Dark Music Review – Self Destruction Themes
Review Written By Casey Douglass
Pedro Pimentel returns to Cryo Chamber with his second album on the label, Self Destruction Themes. This time with help from Amund Ulvestads beautiful cello performances, Simon Heaths textural piano work and Apocryphos atmospheric distortion layers.This is a massive album of cold but inviting atmospheres, filtered noise, acoustic layering and sweeping textural layers. The sad theme throughout the album paints images of a world depopulated and of overgrown and dilapidated cityscapes.
Listening
to Worldclock’s Self Destruction Themes, my mind went a
slightly different way to the above album blurb. The cold, inviting
atmospheres part I certainly got, along with the sadness. As
sometimes happens though, I went my own way with my own mental
impressions, so along with the track descriptions are my own mental
images, which may not really fit with the depopulated and dilapidated
cityscapes aspect of the description. I’m a maverick that way. On
to the tracks.
The Tracks
Here We'll Be Gone –
A sustained high note is joined by a low rumble as other notes
scissor their way in. Strings and snatches of wind create a sombre
mood. Footsteps in the snow gave me the impression of someone walking
through snow into the wilderness as the soundscape deepens. A
strengthening of the string notes is joined by dripping water as
things take another turn, darkness settling in as night approaches.
The Fever Of Our
Waiting – Creaking and dripping sounds are joined by a light drone. This is
over-layed with teased strings and is later joined by a large wall of
sound. Maybe the snow-walker is forced to shelter in an old stone
floored hut as a storm brews outside. Repeating string notes really
create a great feeling of atmospheric energy. The occasional screech
of an unexpected string note is great to hold the listener’s interest. The
track ends in a bit of a maelstrom as the storm hits.
It May Come – Static
rain and echoing piano sound as the dawn breaks. Dripping water and a
light atmosphere seem to the forefront now, water droplets glowing on
twigs as the strings play once more. The calm after the storm, and a
calm mind finding a sense of acceptance.
When Indecision Strikes
– Piano, strings and drone all in tone with each other. A staticy
backdrop is punctuated by metallic creaks and rattles. The decision
of whether to leave the hut or not? Distant voices of a crowd add a
surreal aspect, maybe the ghosts of possibility. Outside pressing in.
Agoraphobic. The world carrying on without you.
Something More – A
swelling voice-filled clattering grows in volume. Odd clangs and a
variety of string sounds create a muzzy feeling, maybe the pressures
of two possible paths or realities butting up against one another.
Leaving the cabin or not?
More Often Than Not –
This track starts with the sound of traffic driving along wet roads.
A sombre melody begins after a few moments, strings and piano working
together to create a feeling of dull mundanity, kind of like walking
home as the night draws in, the street lights only now showing their
first sickly shade of colour before the bulbs fully warm up. The
title, and the sound of this track make me think of the coming down
after the transcendental, taking the boring route rather than using
the realisations you've experienced to lead a more exciting life.
Maybe any peace felt by the traveller in the snow has fast evaporated
as they enter civilization again.
Every Shade – This
track begins in a lighter fashion, a lighter drone and prominent
string notes giving some sense of joy and optimism to things. If the
previous track was a mundane and rainy walk home, this track is
spying the last rays of the sun piercing through cracks in the almost
black clouds, their rays dazzling just before they vanish for the
night.
Something Else – A
hissy start with distant string notes piercing the soundscape. A drone
looms in the background, slowly taking a more prominent role. The
string notes fall repeatedly, sounding more and more like a wail. Sounds of
dripping water creeps in as the strings take on a more melodious
aspect, other lighter notes swelling above. This track could be a
return to the same dingy house, the same crumpled bed-sheets, the
same, the same, the same.
32 Walls – What
sounds like plastic flapping is joined by see-sawing strings and a
gentle dark drone, a feeling of a dark space opening around the
listener, snatches of whispered words insinuating themselves slickly
into the ear as a thumping beat reverberates through everything. This
track could hint at the dark night of the soul, or even the old hag
visitations of myth and folklore. Stifling and cloying, like being
shut in a room for too long without any fresh air. Maybe a prison of
thoughts, of desperation and desires unfulfilled. The thumping beat
is joined by what sounds like dripping water hitting the ground at
the same interval, the high and low qualities of each sound creating
a great metronomic effect. Ghostly piano and the ever present strings
finish the effect, making a solid soundscape that is a joy to listen
to.
Lack of Language – A
slowly rising vocal effect meets a floating resonance that splits the
air, leaving an “ahhhh” sound in the mind. A thumping beat
similar to the previous track begins, although faster, a little more
like a heart that isn't quite at rest. This sets up the track’s
momentum nicely. Another percussive beat joins the first, flittering
brush strokes, almost military in fashion. Piano joins and the music
swells creating a soundscape that feels like the end credits to a
particularly sad film, one in which the hero tried but couldn't quite
cut it. I guess in the images created by the previous tracks, this
could be the music after the protagonist’s suicide, their way of
escaping the 32 walls possibly.
Thoughts
Well
what can I say, Self Destruction Themes
was certainly a sad and melancholic trip for me, but one that was
enjoyable even so. The prominence of the string and piano notes aided
this effect as I always feel them to be quite melancholy notes at the
best of times. Add in a little dripping water and audio grain and I
am well on the way to imagining grey worlds filled with corroded
metal.
I
think When Indecision Strikes and More Often Than Not are probably my
favourite tracks, the static, creaking and crowd noise of the first
was very pleasing to me, the rainy misery of the latter also
appealing in a gloomy kind of way. Lack of Language also gets a shout
out for being a great culmination to the album.
I
give Self Destruction Themes
4/5,
a fascinating journey into bleakness with the knack of creating
soundscapes that all feel different, yet share the same sad theme.
Good stuff!
Visit the Self
Destruction Themes page on Bandcamp at this link for more
information.
I was given a free
copy of the album to review.
Album Title: Self
Destruction Themes
Album Artist:
Worldclock
Label: Cryo Chamber
