Russian warriors Oprich (it’s an old Russian word that means something like ‘unique’, ‘opposite’, ‘against’, ‘isolated’) return with a new epic tale, focusing on the glory of the past, the heroism and pride of Old. It’s called Wind’s Heady Mead, and it comes in an edition limited to 100 copies only (hand-numbered) on vinyl with cover artwork created by Igor Burlakov aka Dartgarry (think: North Diamond, Hagl, Grey Heaven Fall etc.).
I have to admit that I did pleasantly enjoy the split album in between Wigrid and Sunshine & Lollipops, called Split The Indifference / Geteilte Gleichgültigkeit. In case you’re interested, you can find the review on this label’s update of December 2nd 2014.
Aurum Solis is a new outfit by Siberian born Sergey ‘Thanataur’ Andrievskikh, part of e.g. Tahatoc or Eisflammen, and the guy behind projects such as Without Dreams, HexenHammer’s Flame (the review for Ad Fines Nivis Aeternae, by the way, was published on this site’s upload of February 14th 2016 by undersigned) or Психоз 4.48.
The French label Distant Voices did surprise me every time for both the sonic result of each release, as well as the devotional artwork involved. This time it is not different, for the CD-version of the sophomore Scars From A Dead Room album has been designed by the Distant Voices team once again. It’s a cold, totally black edition with two cards inserted, containing quite mysterious artwork (which does fit the philosophy of both label and artist).
ProtoU are quite a young project from Ukraine, led by Sasha Cats. Only recently she entered the realms of the Drone / Ambient / field recordings scene; before Sasha was known as violinist and choir singer especially.
Well, I was enormously surprised, the positive way, when I received a message from Cyclic Law telling that there was a new Sophia album coming up. For more than a decade we did not hear anything anymore, at all, about this project by Arcana’s Peter Bjärgö. And indeed, it was true that there was a new work in the making.
Pretty recently I came in touch with Turkish label Merdümgiriz, pretty young but quite productive, especially focusing on projects by label founders Merdümgiriz and Emir Toğrul. It’s quite a unique label, not only for being a Turkey-based one (which cannot be that easy out there), but because of the explicit philosophy (especially of some specific acts that are on their roster) and the ‘strange’ signings.
I am sure most Ambient ‘fans’ know the name of Haerleif Langas from Northaunt, maybe Therradaemon or Mulm, or his collaboration with Azaghal (yes, I know, this has nothing to do with Ambient, but try to stay open-minded, okay?!). This guy did create another outfit, seven years ago in mean time, called The Human Voice.
Songs Of Hate + Hate is not the first collaboration in between those two projects. Gnomonclast and Art Abscons co-operated on a split-EP in 2011, which also featured Luftwaffe, which was released as well via Italy’s Old Europa Café (like some other of their stuff). Luftwaffe and Gnomonclast share members, by the way, being J1 Statik and N2 Itiniti, in case it might interest you.
Gloomy Hellium Bath are a French collaboration with former members of e.g. Nerv and Würm. Via the crazy label Dooweet Records, they release Sistema Solera, which brings a totally frenzy mixture of Electronics, Industrial Metal and hundreds of other additions: Noise, Hip Hop, Death Industrial, Punk, Un-Pop, Trip-Hop, Indie, Goth Rock and so much more.
