Saturday 26 May 2012

Tomhet - Wanderland


This is another ambient release from Glorious North Productions, featuring Canadian Ambient/Black metal band Tomhet. This is also the second purely ambient release I've reviewed in the last couple of weeks.

This EP features eight tracks, including five tracks that also feature on Tomhet's split release with Ukrainian ambient black metal entity Moloch. The EP itself, comes in a DVD size case, with very suitably atmospheric artwork (don't worry, you don't have to adjust your screen). This release is also only limited to 50 copies, so won't be around for long.

Tracklist:-

1. Nebuleye
2. Beneath The Earth
3. Above The Skies
4. Khaos
5. Day Dreamer
6. Alice in The Dark
7. Silhouette of Khaos
8. Wanderland

Wanderland opens with Nebuleye, with lowly keys and programmed percussion.
This is a mere precursor to the rest of the EP though. Beneath The Earth starts off quietly, with haunting and otherworldly melodies and a sound akin to the wind blowing on a lonely moor. Much like the Moloch release that I reviewed recently, it's very dreamy music but it's a logical step for a band that plays black metal, with it's bleak atmosphere.

Wanderland appears to have a very modern sound, with programmed effects and instruments sitting beside the keyboard, with the music being written, recorded and mixed by Jonathan S, who is the sole studio member of Tomhet. Above The Skies follows in a similar vein, with what sounds like distant footsteps in the background. This is a very calm track, meandering along quietly for six minutes. Khaos again features those keys, this time though they're more layered and sit on top of some strangely creepy effects. One thing that strikes me about this EP is that it seems to be very improvisational in the way each song is arranged.

The second part of the EP starts with Day Dreamer, which actually sounds more menacing than the tracks that have come before it. It also sounds bigger, with more layered instruments and effects. It's also a short track though, lasting just over a minute. Alice In The Dark sounds very cosmic. The sound floats around you from the speakers.

Silhouette of Khaos and Wanderland finish this EP in, bringing it to a great end. The uniqueness of sounds in Silhouette of Khaos kind of brings to mind the musical equivalent of a kaleidoscope. Wanderland is actually very upbeat, with programmed beats and a pace not heard throughout the rest of the EP.

Again I feel I've listened to another unique body of music. Each song is different but seems to follow a story. If you currently listen to a lot of extreme metal, especially black metal, this type of ambient music will certainly sit right in your collection and give you something different to listen to, in the times when you're after complete escapism.

You can here Alice In The Dark, on the Glorious North Productions website at http://www.gloriousnorth.co.uk/media.


The EP is also available to buy at http://www.gloriousnorth.co.uk/releases/cd-vinyl.


Tomhet can be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tomhet and via Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/tomhetband.
 

No comments:

Post a Comment