Sabled Sun - Signals III

I've reviewed a few of Cryo Chamber's releases before; the dark ambient label homing in on a lot of post apocalyptic tales told through the slightest sounds, the titles of the songs found within their albums describing the story just that much more. This time, I'll be focusing on the 2013 release of Signals III, the third installment in the Signals series.

On the site, both previous entries were met with mediocre scores. They both suffered the same fate, in a way; both drawing out too much and just being extremely boring. However, this third episode just might prove to be all the better as the mature sibling of the trio.

Once more, we are drawn into very ambient like spacial surroundings. A low synth kicks in as soon as we open the portal to whatever unknown area of space we're travelling through, with just pure atmospheric tendencies ebbing throughout.

At times, most of the music stops, and we're just given a low rumble, as if something is being explored, or something new and massive, something jaw dropping and shocking to the eye is discovered. As if a monument of mankind's past has finally been uncovered in the deep, dark pits of space.

However, the one thing that does kill the mood of this album is, again, just how drawn out this giant track is. I will not say that it forces the tracks to commit suicide and take a dive, but it does put a burden on my shoulders. At the twenty minute mark, I was pretty sure that things began to loop into one another. I was still able to get through it, though, as it was fairly seductive to the ear.

But, as I went on, I felt as if something new needed to happen. A new sound, a new elevation, a pitch to heighten the senses and bring back the awe I felt in the beginning. It's not necessarily that this gargantuan forty six minute piece isn't good, it's just that it starts to remove itself away from your attention as it doesn't do much to keep you locked in. Once the journey starts, you are excited to get through it, and be a part of the blissful sounds. Near the middle, you've seen it all, and you just wish to dock on Earth and be done with it. By the end, however, you might be wanting to just shut out the sound and do something different. But, nonetheless, I commend Sabled Sun for taking a step in the right direction; this is the best in the series thus far, and I can only wish the best for future releases. Feb 28 2014