{"id":599,"date":"2010-06-08T07:10:44","date_gmt":"2010-06-08T05:10:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.horus.cz\/WordPress\/?p=599"},"modified":"2011-04-15T05:59:50","modified_gmt":"2011-04-15T03:59:50","slug":"a-review-from-heathen-harvest-november-16-2005","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.horus.cz\/WordPress\/?p=599","title":{"rendered":"A review from Heathen Harvest (November 16, 2005)"},"content":{"rendered":"

AL – 100th \tAnniversary <\/em>is a new illustrious double CD compilation that commemorates \tAleister Crowley\u2019s celebrated spiritual text Liber AL vel Legis <\/em>or The Book of the Law<\/em>. Liber AL vel Legis was written after Aleister \tCrowley channeled the manuscripts text from a disembodied spirit named \tAiwass while in a deep trance induced state. Liber AL vel Legis <\/em>has \tin the last 100 years become a seminal text of western occult literature and \thas continued to inspire and engage readers and occult enthusiasts a century \tafter its original publication.<\/p>\n

Following in their \ttradition of theme-based compilations HORUS \tCyclicDaemon<\/strong> has \tconceived and produced a double CD compilation that celebrates the 100 th \tanniversary of Liber AL vel Legis<\/em>. AL – 100th Anniversary <\/em>is \tlimited to 418 copies and will not be republished. The two CD compilation \tcomes housed in a decorative A5 cardboard box that features an illustration \tof the master thereon on the cover. A glossy A5 booklet and a stunning \tfoldout poster accompany the two CD\u2019s. Each CD represents separate musical \tapproaches, Disc I features song based compositions while Disc II features \tambient, electronic and experimental compositions. All the songs presented \tin this collection are exclusive recordings.<\/p>\n

Disc I features thirteen \tartists including such widely acclaimed musicians as Hexatanz, Duparc, Unto \tAshes, While Angels Watch, Belborn, Psychonaut 75, Cotton Ferox & Genesis \tP-Orridge <\/strong>and Za Fr\u00fbmi<\/strong> along with emerging artists such as Musterion, \tEncryption, Abnocto, Atrium Caceri<\/strong> and Transfagula<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Hexentanz <\/strong>the unholy \tunion of The Soil Bleeds Black and self-proclaimed Satanists Psychonaut 75 \tlaunch Disc I with the song Oh, Blessed Beast<\/em>. Oh, Blessed \tBeast<\/em> carries over the sound established by Hexentanz on their debut CD \tNekrocrafte<\/em>. The composition begins with a brief passage of ambient \tatmospherics before erupting into bombastic orchestration. It is hard to \ttell whether the orchestration is sampled or original but I am taking a \tguess that it is original. Primitive ritualistic drumming joins the lively \torchestration and helps drive the track towards an ecstatic level of \tdecadence. After a short period the orchestration recedes leaving only the \tritualistic drumming and a dark ambient atmosphere that supports male and \tfemale spoken word. After a laconic recitation from the Liber AL vel \tLegis <\/em>the orchestration descends once more delivering the song from the \tdeeply ritualistic to the ecstatic once more. The orchestration has a \tdistinct vintage disposition that invokes a timeless sensation. The song \tcycles between various sequences marked by drastic shifts between spoken \tword and fragments of classical orchestration and ritualistic drumming. \tHexentanz <\/strong>offers a stellar introduction to Disc I as they expertly capture \tthe elusive spirit of Crowley and the Liber AL vel Legis<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Encryption <\/strong>offers up \ttrack four titled The Serpent Flame<\/em>. Encryption <\/strong>is one of the many \tbands on AL <\/em>that is headed by Simon AA Kolle and Simon Heath who are known \tfor their collaboration on Za Fr\u00fbmi<\/strong> and the music label Waerloga Records. \tBetween these two artists, they comprise five of the songs offered on AL<\/em> under different monikers. The Serpent Flame<\/em> highlights these \tartists combined talent under the name Encryption<\/strong>. The Serpent Flame<\/em> begins with industrial rumblings and the sound of heavy breathing and \tlumbering footsteps. The impression of some beast emerging from darkened \tdepths is imposed upon the listener\u2019s imagination. The song is quickly \tovertaken by symphonic electronics and angelic vocals provided by Lady \tClarisse. The music begins mellow and serene then gently builds with the aid \tof drums and strings mounting into a soaring dark anthem. Lady Clarisse \tsings text by Aleister Crowley as she weaves a spell of enchantment with her \tbeautiful voice. After a couple of recitations the songs switches to male \tvocals imbedded in the music. The male spoken word last only a moment as the \tfinale approaches and the song ends.<\/p>\n

