{"id":476,"date":"2010-06-05T20:31:56","date_gmt":"2010-06-05T18:31:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.horus.cz\/WordPress\/?p=476"},"modified":"2011-04-15T06:00:19","modified_gmt":"2011-04-15T04:00:19","slug":"a-review-from-heathen-harvest-august-28-2005","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.horus.cz\/WordPress\/?p=476","title":{"rendered":"A review from Heathen Harvest (August 28, 2005)"},"content":{"rendered":"

HORUS CyclicDaemon<\/strong> is a label founded in the Czech Republic that has built a \tsturdy reputation upon releasing highly collectable CD releases. \u201cLust from \tthe Underworld\u201d is another installment in HORUS CyclicDaemon<\/strong>\u2019s collection. \tStaying true to previous such theme based releases as Chaos<\/em>, Lust from the \tUnderground<\/em> is themed around the concept of \u201c\u2026Love & Eros in mythology, \tsymbolist & decadent art.\u201d<\/em> With a concentrated focus upon \u201cthe story of \tHades & Persephone & Kor\u00e9 & Demeter, with a special hints to the work of \tPeter Greenaway (The Draughtman’s Contract) and the writers of fin de si\u00e9cle \t(such as R\u00e9my de Gourmont, Pierre Lou\u00ffs, Josephine P\u00e9ladan, Henri de R\u00e9gnier, Madame Rachilde and many others…) dealing with obscenity \tand lasciviousness.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

To realize this project HORUS CyclicDaemon <\/strong>has once again canvassed the \tpostindustrial music arena and the art photography community in order to \tgather a diverse array of talented musicians and photographers able to \ttranslate this vision into a musical and photographic reality. The stunning \tresults of HORUS CyclicDaemon<\/strong>\u2019s efforts have accumulated in a two CD \tcollection that comes housed in a gold envelope accompanied by a glossy book \tof color photography. Each artist appearing on the two CD collection also \thas a photographic layout within the accompanying booklet. The photographs \tcontained within the booklet act as an extension of the music adding a \tvisual stimulus to the listening experience. Photographers presented in the \tbook include Adam Holy, Vaclav Jirasek, Zuzana Stankova, Jiri Simacek, Jakub \tKlimo, Lucie Maresova, Norbert Knapp and Victor Tucek and ReDeSign. The \tphotographic images tend to be rooted in the human nude portraiture and \trange from very straight forward to experimental. It is worth noting that a \tcouple of male portraits made it into the collection of predominately female \tportraits. Lest we forget that lust is inspired by both sexes.<\/p>\n

Disc I
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Two CD collection begins with a contribution from Jack or Jive<\/strong>. \tThese Japanese natives open the Disc I with Three Swords<\/em> an ethereal song \tfilled with mysticism and spirit. Chako the bands female vocalist sings over \twaves of cascading ambience and layered electronics that are paired with \tminimal drums and percussion. The voice and ambience blend into an uplifting \tanthem filled with emotion and expression. Unto Ashes <\/strong>contributes the \tsecond song titled Wedding Dance of Persephone, Queen of The Underworld<\/em>. \tUnto Ashes <\/strong>bring their medieval \/ neoclassical sound to bear upon the \tsubject matter as they spin their spell using Hurdy Gurdy, Saz and ethnic \tpercussion. The song has a very East meets West feeling and invokes images \tof veiled women dancing in tents amidst the dunes of a dry and forsaken \tdesert. Unto Ashes<\/strong> achieve an excellent balance of ritual and \tsensuality as the music entwines the listener with Hurdy Gurdy and \tpercussion while elating the soul with the snake charming tunes of the Saz. Abnocto <\/strong>follows with the third track titled Spiritus Arma<\/em>. Abnocto <\/strong>is no other than the musicians responsible for the music of Za \tFr\u00fbmi and the fantasy music label Waerloga Records. Abnocto <\/strong>offer a \tmedieval gothic song filled with harpsichord, orchestral drums, liturgical \tchanting and male vocals all awash in synthesizers. The mood and music will \tcertainly be familiar to fans of Za \tFr\u00fbmi as it invokes images of abandoned \tcastles, vampires, and loneliness.<\/p>\n

