CD

I am in touch with different labels from all over our beautiful planet, and I like a lot of them. But one of my most appreciated ones must be Distant Voices from France. It has to do with three things: 1. the great crew behind this label, 2. the sonic side, i.e. the fine recordings this label did release until now (it’s a personal opinion, of course, but I do appreciate about all of the things offered to the audience by this French team), and 3. the personal approach of each single release.

In 2018 some East-European musicians joined forces under the moniker of Monumentum Damnati: Abhoth (music & lyrics, also bass guitars), Athame (synths), Shoggoth (guitars) and Nyarlathotep (drums). Somehow they did prefer to stay ‘anonymous’ (with masks), even though it is said that they are ‘known’ artists from Belarus and at least one other country from the Far East of Europe (and maybe the U.S. of A.).

The story of this Flemish band started about a decade ago, when some experienced members of notorious bands like Omega Centauri, Kludde, Toorn, Ignifer or Trancelike Void joined forces. The aim was to create that kind of Doom-Death material that stands miles away from the more romantic and gothic oriented trend, i.e. with the goal to be rather funereal in approach.

I am aware that the second volume has been released in the meantime. That actually is a good thing, for the aim of this promotional series is to support the ‘local’ scene. And yes, a third one is in the making…

I have to admit that I do not know that much bands from FYROM aka the Former Yugoslavian Republic Of Macedonia aka North Macedonia nowadays. Born For Slaughter, Aeon Arcanum, Maras or Tremula are a handful of bands that I do appreciate, but I have to thank Satanath Records’ Aleksey once more for introducing me to Vehementor.

Hailing from Norway, Therapy Productions is a new label for the mentally disturbed, so it didn’t take that long for me to get in touch. Their aim: Pushing the limits of sound / redefining what genres are / exploring new territories / not trying to conform / showing the world something new / crossing boundaries / making art. Please enter the world of sonic deformation…

Robert C. Kozletsky was a known artist in Psychomenteum, but that project did split up, unfortunately, a while ago. He also collaborated in the high-profile collaboration Kerrstillingskozletskynyströmpetrus, with Stephen Petrus, John Stillings, Larry Kerr and Peter Nyström, and he’s part of the Shock Frontier line-up as well. But I think his best-known outfit will be his solo-project Apócrýphos, which he started almost a decade ago.

For some reason - do not ask me how - or when, where, whatever - I did not review Nur Ein Moment…, the predecessor of …In Stille. A pity, for this band deserves some (any) additional support and promotion. The same, evidently, goes for the label involved, Hypnotic Dirge Records (although, for this magnificent Saskatoon, Canada based label, I did several other reviews before, for this label deserves any additional attention whatsoever; but that is another story).

First I have to make a confession. I did not know this band from Belarus. Seriously, I had not heard of Reido before. And you know, I am gonna make it up all right, because this release… Nope, first things first.

In the ancient Greek mythology, ‘Chthonia’ referred to several personalities, amongst which the mystic ‘subterranean’ deity – but I think the Internet will give you all information you are searching for. And hey, this isn’t a wiki-alike webzine, but a promotional entity for (dark) Aural Art. So let’s get over to the next step…