Erode - Horizon

Welcome to the twilight world of reflection, please tread carefully as more than a few dreams have been discarded here. Similar to being at the side of a deserted road with only the lights above keeping you company, Erode showcase the beauty of contemplative electronics. One guy, Alexander Deitz, is responsible for what you hear and he's better known for his membership in one of Germany's biggest selling metal bands: Heaven Shall Burn. That all of this intricate sonic depiction could come on a single disc is impressive, it never seems that what you expect is what you get. Erode live up to their name, so many of these songs have a degenerative yet resplendent core to them; this isn't just noodling with knobs for the sake of misguided "variance", either. 'Horizon' stands on very solid ground despite the tendency in this field to pack the filler in. You can tell that the tracks on this record have been a long time in coming. It's like a rock album without the riffs, just loads and loads of insanely expressive atmospheres.

Erode are the latest signing which Tympanik have lovingly brought forth from the ether, the mix of styles on 'Horizon' is what brings me back time and again to listen intently no matter the time of day or night. Deitz chooses some very unorthodox almost heretical instruments to conceal the purely slithering, brooding concoction of beats and effects. I like how you'll be drifting along to what sounds like an endlessly echoing cacophony of reverb and then, without warning, the next thing you hear are some very up front, in your face drums driving both melody and machinery along at a manic pace. As you try to keep up, everything begins running together, like a roulette wheel spinning faster and faster until nothing is left but a gleaming ring of gold... prying one's mind away from the dynamics unleashed by Erode is a tall order.

Another curious feature is how suddenly these tunes end, and it doesn't matter in the least what is going on. I picture this fellow in his studio giddily composing each of these portraits and then hitting the kill switch just as happily. Could it be the fleeting, ephemeral quality of life itself which he is alluding to... just how deeply has the need for understanding of that void sunk in. Whatever the motivation may be, the end result is a major coup for any of us who enjoy adventurous music. Erode don't seem to have any qualms about letting the ambient pads wash over you before bludgeoning all serenity with viciously executed percussive breaks. The title of this album was well chosen, it's meant to invoke both personal challenges to oneself and also thrust us into the realm of how profound the time we're living in truly is.

A celebration of all that is locked away, an approach in finite refined detail; once more the light shines up and out from the darkness of present day existence to reveal a richly and elegantly designed topography of endless possibilities. Like one possessed of designing grandeur who knows what and where beauty resides, so Alexander takes us along for an amazingly varied journey into the heart of conscious thought. Expressions of contemplation are rife on 'Horizon' with stately backdrops of expanding cinematic depth anchoring gorgeous progressions. You won't be at a loss for your own thoughts while you play this; I don't forsee a lot of people getting the same experience listening to Erode's debut which is another strength it has that so few records match now as the emotional content operates on so many levels: raw and unabashed longing for better days, a freefloat into the forgotten realms of the mind. A thinking man's manifesto is what we have here, pity those who cannot see it for what it is. Aug 15 2011