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ALBUM REVIEW
- Old Forgotten Lands/Ancient Tundra -
Equinox
- Hypnotic Dirge Records
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- The idea for Old Forgotten Lands and
Ancient Tundra to collaborate on a split release was a very fortuitous one; between the
two of them they create extremely different worlds, but share similar enough dark ambient
roots and compositional traditions that their audiences to a large extent overlap. The
dangers of showcasing artists who are overly similar or different is easily sidestepped by
these two imaginative and passionate artists, who, on "Equinox", use the
same brushes to paint in contrasting shades of blue, grey, green and black.
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- Old Forgotten Lands open proceedings
with the warm, slow "Five Birds Defied the Wind". This act focus on the
dreamier, driftier capacity of synthesisers, building everything with glacial slowness,
cresting without drawing too much attention before slipping back off into limpid depths. "Falling
Stone, Rising Stone" introduces clean piano and choir synths, and is the most
varied track that OFL offer, later breaking into searing sounds over deep, threatening
drones, before veering off to be punctuated by chimes and vocalised breaths. "Tempestuous
Retaliation" goes back to slow synth glides and cold effects, with piping tones
and a surprising, morbid whisper to finish.
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- The contribution of Ancient Tundra is
a little more substantial, comprising of four different tracks, which have a greater
complexity and lesser reliance on pure ambience than those of Old Forgotten Lands. "Visions
of Tomorrow" is at once more active, with a building pattern and building depth
that evoke an image of wandering deeper into an ice cave. Skog’s evil whisper-growl
is the perfect confirmation that this isn’t a safe place to dwell, whilst a light,
shimmering ending defies expectation and keeps interest and suspicion high. "And
Silence Finally Prevails" seems to glisten, being calm and majestic but also
building in a sense of narrative with its dynamic tones. "Wandering Along a Lonely
Path" is equally good, with some soaring synths, cut through by clean piano, and
eventually finding a quite epic scope, with a strong melody at its conclusion. "Fade"
makes more use of the growled vocals as well as a more chanting style, and is surprisingly
rich considering the sparseness of elements.
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- In all, this is the kind of release
that is perfectly built for maintaining interest. The seemingly peaceful but mysterious
poise of Old Forgotten Lands is shaken up by Ancient Tundra’s more patterned,
developing style, to the benefit of both artists. While OFL have perfected the use of slow
electronic movements to evoke landscape, AT have a really interesting style, with the kind
of structuring and feel that reflects a deep interest in the coldest of black metal, even
though there’s not a hint of a guitar or the echo of a blastbeat. Both are definitely
worthy of your time if dark, imaginative ambient brings you enjoyable shivers.
- 80/100
- Ellen Simpson
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- www.myspace.com/oldforgottenlands
- www.myspace.com/ancienttundra
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