Avant-garde collective Eye Of Nix is ready to put a spell on you with the gloomy artistic vision of the album “Black Somnia” reissued by Prophecy Productions.

“Wound And Scar” would sound quite hostile to the average listener as the band focuses on an enigmatic ensemble of dark melodic echoes, tormented screams and aggressive guitar riffs marching fiercely in blackened fashion through surreal ominous atmospheric soundscapes.

On “Fear’s Ascent” extremely dramatic clean vocals flow through shapeshifting layers of anguished gothic style melodies, mournful atmospheres and steady menacing rhythmic segments featuring occasional faster drum pace.

“Lull” has calmer yet profoundly mysterious tonalities amplified by bewitching vocals yet will later acquire psychedelic vintage vibes through intriguing guitar progressions and consequent rhythmic crescendo.  

“A Hideous Visage” showcases hints of doom and heavier roots as guitars deliver cold energetic bursts through massive darkened atmospheric arrangements within a nightmarish soundscape that naturally conveys the band’s beautiful and harsh music vision.

From a realm of eternal darkness Eye Of Nix emerges as a unique sinister force that on “Black Somnia” naturally generates the unusual macabre blend of atmospheric nuances and blackened momentum.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns9yOBLlBvE

Duncan Evans, former guitarist for A Forest Of Stars, began his solo career in 2013 and the new album “Prayers For An Absentee” holds a strong dark folk spirit but also showcases an interesting multifaceted songwriting approach.

The uptempo rhythm of “Bring Your Shoulder” relies on recurring acidic & groovy guitar tonalities while the softer arpeggios and the soulful vocal delivery fully express somber emotions.

“Us And Them And You And Me” delivers unusual melodies always fueled by underlying feelings of sadness yet the rhythmic structure is far from monotone as the whole instrumentation embraces eclectic variations with psychedelic accents that lead to a more chaotic borderline dissonant groove.

“Trembling” immediately feels passionate and profoundly melancholic as hazy atmospheres surround the moody guitar melodies and the graceful nostalgic piano phrases, a solid instrumental combo that spontaneously shifts from fragile harmonies to more urgent rhythmic segments.

On “Christabel” there is a bittersweet mood that influences deeply the instrumental work from beginning to end resulting in an elegant blend of darkened guitar melodies and atmospheric vintage organ harmonies.

The closing track “Time” focuses on the pure melancholia evoked by peaceful acoustic arpeggios that allow Duncan’s heartfelt vocal performance to take the spotlight and convey an emotional whirlwind.

Continuing a personal music journey with an evident poetic approach Duncan Evans performs eight prayers transformed into the songs of “Prayers For An Absentee” with an open heart and a taste for minimalist melodies.

It might be difficult to categorize the music style of Nochnoy Dozor, featuring guitarist Manos Georgakopoulos of doom eccentrics Universe217, yet you can easily appreciate the intriguing soundscapes of the self titled debut EP.

There is magic on “Black Hand” as sultry vocals guide the listeners through a sophisticated sonic realm where peaceful piano melodies spontaneously lead to somber atmospheres and melancholia infused guitar harmonies that contribute to build a dreamy mood.

The minimalist approach on “Stains” certainly favors the enchanting vocals accompanied by the right dose of soothing guitar melodies that will eventually lead to a more energetic rhythmic crescendo.

“Closer” focuses on darker enigmatic dynamics as guitar melodies seem to echo through nocturnal soundscapes and vocals feel particularly bewitching fiercely cutting through the grim atmospheric layers.

The final track “Ben-Hur” begins with ethereal arrangements and soft vocals creating a suspenseful mood, soon heavier doom influenced guitar riffs will drastically amplify dismal tonalities and macabre vibes yet the band also maintains a constant surreal mood with loads of ambient atmospheres.

What Nochnoy Dozor has crafted is absolutely captivating and this debut EP has what it takes to attract the audience and trigger curiosity about what the band has in mind for the next music endeavor.

What enigmatic British project Nhor has concocted during last year is quite unique as four separate “Wildflowers” cassette tapes were released in very limited quantities, each depicting one of the four seasons. Now Prophecy Productions/Lupus Lounge have compiled “Spring”, “Summer”, “Autumn” and “Winter” together with an additional unreleased track for each season for a total of 100 minutes of music available on vinyl.

