The Howling Void - Shadows Over The Cosmos (CD)

symphonic funeral doom, Solitude Productions, Solitude Productions
40 reviews Write a review
533.33 Р
Price in points: 800 points
SP. 034-10 x
In stock
+ −
The second album of project of the talented musician Ryan reveals new masterpiece of symphonic funeral doom metal! "Shadows Over The Cosmos" has a potential to become a master form of the genre along with best pieces of such bands as Colosseum and Ea: five endless tracks of majestic funeral doom filled with cold enigma and infinity of Cosmos. This sincere music will capture the listener until the very last second opening the beauty of Creation before him. Additional sense is brought by a picture called “Thaw” by a Russian painter of 19th century Feodor Vasilyev used in the artwork:. The CD is printed with pit-art and gold plated.

Tracklist:
1 The Primordial Gloom 12:20
2 Shadows Over The Cosmos 14:56
3 Wanderer Of The Wastes 12:01
4 The Hidden Sun 5:14
5 Lord Of The Black Gulf 13:03

Artist:
The Howling Void
Artist Country:
United States
Album Year:
2010
Title:
Shadows Over The Cosmos
Genre:
symphonic funeral doom
Format:
CD
Type:
CD Album
Package:
Jewel Case
Label:
Solitude Productions
Cat Num:
SP. 034-10
Release Year:
2010
Country Of Manufacture:
Russia
 Prev
1 2 3 4
Next 
Review
Doom Metal Front
8/10

Mit THE HOWLING VOID hat sich das russische Doom Label Solitude Productions ein Ein-Mann-Funeral-Projekt aus Texas an Land gezogen, das im groben Stile von Thergothon und Skepticism nicht nur die Welt, sondern gleich das ganze Universum in Dunkelheit tauchen möchte. „Shadows Over The Cosmos“ ist wie das Vorgängeralbum ein äußerst symphonisches Werk, welches seine Kraft nicht nur mittels schwerer Riffs entfaltet, sondern einen Klangteppich vor dem Hörer ausbreitet, der auf melodiösen Gitarrensoli sowie ausladenden Piano- und Synthiwänden dahingleitet. Für Funeral Doom untypisch sind die fünf Songs des Albums trotz ihrer Gemächlichkeit äußerst eingängig und stellenweise fast ohrwurmlastig ausgefallen, insofern man den abgrundtiefen Growls von Herr R aus Texas zugetan ist. Da sich diese aber großzügig über die Songs verteilen, wirken die Kompositionen vor allem tiefenentspannend. Warum nicht einmal die Space Night auf dem Bayrischen Rundfunk mit „Shadows Over The Cosmos“ untermalen? Dann würde sich die jahrelang in die öffentlich rechtlichen Fernsehsender investierte Rundfunkgebühr endlich einmal auszahlen und die dritten Sender ihrem vermeintlichen kulturellen Anspruch genügen. Nun ja, vielleicht träume ich einfach weiter und entspanne zu den atmosphärischen Klängen von THE HOWLING VOID.

Author: Mo)))urner
Solitude Productions 15.05.2011, 14:45
Review
Pitchline Zine
9.5/10
03.05.2011

Ryan de The Howling Void la ha vuelto a armar, y de que forma y manera. Si ya nos cautivó a muchos con el disco debut de The Howling Void “Megaliths of the Abyss” ahora lo ha vuelto a hacer con “Shadows Over The Cosmos”, su nuevo opus que va a dejar con la boca abierta a muchos tras la suculenta escucha que otorgan los 5 nuevos temas que se incluyen en él. Para presentároslo a quienes no lo conozcan, hacer mención que bajo el nombre de The Howling Void se encuentra el proyecto en solitario de Ryan, miembro de otras bandas como pueden ser Hordes of the Morning Star, Intestinal Disgorge o Normpeterson, todos ellos bastante alejados de la música con la que dota a The Howling Void. Esto a groso modo da pie a que se pueda decir abiertamente que se trata de todo un polifacético músico, y lo cierto es que lo demuestra sin compasión alguna al recaer sobre él toda la composición así como la interpretación de ambos discos del proyecto que lleva a cabo bajo unas directrices y cánones en torno a lo que es el Funeral Doom Metal.