4th Sign of the Apocalypse<\/strong> leads the journey forward with a track titled All About Narcissus<\/em>, that leads the music out of the \tneoclassical and ambient atmospheres as 4th Sign of the Apocalypse <\/strong> delivers a rhythmic industrial track graced with male vocals that \tincessantly repeat \u201cIts all about me\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Detritus <\/strong>follows continuing the break \tfrom earlier songs as they explore an industrial fused track of looped \tpercussion and uneasy organ chords. The song has a definitive industrial \tfeeling as a male vocalist sings in a harsh whisper and various electronic \tsounds fade in and out of the organ and percussion.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Romowe Rikoito <\/strong>brings the music back to the acoustic realm in track \tsix titled The Song of Proserpine<\/em>. The king of Prussian neofolk offers a \tbeautiful song filled with acoustic guitar, violin and woodwinds. Romowe \tsings confidently over the music telling an endearing tale of myth and \tmagic. The music is of the highest calibre and it enfolds the listener in \tsweet melodies that linger long after the song ends. Maor Appelbaum <\/strong> follows with the song Down<\/em> which is a combination of minimal orchestral \tsounds that are washed through with ambient electronic music. The track is \tquite hypnotic and is reminiscent of a film score. The music sounds \tnarrative but the story is left to your own imagination. The Mystery \tSchool <\/strong>returns the music to a neofolk platform with their contribution Gift<\/em>. Reminiscent of the offerings found on the Mystery Schools<\/strong>\u2019 \tdebut album and their second album Triangle of the Sun<\/em>, Gift <\/em>seems to \tincorporate the opposing sounds of these two albums. The music on Gift <\/em>is \trooted in neoclassical and electronic music. The song features piano as lead \tinstrument and the ever seductive male vocals that are such a defining \telement of The Mystery School<\/strong>. The narrative tells a mythical story \tof love and lust imbued with naturalism and savage romance.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chaos as Shelter <\/strong>presents song nine titled Leili<\/em>, that combines \tacoustic instrumentation with electronic experimentalism in a song that \texudes dark ritual atmospheres. A female vocalist chants a steady song as \ttribal drums and percussion play across atmospheres created with string \tinstruments, ethnic instruments and electronic manipulations. The music is \tdense and darkly sensual captivating the listener as it transports you to a \tforeign land to witness forbidden rites. The Polish experimental music \talchemists One Inch of Shadow <\/strong>bring the music back from the ecstatic \theights of Chaos as Shelter <\/strong>with a slow meandering composition titled I Met Jane at the River<\/em>, that is based around dreamy bass \tguitar lines and shimmering, undulating electronics and various sounds. The \tsong features a male and female vocalist whose singing accompanied by the \tmusic invokes the feeling of an old David Lynch movie. Hexentanz<\/strong>, \twhich is the unholy alliance of satanic musicians Psychonaut 75<\/strong> and medieval \tmasters The Soil Bleeds Black<\/strong>, are featured on track twelve titled Ritual \tKiss to Satan<\/em>, that features ritualistic percussion, dark \tambience, and looped orchestral samples paired with voice samples from \thorror movies. Heavily distorted male vocals recite an undecipherable \tnarrative to epic dark ritual music. The resulting song is a dense \tcomposition filled with classical orchestration, fierce samples, and \tsinister vocals. The first disc ends with a contribution from Musterion<\/strong>, \twhich is yet another project formed by the members of Za Frumi. Unlike \tpreviously heard projects, Musterion bares little resemblance to Za Frumi as \tthe music is based upon dark ambience and minimal neoclassical orchestration \tand piano. Musterion <\/strong>creates disturbing atmospheres filled with \tfaltering piano chords, numerous sounds and sinister voices. A male vocalist \tnarrates parts of the song though the narration is hard to follow. What can \tbe digested of the narrative is disturbing and ominous. Musterion <\/strong> ends Disc I on a rather dark and foreboding note reminding the listener that \tthe two disc collection is meant to transverse the underworld.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Disc II
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Disc II of \u201cLust from the Underground\u201d begins with a lively neoclassical \/ \tneofolk contribution from Sieben<\/strong>. \u201cForget Me Not\u201d is a variation of \tthe song of the same name from Matt Howden\u2019s Sieben <\/strong>– Sex and \tWildflowers release and is a very fitting contribution. The song uses the \tsubject of the Forget Me Not flower to explore matters of human emotion and \tsexuality. The music is a lovely combination of violin, drums, and \tpercussion. Mondblut<\/strong> follows after Sieben with \u201cUnser Untergang.\u201d \t\u201cUnser Untergang\u201d offers powerful yet sensitive atmospheres created with \tsampled orchestration, acoustic guitar and male vocals. Reverberating \tstrings produce wavering drones around discriminate guitar plucking and \tsubtle sounds. A male vocalist sings in German with a calm intensity while a \tlooped piano melody plays incessantly in the background. The song is cold \tyet beautiful. Empusae <\/strong>known for their electronic landscapes produces \ttrack three titled \u201cTenebris for the Unborn.\u201d \u201cTenebris for the Unborn\u201d is a \tdark ambient industrial hybrid that combines creeping nightmarish \tsoundscapes with corrosive industrial rhythms. This union of sound results \tin an epic dark industrial song heavily laden with dark ambience.<\/p>\n