Track six titled Walpurgis-Night<\/em> is an incredible offering presented by the UK artist While Angels Watch<\/strong>. Walpurgis-Night<\/em> was originally recorded for a 1998 cassette release but the song has been \texclusively re-recorded and re-invented for AL. Walpurgis-Night<\/em> is \tone of the lengthiest songs offered on Disc I as the song lasts almost ten \tminutes. While Angels Watch<\/strong> recite an entire poem by Aleister Crowley across \tambient soundscapes graced with acoustic instrumentation. The real magic is \tin the recital, which is performed with an impressive confidence. Akin to \thearing a professional Shakespeare rendition, While Angels Watch<\/strong> breathes \tlife and drama into Crowley\u2019s words bringing to life the mystical poetry of \tthe Master Therion. The music evolves organically as piano, guitar, and \tvarious other instruments play gently over waves of pulsing ambience \tallowing the male vocals to remain in the center of the music largely \tunobstructed. The poem is intoxicating as the words unfold an understanding \tof life, love and mysticism.<\/p>\n

Genesis P-Orridge and \tCotton Ferox <\/strong>deliver a psychedelic composition of tribal drumming and spoken \tword as only Genesis P-Orridge is capable. Could such a compilation really \tbe complete without the complimentary contribution of the psychedelic, \tspiritual, sexuality guru of our age? Cotton Ferox <\/strong>creates an elaborate song \tfilled with acoustic tribal drumming and minimal orchestration that floats \tthe stream of consciousness prose of Genesis P-Orridge<\/strong>. Genesis delves \tdeeply into matters of the self and self-realization. The song breaks from \tthe darker offerings of previous artists drifting into lighter domains of \tspirit and expression. The drumming has eastern persuasions and the music \tsounds as if it is wafting in on a dry wind blown down from a far off desert \twhere nomads roam sandy dunes.<\/p>\n

The second CD in the <\/strong>AL – 100th Anniversary <\/em>collection departs from the song based \tcompositions that defined Disc I and immerses the listener in largely \texperimental electronic soundscapes. Featuring offerings from such renowned \tartists as Gydja, 4 th Sign of the Apocalypse, The Circus of Scars, Ah \tCama-Sotz, Chaos As Shelter <\/strong>and This Morn‘ Omina<\/strong>, alongside side emerging \tartists Hadit, Silence As Strength, 3LCF (TriLucifer), Artefactum, Satorii <\/strong>and Ossaserpia<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Secret Name<\/em> is \tamongst the noteworthy tracks on Disc II. Recorded and produced by Israeli \tmusician Stephan V. Friedman under the name Silence and Strength<\/strong>. Secret \tName<\/em> is one of the longest songs on Disc II clocking in at over nine \tminutes. The music on Secret Name<\/em> consists of barren dark ambient \tsoundscapes impregnated with ritualistic percussion, drumming and minor \tacoustic instrumentation. The mood invoked is one of a secretive ritual that \tis both solemn and sincere. Utilizing industrialized ambience and steady \tritualistic drumming Silence and Strength <\/strong>creates an aural odyssey that \tleads the listener deep into the catacombs of Crowley\u2019s mysticism. Stephan \trecites cryptic lyrics behind the music taken from Crowley\u2019s Book of \tLies<\/em>. The music transports the listener into a hypnotic realm of dark \tritual that is both inviting and all consuming.<\/p>\n