Tras haber editado su debut con Black Plague Records, ha sido ahora el más conocido sello ruso de buen nivel Solitude Productions quienes les engloba en sus líneas con bandas a quienes ha lanzado sus últimos lanzamientos como pueden ser Ophis o Ea, o yéndonos un poco más lejos la reedición del legendario primer disco de Evoken “Embrace the Emptiness”. Bien, pues bajo todas éstas directrices más o menos para quienes no conozcáis a The Howling Void os podréis hacer a una idea de por donde van los parámetros musicales de Ryan con éste su proyecto. El bueno de R. (como se hace llamar) se mueve por derroteros totalmente inmiscuidos dentro del Funeral Doom Metal cogiendo un poco de Shape Of Despair, un poco de Skepticism, algo de Evoken a los cuales añadiendo algo (bastante) de personalidad, así como toque y distinción propio nos da un resultado altamente optimo y 100% aconsejable para quienes son asiduos seguidores de éste tipo de sonidos. .

5 temas incluye el álbum con una sobria presentación a nivel de artwork, con un cd serigrafiado en color oro que queda bastante bonito. El mismo es una representación de una obra llamada “Deshielo” llevada a cabo por el artista ruso Feodor Vasyliev, en un disco de los que directamente te atrapa y no te deja escapar. The Howling Void son unas de esas bandas que enganchan a las primeras de cambio, a pesar de lo a veces compleja y ardua música que desprende Ryan, encargado de toda la recreación musical que se lleva a cabo en ésta one – band, de la cual me resulta totalmente portentoso que únicamente un músico pueda llegar a componer así como interpretar ésta música, y sobretodo porque lo hace con tanta solemnidad. Se trata de algo que está a la altura de muy poca gente.

El llegar a un tan alto nivel de composición y de ejecución por parte de una única persona tiene que ser algo innato, y nos tenemos que alegrar porque éste chico texano lo quiera compartir con todos nosotros. El disco se va casi a la hora de duración con temas que varían en dilación desde la instrumental “The Hidden Sun” de 5 min, “Lord of the Black Gulf” de 13 minutos o el tema título “Shadows Over the Cosmos” que anda cercanos los 15, todos y cada uno de ellos una experimentación total de sentimientos desoladores, con ambientes muy cautivadores a la vez que ambientales y sinfónicos. Todo está englobado bajo un crisma de mucha capacidad sinfónica, así como de amplias atmosferas e interminables melodías, con ritmos en muchos casos simples, pero que en la mayoría de casos se recrean y se recrean de tal forma que agencian tal solemnidad en cada parte de ellos que llega a un tal punto de éxtasis musical al alcance de muy pocos. Las partes instrumentales son muy aplastantes, lentas, agónicas, agobiantes, partes orquestadas totalmente mezquinas que se te marcan en la cabeza y que se te repiten con asiduidad en tu cabeza. Puede resultar exagerado, pero echarte a los oídos una obra como ésta, es como entrar en una experiencia gloriosa y sublime.

En definitiva “Shadows Over The Cosmos” es un disco necesario para momentos de calma y relax y para desertar en determinados momentos de la velocidad y brutalidad que está imperada así como asentada en el Metal extremo, siempre hay buenos momentos en cuales apaciguarse y enternecer las entrañas con música de calidad como la que aquí impera. Si ya “Megaliths Of The Abyss” ya nos pareció a muchos supremo y muy por encima de la media de discos editados, con éste nuevo álbum no sabría decidir si se ha superado, tampoco si se ha igualado, son dos obras tan magnificas que poco o nada se puede comparar. Solo me queda decir una cosa, escúchalo.

Author: Javibackyard
Solitude Productions 05.03.2011, 14:27
Review
Metal Library
8/10
13.02.2011

Некий отдельно взятый американский Ryan очень разнообразная личность – он мало того что имеет данный проект, ведомый им сольно, так еще и участвует в группах Hordes Of The Morning Star (многочисленный по их меркам black проект из трех человек), Intestinal Disgorge (нойз-грайндовое непотребство с вагинами и прочими мерзостями) и более близкий к теме, шумовой дум Normpeterson. Последние две группы сотворены в сотрудничестве с J – Jacob. И из всего калейдоскопа музыки из-под его пера, это самый человечный и мягкий, по-видимому, проект, дающий нам понять: как выглядит для этого человека funeral doom metal.

Но начнем мы с недостатков, первый и основной из которых это полнейшее несовпадение настроения релиза в его текстовой (читать черный шрифт на темно-коричневых фонах очень тяжело, и лучше ориентироваться примитивно на названия песен), оформительской (работы Федора Васильева прямиком из XIX века) и музыкальной частей. При прослушивание совершенно не верится, что методично гипнотизирующий медленным темпом дум действительно является funeral. Даже весьма оригинальное, и что самое приятное – действенное и заметное – внедрение ambient фонов, прямо во время основного хронометража песни (в отличие от сходных в композиторском контексте Longing For Dawn и Stijn Van Cauter) оттеняющих и без того мягкие гитары до ванильных привкусов, не убеждает в отношении к погребальному стилю. Этот тот редкий альбом, который стоит слушать, не держа в руках коробку и буклет, чтобы не утерять наиболее ценное в его атмосфере: красивую, проникновенную нежность, изливаемую центральной мелодической осью чувственных клавишных (чаще всего фортепьянных) партий. Если угодно это полная надежды медленная версия Saturnus, столь же тщательно запоминающаяся своей душевностью.

