore]
Release Entertainment - http://www.releaseentertainment.com
