Anima Nostra - Atraments

Those of you who savvy the industrial/dark ambient field might recognize the name Anima Nostra from the 2016 release on Cold Spring by Sweden's Henrik Nordvargr Björkk and France's Margaux Renaudin and for good reason. It was a fairly powerful release that went over well with critics and audiences alike. Both teller of tales involved with the project were proud of their work that they bonded further together to take the title of their debut CD and name themselves after it. Thus Anima Nostra was born and now we are here with their debut album Atraments. 

This nine track album not only takes the better parts of their original piece to heart but also adds in other genres ranging from death industrial to neo-classical. The fun does not begin at the start of pressing play, however; the album art itself is mystical and speaks volumes even before you put yourself into an aural bliss. The odd symbols and black on white imagery is both foreboding and welcoming. This piece was also made in collaboration with Trepaneringsritualen, so there's a little fun fact that you can shout at your friends' faces. 

Now, onto the music; as with a good chunk of ritualistic, industrial, and ambient music Atraments is not an album that should be listened to on shuffle. This album ranges from pure destructive tones playing out to mankind's inevitable end to the ritualistic pounding of drums and doom metal. 'Composition for the Shadow' and 'Naamah' slowly start out the album, taking their time to crawl deep under my skin and grab my attention and my soul. It's with 'Blameless' that the album really breaks out; the deep, growling vocals that remind me of an Orc from the realm of Mordor obliterated my preconceived thoughts on the album against the cataclysmic experience that flew before my ears. 

'Tabula Smaragdina' broke out with operatic vocals that echoed in the nothingness that filled the song. An ominous air loomed in the background and just when the synths played up to the peak of my suspicion, they dropped and I was left with creaking wood. 'Solemn Majesty' made an awesome arrangement of Holy sounding prayer against the backdrop of what I would consider a Lovecraftian essence. Then the drums shot in and organs played in the background, with a deep, looming structure giving off a sinister plot. 

The title track of the album began off with somber textures and more prayers. However, I did not let the somewhat optimistic and nearly revelation inducing tones fool me. Before I knew it a blast of noise punched through the oddly happy notes, guitar came in with a screech, and then pounding metallic percussion came in. Whatever or whoever answered the initial prayer was not what they expected, especially when the Orc-like vocals that I described earlier came back to unleash even more Hell. 

After a brief intermission with 'Intermezzo for the Double-Wanded One' the eighth track 'Doxologia Yaldabaoth' brought in a six minute noise ridden, experimental ritual. If by my writing you have not guessed this by now I will now make my opinion strong and well known when I say that Anima Nostra knows how to use samples to horrifying effects. The final song on the album 'The Seal' built ambiance upon ambiance until I was greeted with the vocalist again, this time speaking over blasts that came in and faded once more. This final ceremonial act slowly vanished with the howls of wind and further rich noise - and then all was gone.

Anima Nostra's best feature is practically their unpredictable nature; I am able to catch on to some acts in the same and similar genres pretty easily, but when combining the power of two fantastic producers it is not so easy to be such a psychic. The most powerful moments on this album were the tribal elements fusing with the rough and tough vocals; it truly brought out a feeling of dread and fear, as if God himself were coming down from the Heavens and you could only sit and wait knowing that no matter what you did there was no saving yourself. I believe that vulnerability is exactly what Anima Nostra was trying to play upon and if they were they did it extremely well. I am honored to have listened to this and easily slap it with an 8.5 out of 10. Good job gentlemen; do not let this beautiful collaboration end just yet. I want to hear more - and I'm sure there's an army out there wanting more just as much as I. 
Apr 26 2017