За весь альбом характерного давления на нервы и мозг вы найдете всего ничего – одну песню "Lord Of The Black Gulf", словно написанную для другого альбома, возможно грядущего (я уже расстроился от своего предположения). Мягкие гитары и блистательное пианино, весьма насыщенное делают все оставшееся время звучания успокаивающим путешествием по слегка затененным романтичным местам памяти, где как мне кажется подошли бы городские зарисовки из старой Европы с небольшим налетом одиночества. Заглавная "Shadows Over The Cosmos" не обладает ничем космическим, зато проникновенно повествует о чем-то увитом плющом. Да, мне так даже больше нравится, к тому же при всей типичности музыкального наполнения пластинки, именно эта чувственная осторожная нежность выделяет работу. Она запоминается, при всех своих нестыковках и минусах, к которым также отнесу не выведенный, неразборчивый сиплый гроул. Пропитанные душевным отношением к творчеству расплывающиеся мазки теплых цветов на заднем фоне и капельки мелодий сверху перевешивают все. Вторая после титульной и третья по номеру "Wanderer Of The Wastes" щеголяет даже гитарными соло, плывущими в мерцающем воздухе тех самых пустынь. Инструментальная пауза на три минутки, а затем, та самая, последняя вещь, тоже под кальку двенадцати минут, из другого мира.

Уровень второго альбом The Howling Void высок, а сам проект обладает запоминающейся эмоциональной содержательностью, устремившейся прочь от обыденного, поднадоевшего funeral doom, старательно пестуемого сейчас повсюду. Как можно отметить общую схожесть всех проектов подобного рода, обобщив их понятием "для поклонников стиля", так можно найти в каждом альбоме свои отличия. Здесь и то и другое, удивительным «
образом сочетается, только вот подправить бы персептивную сторону релиза...

Author: Maliceth aka Алк.
Solitude Productions 17.02.2011, 18:06
Review
Forgotten Path
8/10

Here we have the second album from a perspective Funeral Doom Metal band from the US. The music in some moments can be described as atmospheric or symphonic Doom, but because wonderful atmosphere is popular in this subgenre in my opinion, better leave it just with the word “funeral”. The music is something between space and drums beat, vocals are a rare guest and compositions sometimes look more Post-Rock than Metal. Otherwise, everyone who is possessed by atmosphere and emotions in the music should check this work out.
This release consists of four tracks longer than ten minutes in length and one five-minute song. Every song is really similar to each other, but the whole album is not very boring. Moreover, “Shadows over the Cosmos” has memorable, exceptional riffs and mode, of course you can find many analogous bands, but it has something strong. Probably it is that stretched structure, the band puts many different emotions, but on the other hand, every Funeral Doom band has very long songs... It could be that melodic parts in some pieces of the compositions or good guitars, but I am not sure. However, this indescribable mood, which is of unknown origin, and that could infest you while listening this, is the best thing in the whole work.
This album is a little bit middling. Sometimes more than a little bit... As I’ve said in the last paragraph, the music does not change a lot, in fact, every song has no individuality and this could be written as a one long song. Yes, the song themes are always the different, but that long and harrowing journey from the beginning of the track till the end leaves only the melody, which is put in your mind in every minute. That is probably because each theme here is too weak to remember. So although memorable songs, as always, are not very popular in Funeral Doom, but here this fact is a strong minus, because for the whole work it should be important, and this point helps to forget this band faster than you should, because the music is really good. Oh, and if we come back to the songs, there is one of five minutes in length, that I mentioned in the beginning - that wonderful Ambient type composition perfectly unites the first two songs with the second two. That pseudo intro song is the most memorable at all...
You may be misjudged about this work. In fact, this is a great example of slow, killing Doom. In my opinion this is one of the best Funeral Doom Metal albums of this year, of course if we forget Ea, which was a great and very pleasant atmospheric trip. “Shadows over the Cosmos” has deep and epic songs that give you something really great and it is no matter that the songs sound a bit mediocre - as the Germans say “atmosphäre über alles” - and that atmosphere is perfect here.

