As this semester draws to a close, now is a good time to reflect on some of the songs and albums we’ve listened to while cramming for exams and pulling all-nighters to finish final projects. I’ve listened to many dark ambient albums to keep me focused, and many great albums were played while preparing a history paper, or another Slides presentation. One album, however, has consistently stood out to me among the rest: Terra Sancta’s “Exile” released in 2014 under Malignant Records.

This album is one of the greatest dark ambient albums of all time, and since dark ambient is my favorite genre, I would call it one of the best albums of all time. Outsiders to the genre may not see its appeal, but I would encourage you to give “Exile” a listen and see for yourself. You may be surprised at what you interpret from it. For those already in the genre, you would be familiar with, and readily appreciate Terra Sancta’s style.

Malignant Records logo.

The album begins with “Empire of Ashes,” a song that slowly but steadily builds tension. Terra Sancta’s style of sound gives me the feeling I’m watching sand being blown over a desert landscape at night, just as the album’s cover implies. Perhaps there are some traces of civilization left, like the phone pole on the edge of the album’s cover, or perhaps it’s just an illusion of hope. Either way, we are immediately told things are not right.

The album quickly follows with “Kingdom of Dust,” with a transition so seamless I thought “Empire of Ashes” was still going the first time I listened. It feels less like the second song, but more like the second part, building tension and immersing us in this album. Hearing this song is like listening to dust fly over graves. We investigate further, wanting to find out what went wrong, and this song entices us onward, to whatever horrors await us.

The third song is “Celestial Extinction,” featuring Rasalhague. This song has higher notes and some melodies that sound almost like instruments, but not completely. The change in pace and uncertainty makes it very alien, as if you are in a place entirely unrecognizable. It feels closer to other dark ambient songs, enough you could call it conventional. Perhaps it will give you the illusion the album’s tone is improving. However, the next song breaks it.

Image of Rasalhague via Peek-A-Boo Magazine

The fourth is “The Desolate Land,” which we have felt throughout this entire album. “Celestial Extinction” felt like whatever we were witnessing was during the day, while this next song implies night has fallen and we are lost again. This song intensifies the soundscapes from “Kingdom of Dust,” where instead of feeling a breeze there is a roaring windstorm, blowing dirt and sand everywhere, obscuring our vision and leading us further into doom. The song is the album’s event horizon, and once it is crossed there is no return from what lies in store for us next.

The fifth is “Descent II,” a follow-up to the song “Descent I” from a previous release. The night is getting even darker, and there is no comforting moonlight to guide us. The sounds in this song feel heavier and deliberate, an excellent way to increase the tension even more. The landscape itself is now seemingly out to get you, and you try to escape, but you cannot find one. At the halfway point, another soundscape is reminiscent of rain or a mist falling, but it is not the cool, wet mist we expect. It is hot and choking, and it strangles us of all remaining hope.

The sixth song is “Vanishing Point,” which is once again a seamless transition from “Descent II.” It builds on all the nihilistic tension and fear to a dramatic climax. This is the best song in the album, and has an apocalyptic tone. When listening I picture some cataclysm like a superstorm or a volcano destroying the landscape, while the last few minutes are of the sun setting on a planet devoid of all life. The last couple minutes also feature rapping on metal or drums or some other object, I cannot tell which, further reinforcing its message of doom. The monsters of this world found us, be they alive or not, and we are theirs. We went too deep, and now we face the consequences. All vanishes, and we are lost forever.

Image via Terra Sancta on Discogs

The final song, “End Path,” is a short epilogue, and it calmly pulls out of the ghastly world Terra Sancta pushed us into. It maintains the brooding soundscapes similar to “Empire of Ashes,” but has a lighter, more ethereal tone, similar to “Celestial Extinction.” It gives me the feeling I am literally being lifted away from the horror and the fear that dominated the previous songs. Perhaps instead, this song is from the perspective of another observer, one that is looking at our corpses and wondering what went wrong.

I highly recommend “Exile” to all dark ambient fans, and even regular ambient fans for that matter. If you are interested in an album off the beaten path or one you will almost never hear on the radio or in top song lists, check this one out. It will be a journey you will never forget.

The post Album Review: Terra Sancta’s “Exile” appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The label Cryo Chamber marks its tenth anniversary, while another label named Cyclic Law marks its twentieth. I consider both labels the foremost in the dark ambient scene. Many talented artists have year-long stays with them and have produced many brilliant albums.

Cyclic Law, the elder label, was founded in 2002 in France and features many European artists. They boast plentiful merch, ranging from intricately detailed CDs to books to even incense. To commemorate the anniversary, the label hosted a concert in a chateau in southern France, a fitting location for a dark ambient concert. Artists and fans alike had a great time.

Many of Cyclic Law’s albums I’ve listened to delve into occult and esoteric themes. Others cover topics like mythology, fantasy, and historical events. One of my personal favorites is The Architecture of Melancholy by Peter Bjärgö. The album feels like wandering across a desert at twilight, searching for something, someone, but never finding it. Nevertheless, you march on, searching amidst the infinity.

Another favored album is Hypnosis by Desiderii Marginis. The album is a long journey of dreams and nightmares, flowing from peace to horror and back. Chock-full of surreal soundscapes and macabre voices, it will keep you on edge from start to finish.

Simon Heath, known by his artist’s name Atrium Carceri (Latin for “prison hall”), founded Cryo Chamber in 2012. The label is based in Oregon. Heath was motivated to start the label to restore the genre’s structure after a previous label, Cold Meat Industry, went under, taking much of the dark ambient scene with it. Thanks to Heath’s work, the genre is experiencing an American audience.

Most of Cryo Chamber’s artists also come from Europe, but the label features members from across the globe, including North America, Brazil, Iran, and Australia. Its American artists include Council of Nine and God Body Disconnect, both of whom are prominent contributors to the label. Council of Nine’s music features themes from religion to overcoming loss, while God Body Disconnect’s work sticks to his name, covering the separation of body and mind, spiritual connections, and transitions from this world to the next.

Many of Cryo Chamber’s albums have sci-fi themes, showing us just how scary space can be. One of their best albums from this year is “Sundown” by Beyond the Ghost. It is a dark album in a wider series about Europe falling into war and anarchy in the distant future. Another excellent album is “Exo” by Tineidae. It tells the story of an astronaut exploring an abandoned mothership and delving deep into the mysteries of the cosmos.

Cryo Chamber is also notable for its annual Lovecraftian collaboration albums, which has been ongoing since 2014 with “Cthulhu,” named after one of H.P. Lovecraft’s deities. Different artists each make sections of the project, and the label strings them together for an hours-long album. The 2022 collaboration will release later this month.

Both of these labels are instrumental in the dark ambient scene and have helped this very niche genre grow and thrive. If you are interested in hidden, obscure, or strange genres, dark ambient is for you, and these labels are your guide. Cyclic Law and Cryo Chamber have many years of music under their belts and will produce many more in the years to come.

The post This Week in Music History: 10 & 20 Years of Dark Ambient appeared first on KRUI Radio.