“Wildflowers” could not sound more poetic and emotional as the poignant piano melodies, bearing a refined classical inspiration and crystalline nuances, on these songs are performed with a rare spontaneity. Stripped of any special effects or loud distortions “Wildflowers” blooms in a drifting ethereal sonic world where everything flows like a dream, at times channeling immense melancholy or decadent romanticism or even luminous hopefulness, often chasing shadows in the night and always capturing images and feelings that otherwise might become fading memories.

Far from being an average album and dedicated to an open minded audience willing to enter the fragile dreamy world that Nhor has created,“Wildflowers” represents a different music experience best enjoyed under the moonlight watching the stars.  

Schwadorf and Helm of Empyrium always work on new music ideas and this time their project Noekk returns with the mythical acoustic tonalities of “Carol Stones and Elder Rock”, a limited 7-inch single in advance of their fourth album which will be released in 2019.

“A Loss” gives you a brief yet absolutely intense blast of melancholia with calm piano melodies, airy atmospheres and whispered vocals.

“Pan” is full of darkened atmospheres and a series of gentle arpeggios that follow odd tempo signatures leading to eclectic prog textures with a slightly folk mood while vocals become increasingly dramatic.

“A Vision” is another short tune that offers dreamy autumnal vibes with laid back magical acoustic phrases and hazy atmospheres.

“Archaic Tune” fully embodies the magical atmospheric mystique of the whole album yet the acoustic guitar passages become more intricate with extra prog dynamics and solemn vocals naturally evoke ethereal poetic vibes.

The fascinating acoustic nuances of “Carol Stones and Elder Rock” will warm your heart and leave you wondering about the future music endeavors of Noekk.

German bands Farsot and ColdWorld joined forces to dedicate the new split album ”Toteninsel” to the Austrian Symbolist Arnold Böcklin’s most famous and mysterious painting Toteninsel (“isle of the dead”).

On “Erde I” Farsot hypnotizes the audience with the peaceful feelings channeled by darkly gentle arpeggios floating through dreamy atmospheres yet this soothing calm will often fade into a blackened sonic void where desperate growls and distorted guitar riffs become the main focus.

“Erde II” maintains a dark mysterious aura yet Farsot choose to focus exclusively on the minimalist beauty of soft acoustic guitar phrases and refined atmospheric crescendos.

On “Wasser I” ColdWorld creates elegant harmonies and subtle atmospheres that constantly evoke ethereal seaside soundscapes yet there is also a darker momentum featuring melancholic distorted guitar riffs.

“Wasser II” becomes harsh and notably heavier as blackened guitar riffs take the spotlight and the atmosphere inevitably acquires gelid tonalities which match the arcane old school black metal mood yet ColdWorld still delivers some contemplative melodic segments.

“Toteninsel” dwells in a rather dark sonic realm where Farsot and ColdWorld comfortably express monochromatic emotions and naturally follow their signature music pathway.

Canadian atmospheric black metal stalwarts Finnr’s Cane are ready to reach the next milestone in their music journey with the third album “Elegy”.

You can perceive the emotional nature of “Willow” since the very beginning as dreamy atmospheric textures and uplifting melodies surround and embrace the obscure dynamics of the blackened rhythmic momentum.  

The title track amplifies the dark aspects of the album as somber guitar riffs slowly build surreal dreadful soundscapes accompanied by soothing vocal harmonies that will eventually become distant desperate screams through multiple waves of mournful guitar melodies.

“Empty City” is a heartfelt highly atmospheric music piece where refined orchestral arrangements become the main focus crafting peaceful harmonies spontaneously followed by sentimental piano melodies and minimalist gentle acoustic guitars.

“A Sky Of Violet And Pearl” feels more enigmatic as the initial mix of primordial blackened guitar riffs and dismal growls will depict the most somber scenario dragging the listeners into a realm of supreme darkness yet later the song will embrace a dreamy soundscape with a generous dosage of undiluted melancholia channeled by delicate piano & strings phrases.

In the midst of sheer desolation Finnr’s Cane aim to broaden their music vision to ultimately create a unique sonic experience on “Elegy” which definitely contains familiar elements of extreme metal but focuses on a wider range of contrasting feelings and tonalities.