Author: Bloodie
Solitude Productions 14.02.2011, 18:08
Review
Vibrations of Doom #50
10/10

Ah yes, the coveted PERFECT score, and it's rather fitting that one of the best
doom/death labels in the entire world carries the prize. What's even more
astounding about this band signed to a Russian record label is THEY HAIL FROM
THE U.S.!! What a win for us! This record is absolutely fucking PERFECT. The
atmosphere is created with beautiful and sometimes melancholic synthesized
ambient landscapes and amidst the slow and heavy percussion and guitar work is
the most amazing piano notations ever put to disc. If you're looking for nice
long songs that carry their weight WELL, this is the disc you NEED. 'The
Primordial Gloom' starts the disc off, weighing in at 12:20. You'll hear the
water and rain sounds throughout the disc, as if there's a theme to these
landscapes. The death vocals are quite vicious but somewhat in the background
so as not to conflict too harshly with the landscapes going on. All the tracks
do have a break in the middle (roughly) of a few minutes to vary things up a
bit; it's not all the same repetitive patterns the whole time (although that
would NOT bother me A BIT). Each song is VERY short on lyrics, which is
somewhat interesting to note when you read the lyrics and get the idea that
these are songs WELL over the 10 minute mark. Obviously the instrumentation
speaks a lot more loudly than the words.. The title track is the
longest cut here at over 14 minutes, and the guitar, drums and piano notes
start this off very well. Some of the darker guitar riffs sound like they're
being picked at a high rate of speed, which gave me the false impression that
maybe some of these guitar parts are sampled. For all the beautiful passages we
are spellbound by, there's some sorrowful work in there as well. 'Wanderer Of
The Wastes' has by far THE most amazingly beautiful framework of
instrumentation on the disc. If you're not moved by these etherial landscapes
then you don't have a pulse, or you don't understand true doom metal. Followup
track 'The Hidden Sun' is the shortest piece here, at 5 minutes, and quite a
beautiful instrumental. All you get here is main lead instrumentation which is
the piano notes, backed by synthesized ambient landscapes. And this track would
be a PERFECT piece to hear over a morning sunrise. (Hence the title I suppose).
Hell, this track COULD have been longer and I'd be even happier. Finally, the
closing cut on the disc 'Lord Of The Black Gulf' is easily the darkest and most
sinister track on the disc, especially considering the bell like notes in spots
and the very funereal like atmosphere the guitars and synths portray. However,
for all it's darkness, this track STILL contains amazingly beautiful passages.
Your 5 minute break contains barely audible acoustics, birds, synths and rain
sounds before suddenly jarring you back into the heaviness. I ALMOST took off a
point for that, but repeated listens prove that it's not a distraction. THIS
particular track is more along the lines of the sort of material they were
writing on their very first full length "Megaliths Of The Abyss," which is
almost unfair for me to note since I heard THAT album well after I had taken in
this disc in repeated listening sessions. What a fucking kick ass album; it's
the deepest essence of emotional doom/death metal, and obviously the greatest
highlight disc of 2010 for me. Interview WILL be forthcoming from this extreme
pick of issue #50...
Solitude Productions 17.12.2010, 14:02
Review
Temple of Doom Metal
14/20

"Shadows Over The Cosmos" is the second full-length of this project, an one-man band that went out from the mind of Ryan, and it succeeds "Megaliths Of The Abyss", released in the beginning of 2009.
And what we have in this new proposal is the continuation of the exploration of the funeral doom lead with more symphonic tones, but now the formula appears a little more refined, without significant structural alterations on the songs, which are still quite long, with the exception of "The Hidden Sun", an ambient track, which only arrives to five minutes of duration and which serves of interlude/bridge between " Wanderer Of The Wastes " and " Lord Of The Black Gulf ".
All the themes are dominated by keyboards and ultra-slow rhythms, on which there settle some leads of guitar that give a more ethereal touch to the compositions and, at the same time, distressing the one that gathers a quite deep and guttural voice that, to spaces, is interspersed by some short whispers, giving a more black tone to the musics.
Between what is possible to ear here, the theme that opens this album, "The Primordial Gloom", it’s the one that catch your attention at the first minute; without containing anything of abysmal or revolutionary from the musical point of view, it is the best example of the crystallization of the formula used by Ryan, again, for this project, where there is a bigger harmony between all the parts, dragging oneself again in 45 next minutes, where there are some moments repeated even to the exhaustion and what do not favor the health of those remaining songs.
Again, there was not any type of bashfulness in showing up that the principal references that sublie on this funereal path are Skepticism, Shape Of Despair and Thergothon.
Summarizing, this second proposal, which comes out by the hand of Solitude Productions, is largely superior to the presented one in 2008, but it will be still necessary to file some edges so that the compositions reach new dimensions and so that they make references into this musical segment. Nevertheless, it is again of the most valid works in this advanced year.
Solitude Productions 09.12.2010, 22:41
Review
Inwe[B]zine

