Ominous Sounds is a young label from Iberian soil, run by Hiemis chieftain Juan Carlos Toledo, and specialized in the more ritualistic niche of Dark Ambient material and related Music. Beside releases from ‘individual’ projects (Monotone Murk, Rune Clausen, Altum), the label also focuses on compiled releases, i.e. so-called ‘various artists’ albums, compilations with projects that sort of wander around in comparable dimensions of archaic ritualism.
Short introduction… ElectronicDeathBlackDogs, aka Electronic Death Black Dogs, are a productive project from Scotland, UK, run by Roddy Graham. Once again, Roddy wrote and performed everything himself, and he took care of the production too.
Almost two years ago (at this moment of posting), Brotherhood Of Sleep released their first album, Devotional Hymns To A Brilliant Flaming Sun (via the mighty Dutch label Winter-Light). I was enormously impressed by the result, which I labeled in my personal files as ‘obscure and hypnotic Deep Trance / Ceremonial Drone / Dark Ritual Ambient’ (I can’t help it that my autistic alter-ego adores making lists of different things, hehe). Earlier this year, this project came up with the sophomore album, called Enter The Nuummite Cosmos.
Quite an unknown (read: underestimated) project, the Belgian act This Morn’Omina will celebrate its thirtieth anniversary later this year. Modestly productive since the end of last century, This Morn’Omina now returns with Insha, a fifty-minutes aural ceremony consisting of eight chapters. This time it’s a ‘major’ release, I mean, it will be available via two ‘bigger’ labels within the scene, i.e.
I just noticed – and that’s a pity – that I did not write down my thoughts on the self-titled debut by Pillar Amongst Willows, which was released in very early 2025 via Centipede Abyss. But I’ll make it right up by reviewing the second release by this one-man project, called Kindred Odyssey, which got released as well via the Centipede Abyss label more or less one year after that nameless debut album.
Lux Sine Lumine, which is Latin for ‘light without light’, is a project by Eri Nthentropy aka Yydraah aka Ni (or just Nathalie, haha), the directing entity behind the unique Centipede Abyss community and partner of Pan Inentropy. She’s active in acts like Zvylpwkua, Act Of Entropy or Ukakuja (all Centipede Abyss combos) as well, for your (extremely important) information.
Amaethon is the Austin, Texas based solo-outfit by Jake Wayman, who’s part of the current Calcraft line-up as well (amongst some other great names, as former member, like Nahaya, Vesperian Shadow or Wolvenguard). With this new outfit, he did release two albums in the meantime. The debut, Exclusion Zone, was (quasi) totally written, recorded and performed by Jake himself.
Shorter review on an older release, yet written in dedication to the Noctivagant Collective; this one is for you, Phillip!
I will have this review brief and concise…
I suppose Alphaxone do not need any introduction anymore. This project, run by Iran-born artist Mehdi Saleh, is an extremely productive act, with tens of releases, both independently released, as well as via long-time partner Cryo Chamber, one of the most notorious labels when it comes to Cinematic Ambient Music in its most open-minded definition.
A short, concise one…