Delusional Day <\/strong>shifts the mood out of the dark apocalyptic recesses \tand propels Disc II back towards less murky depth with the song \u201cLull.\u201d Lull \tfeatures acoustic instrumentation alongside deep electronic rhythms. \tStringed instrumentation is paired with looped electronic rhythms while \tsensual female vocals soar over the music. The song merges numerous musical \tinfluences as it combines jazz, trance, ambience and folk. The Circus of \tScars <\/strong>redefines the mood once more with \u201cShe\u2019s always drinking \tPomegranate Wine.\u201d A Clear reference to Persephone, Circus of Scars <\/strong> delivers a psychedelic electronic song that oozes with experimental \telectronics. If I am not mistaken Edward Ka-Spell is featured on vocals and \this voice fits perfectly with the odd carnival of sounds that compose the \tsong. Cotton Ferox <\/strong>is responsible for track six on Disc II. Cotton \tFerox <\/strong>contributes \u201cManifesto In Dub\u201d which combines experimental \tambience and Jamaican style electronic dub music. The song is a careening \tcombination of upbeat rhythms and unusual electronic atmospheres that merge \tinto an uplifting and celebratory song accented by sampled voices and sound \tclips. While Angels Watch <\/strong>returns the album to neofolk with a classic \tneofolk composition. \u201cMoonchild\u201d is a pleasant neofolk song graced by \tclassical instrumentation and strong male and female vocals that accumulate \tinto a powerful neofolk anthem. The legendary Pink Dots <\/strong>lead the \tmusic back into the psychedelic domain with the song \u201cThe Chain.\u201d \u201cThe \tChain\u201d is everything you have come to expect from The Legendary Pink Dots<\/strong>. \tSurrealist lyrics are paired with psychedelic rock and electronics that know \tno boundaries as they blaze a freestyle musical path.<\/p>\n

The Hybrids <\/strong>who seem to have gone into hibernation are featured on \ttrack nine with a remix of their song \u201cLust.\u201d Lust features a fragmented mix \tof electronics and female vocals. Za Frumi <\/strong>finally appears with the \tsong \u201cThrough Jakesh Eyes\u201d which is taken from the bands Vampire trilogy. \tSwelling, saddened dark ambience is paired with ritualistic drumming \twoodwinds, and string orchestration to create a dark and foreboding \tatmosphere of gothic beauty. Female vocals sing across the music like \tdisembodied ghosts roaming abandoned fortresses on cold windswept mountains. \tThe music harkens back to times long forgotten and those who time forgot to \tlay waste. Ossaserpia<\/strong> completes the second disc of \u201cLust from the \tUnderworld\u201d with the final song \u201cA Lullaby for Greena.\u201d A Lullaby for \tGreena\u201d combines electronics and neoclassical instrumentation in swelling \twaves of sounds that entwine and part. The music sounds as if it is \tascending towards the sun in a quest to merge with the heavens.<\/p>\n

\u201cLust from the Underworld\u201d is an epic journey through a myriad grouping of \tmusic and artists. Horus CyclicDaemon has created a monumental musical \toffering that has few comparisons in the postindustrial music arena. Having \tgone far beyond most music lovers expectations Horus CyclicDaemon has \tcreated an offering that not only embraces music but also photography and \tverse. Having accomplished such a grand feat this wonderful collection of \tmusic and photography comes housed in exemplary packaging that reflects the \tattention and commitment poured into this unique release. With only 500 \tcopies of this masterpiece available, I highly recommend that you secure \tyour copy soon!<\/p>\n

Malahki Thorn<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

HORUS CyclicDaemon is a label founded in the Czech Republic that has built a sturdy reputation upon releasing highly collectable CD releases. \u201cLust from the Underworld\u201d is another installment in HORUS CyclicDaemon\u2019s collection. Staying true to previous such theme based releases as Chaos, Lust from the Underground is themed around the concept of \u201c\u2026Love & […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[127],"tags":[46],"class_list":["post-476","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews","tag-va-lust-from-the-underworld"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.horus.cz\/WordPress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/476","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.horus.cz\/WordPress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.horus.cz\/WordPress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.horus.cz\/WordPress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.horus.cz\/WordPress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=476"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.horus.cz\/WordPress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/476\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.horus.cz\/WordPress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=476"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.horus.cz\/WordPress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=476"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.horus.cz\/WordPress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=476"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}