Frontier Guards - Predestination

"Frontier Guards is an audio-visual project comprised of two equivalent parts: audio and picture. The music is backed by Martin Pablik aka ATRIED (projects Beamship, H.E.E.L), and the visual is under the command of Tomas Galle (H.E.E.L). With its musical and visual motifs, the project is concentrated on the serious and darker part of human mind, the quest of itself and finding the relation to one's vicinity, and to the absolute matters of the human existence." (aphoticaudio.com). Predestination is an album of 12 tracks, including 3 remixes by Oxyd, Subheim and Anhedonia.

We are immediately met by foreboding samples in "Menace", and sounds that make for an atmosphere of isolation. It sounds dark and disturbing and judging by the title that's what it is supposed to do. Sirens take us into "Visitors", which is a very creative piece of near industrial electronica. Then "Screaming" which is much more ambient with the emphasis on experimental sounds. It's clever I have no doubt of, the music is providing a background and environment but still not to the extent I can get lost in it.

"Betrayed by Light" continues with more of the eerie dark ambient sounds, full of samples and noise. I use the term dark ambient, but then question it as I am not sure the track is unpleasant enough to be labelled in such a way. "Abandoned Mind" creates another ambient soundscape with an element of noise. "Predestination" is a little more interesting but only as the drums give it some kind of beat that I can hang on to, but unfortunately only in parts. The great drums build up and up with the normal clangs and clatters but into what? Some kind of void perhaps!

"Transcendental Experiment", seems to convey much more meaning or at least to the extent that I can understand it. Yes, we are obsessed with little things like material possessions, others opinions, and technology. But, most people would be unable to cope with following a transcendental philosophy of life. This is the picture it gives me anyway. "Reconciliation" then comes but with what? We get heavy breathing, experimental and ambient noise and sonics, followed by some nice synth sounds. Continuing as an almost dark electro track with vocals to suit. "Touch of Divinity" gives a feeling of vast spaces and then changes to a more horror type soundscape with of course angel samples. There may be angelic choirs but it doesn't give the feeling of a nice place to be.

We move onto our remixes, firstly "Predestination (Oxyd Remix)", less experimental sounding than the original track and almost has a melody in parts, containing some nice piano sounds. "Screaming (Subheim Remix)" is different but is still very much dark ambient in nature, more listenable to than the original for relaxation purposes as was the Oxyd remix. "Touch of Divinity (Anhedonia Remix)" again retains much of the orginal track and heads in an even more ambient direction, but doesn't have that relaxing space music feature of the other two remixes.

Overall some good synthesizer and sample created atmosphere. Recommended only for those who like their music ambient or dark ambient. I have also seen this album described as IDM. I get the intelligent bit I suppose, but as for dance I think the best I could do is run around in circles and fall over.

Admittedly I am not the biggest fan by far of ambient music but I do have the ability and imagination to switch off and take it in to my head. Unfortunately although I tried this album just didn't take me away to that faraway place. Jul 21 2012