Track five titled Aleister, \tAiwass, & Infek<\/em> is an intriguing experimental composition offered up by Circus of Scars<\/strong>. Notes with the accompanying booklet direct the listener to \ta website<\/a> for a better understanding of themes and ideas \tintegrated into the music. If you are adventurous enough to explore the \twebsite, you find an unique project created by one Infek Bin Laden. The \topening statement on the website explains that Infek created the website 18 \tmonths before his immanent death in order to convey his personal \tunderstanding of death and hell to other sentient beings. The website \tconsists of small artistic collages and art pieces assembled by Infek before \this death. I found the site to be quite interesting and a thought provoking \tapproach to a person\u2019s diagnosis of unavoidable death. The music Circus of \tScars <\/strong>has created in homage of Aleister, Aiwass and Infek is its own \texperimental collage of electronics, bass guitar, acoustic instrumentation \tand manipulated vocals. Aleister, Aiwass, & Infek<\/em> is a spiraling \tjourney through experimental soundscapes that gently leads the listener \tthrough vacillating dimensions of sound and expression. There is a distinct \tsense of remorse or remembrance akin conveyed through the multi-layered \tmontage of sounds. Circus of Scars <\/strong>offering is as intriguing as the men he \thonors with his music.<\/p>\n

Chaos As Shelter<\/strong> makes \tan appearance on Disc II with The Beauty of the Beast<\/em>. Utilizing \tunconventional instrumentation such as a washing machine cylinder and a \tshortwave radio alongside an air pump keyboard, didgeridoo, cowbells, \teffects and voice Chaos As Shelter<\/strong> delivers a dreamy experimental \tcomposition that gives meaning to the term musical experimentation. The \tBeauty of the Beast<\/em> groans with whining air driven key boards as \treverberating waves of sound cascade across the track. Whispered hoarse \tvocals emerge from deep within the sighing, rumbling, background of sound. \tPercussive ramblings wander through cascading waves of sound and music as if \tlost in a dementia induced reality. The air driven keyboard floats long \twinded notes over a throbbing vortex of colliding resonance as sounds merge \tinto a cohesive whole and lumber forth blindly. It is hard to encapsulate \tthis offering in words but suffice it to say that Chaos As Shelter <\/strong> exercise \ttheir experimental expertise in delivering a hypnotic trance like track \tcreated by the innovative use of unconventional instrumentation.<\/p>\n

Ossaserpia <\/strong>wraps up CD \tII with a mixture of classical instrumentation and experimental ambience \tembodied in the song Donkey Fell Eyesleep<\/em>. The song notes state \tthat the song was recorded at Brudenia Studio in Russia. This leads me to \tbelieve that the musicians responsible for the neofolk \/ neoclassical band \tRomowe Rikoito had a hand in this composition. Donkey Fell Asleep<\/em> is a neoclassical composition that offers shimmering instrumentation that \tflirts with experimental compositional song structure. Utilizing classical \tinstrumentation, Ossaserpia <\/strong>conjure a beautiful track of spiritually infused \tsong craft. Approaching the domain of experimentalism from a very \ttraditional foundation proves a success for Ossaserpia<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

AL – 100th \tAnniversary<\/em> <\/strong>is bound to become a highly sought collector\u2019s item given \tthe scope and grandeur of the music and the theme of the release. Merging \toccultist mysticism with modern postindustrial music has proven itself \tincredibly captivating. Whether you are familiar with Crowley\u2019s occult \tofferings or whether you are simply a postindustrial music connoisseur AL<\/em> <\/strong>is sure to inspire and entertain you. As with previous releases on HORUS \tCyclicDaemon <\/strong>has highly impressed us at Heathen Harvest. AL <\/em>is a \tmemorable compilation and we highly recommend this release to all of our \treaders.<\/p>\n

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

AL – 100th Anniversary is a new illustrious double CD compilation that commemorates Aleister Crowley\u2019s celebrated spiritual text Liber AL vel Legis or The Book of the Law. Liber AL vel Legis was written after Aleister Crowley channeled the manuscripts text from a disembodied spirit named Aiwass while in a deep trance induced state. Liber […]<\/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":[92],"class_list":["post-599","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews","tag-va-al"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.horus.cz\/WordPress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/599","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=599"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.horus.cz\/WordPress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/599\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.horus.cz\/WordPress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=599"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.horus.cz\/WordPress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=599"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.horus.cz\/WordPress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=599"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}