Asbaar - Corona Veli Auri

Written by Sean M. Palfrey Wednesday, 27 October 2010 10:28

Artist: Asbaar
Title: Corona Veli Auri
Genre: Ambient / Industrial
Release Date: 13th September 2010
Label: Black Drone

Album Review

Dark ambient is a genre that a lot of people profess to love when what they mean is they like electro-industrial with no vocals. For those of us that do like dark ambient music it is an uphill battle to cut through the hordes of bedroom black metal bands who can’t play guitar but own a cheap keyboard… Thankfully ASBAAR from Spain are definitely not among them.

ASBAAR is the sole invention of Marc Merinee - a man who has grasped the art of making music from noise. ‘Corona Veli Auri’, his second album, is crafted from environmental samples taken from nature and industry which are manipulated to the point of non-recognition. This has a sanity shattering effect on the listener. Each tack is like listening to the score of an apocalyptic scene. At the same time the music taps into the back of the mind to evoke visions of mythological beasts beneath the ancient seas, the dark landscape of Hades or the frozen wastes of Nifelheim.

The music creates a universal sense of the primordial. The best visual example I could give is E. Elias Merhige’s ‘Begotton’ - a harshly surreal film inspired by the violent creation myths of ancient cultures that are still within the collective unconscious. Tracks such as ‘Emantio’, ‘Agnosia’, ‘Pulchrum’ and ‘Instictus’ are all filled with the sense of dread and helplessness at the hands of what your mind is telling you that you are witnessing. This is some powerful work that really does encompass the idea of “Dark” ambient. Merinee’s skill with sonic manipulation is excellent and I feel he has achieved what he set out to do here. What he needs to do now is get working on the score to a horror film!

Tracklist

01. Emantio
02. Mana
03. Agnosia
04. Signa
05. Pulchrum
06. Lumur
07. Fatum
08. Aum
09. Instinctus
10. Tucsi

Line-up

Marc Merinee

Websites

http://asbaarband.jimdo.com/ / http://www.myspace.com/asbaar

Cover Picture

Rating

Music: 7
Sound: 7
Extras: -
Total: 7 / 10

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