Tunnels Of Āh are a project by Stephen Burroughs. His name might ring some bells for he was one of the guys behind the legendary band Head Of David. Under the moniker Tunnels Of Āh, Stephen released a first album in 2013, also via mighty Cold Spring Records, and now this guy returns with the sophomore full length, called Thus Avici. The six pieces last for fifty minutes and were mastered by Cold Spring head master Martin Bowes at his Cage Studio (think: Khost, Iron Fist Of The Sun, Sol, Skullflower, Kerovnian amongst others).
The title, and so is quite a big part of the musical concept, is based on Tantric Buddhism, ‘the sutra body of bodhisattva Ksitigarbha’ which did - and still does - inspire Stephen for quite some time. Actually, this guiltless industrial esoterica is a monumental collection of out-spaced moments of mystic Drone, haunting Ambient, esoteric Industrial, minimal Noise(scapes) and ritualistic soundscapes. It’s like earlier MZ.412 being transgendered by Atrium Carceri, or Testphasen Negativ redefined by Skullflower – just to give you an idea…
Every single piece has an own story to tell, though the essence remains on the focus of spine-chilling, hallucinatory, hypnotic and mostly creepy moments of physical discomfort and mental distraction (and who am I to dislike that…). With the knowledge that each single ‘composition’ lasts for at least seven minutes, this might sound like quite a challenge. And maybe it is. I do really wonder if this aural distortion can please the average heart disease patient – yet since I am still in a good health, I can handle it…
Quite remarkable (well, as a matter of fact all compositions are) is Saint Peter Ha-Satana, which includes vocals by multi-talented artist Ana Cordeiro Reis (think, in case on aural grandeur: Z.O.T.E., Hyaena Fierling Reich, Satnorte, Arraial etc.). But my personal highlight must be the shortest piece on the album, We Are His Burning Ones, for it is so intensively oppressive and down-tuned in each single aspect…
Or to summarize: Thus Avici is nothing but a strong recommendation to each ‘fan’ of Drone / Ambient / Noise / Industrial stuff whatsoever, as long as the listener can cope with quite a dose of breath-taking occultism, esoteric obscurity and enigmatic grimness…