Arktau Eos - Unworeldes

A few weeks ago now, I reviewed the five track CD, Ioh-Maera from this Finnish ambient collective. Now it's the turn of their four-track vinyl only release Unworeldes, which was released via Svart Records in November last year. For anyone who is familiar with Arktau Eos, you'll know that their sermons are otherworldly and aligned more towards chamber music and ambient music than they are to metal, but are still worthy of the ears of people who like things that are out of the ordinary.

Tracklist:-

1. The Cypress Watcher
2. Cove of The Seven-Winged
3. Black Leaf Gaze

4. Geometry of Emptiness

Much like their movements within Ioh-Maera, Unworeldes begins with a slow-build in the form of The Cypress Watcher. It's quiet and haunting, with feedback-ridden noise giving way to minimal sounds and sampled rain. Musically it's droning at times, however sparingly it's used. You can imagine a quiet ritual being performed to candlelight, while lightly clad maidens look on from the shadows. The sedate approach of the opener flows into Cove of The Seven-Winged. If you're after instant gratification, you're not going to find it here. Arktau-Eos let their compositions move forward at their own pace. They don't allow them to end prematurely.

The sound level increases during Black Leaf Gaze, as the deeper more menacing chamber music style noise infiltrates the record. It's more guitar based this time and Arktau-Eos don't seem to use any other noise elements in the piece. Also, for those of you who are not as familiar with the band, there are no vocals and very little in the way of percussion within the music, just pure noise and subtle ambience. I like how all four tracks on Unworeldes seem to follow each other. Even though there are moments of silence between tracks, they are not obvious due to the composition and structure of the music.

As Geometry of Emptiness builds, you get a sense that while this is experimental and somewhat challenging, it's also simple and calming. Arktau-Eos don't over-complicate the record with highbrow textures or instruments. It's as accessible as it is untouchable. I'd liken their sound to that of Sutekh Hexen and Gnaw Their Tongues, as well as the ambient moments of Ukrainian black metal Moloch. Unworeldes would sit perfectly next to those bands and fine within the collection of any black metal/experimental fan.

Once again, none of Arktau-Eos's  music is streaming on the Internet, but you can find out more and pick up their music from Svart Records at http://www.svartrecords.com/

Arktau Eos - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Arktau-Eos