Comme vous le savez peut être déjà, le Funeral Doom se caractérise par sa lenteur et son faible nombre de notes à la minute. Un accord de guitare toutes les 30 secondes, un battement de grosse caisse toutes les minutes et une suite de notes au clavier toutes les 15 secondes (ben oui, tout de même, il y a de la vie !!). Par cette caractéristique, certains pensent que faire du Funeral Doom est simple, puisque ce style ne demande pas de parfaite maîtrise musicale. Ceci engendre la naissance de nombreux one man band qui pensant pouvoir maîtriser un style facilement, nous proposent des albums sans âme, sans sentiment et tentent de nous berner avec un semblant d’album sans aucune expérience musicale.

THE HOWLING VOID fait-il partie de ces groupes ? J’ai bien peur que oui, et pourtant… tout commençait bien en 2009 avec la sortie de Megaliths of the Abyss, album très complet, très changeant et bien abouti. Pour un premier album, l’impression était très bonne. C’est donc sans aucune appréhension que je me lance dans l’expérience : Shadows of the Cosmos. Malheureusement, l’expérience sera toute autre.

Le style Funeral Doom puisqu’il est selon certain facile à maîtriser, on se doit de mettre ses sentiments, ses émotions dans cette musique. Elle doit être profonde, posséder une âme et nous emmener ailleurs. Bref, l’auteur doit y mettre ses tripes sur la table, et ici, je peux vous dire que la table de THE HOWLING VOID brille et sent bon la lavande (Petite envie Printanière, désolé) !! Je ne vois aucun sentiment, tout est superficiel, rien ne transparaît dans la musique. Que c’est-il passé Ryan ? As-tu perdu la passion ? Où est cette flamme qui fait de toi un artiste et qui te demande de t’investir dans chacune de tes productions ?

Chaque morceau de Shadows of the Cosmos est ennuyeux dès la 2ème minute. Aucun changement d’ambiance, des mélodies qui se répètent pendant 10 minutes, aucune profondeur, aucune émotion. Et pourtant, la musique de Ryan est parfaitement maîtrisée, tous les ingrédients sont là, une bonne guitare, une voix gutturale qui tient la route, un clavier présent comme décor. Mais voyons, il faut plus que ça Ryan pour qu’un album touche un auditeur. C’est frustrant de voir que tout est présent pour faire de cet album un bon album et que Ryan, par manque de conviction ou d’envie, en fait un album si monotone.

Seul The Hidden Sun tire son épingle du jeu, mais je n’arrive pas à dire si c’est un bon morceau, ou si c’est parce que le morceau est plus court et que donc, la mélodie n’a pas le temps d’être pompeuse.

Bien triste donc de ressentir un manque d’investissement pour cet album. Passons notre chemin, en espérant des jours et des albums meilleurs pour THE HOWLING VOID.

Author: dark.pimousse
Solitude Productions 15.11.2010, 21:40
Review
Shapeless Zine
7/10

The Howling Void и il nome del progetto solista di un certo Ryan (anche noto come R.), un artista texano attivo anche in altre realtа musicali, nello specifico Hordes Of The Morning Star, Intestinal Disgorge, Normpeterson. Si tratta rispettivamente di gruppi black, brutal e sludge/drone, e questo particolare и indicativo sulla mentalitа piuttosto aperta ed eclettica del musicista, contraddistinta perт da una passione per l'estremo. Ma и The Howling Void il suo progetto piщ personale, l'unico nel quale possa suonare tutti gli strumenti, comporre e cantare. Con questo progetto, Ryan ha esordito nel 2009, con l'album "Megaliths Of The Abyss", pubblicato per la Black Plague Records. I buoni riscontri e l'effettivo talento dell'artista hanno convinto la Solitude a mettere The Howling Void sotto contratto. Il risultato di questo matrimonio и "Shadows Over The Cosmos", un album di 57 minuti suddivisi in cinque lunghe tracce.
La copertina di "Shadows Over The Cosmos" и molto bella ed evocativa: essa ci mostra un paesaggio desolato, reso ancora piщ strano da un'intensa monocromia ocra. E sempre paesaggi naturali decorano le due pagine del libretto, che contengono i testi (non facilmente leggibili, a dire il vero, stampati nero su ocra), e le informazioni relative alla realizzazione del CD. Tra l'altro, questi paesaggi sono in realtа quadri dell'artista russo Feodor Vasilyev, vissuto nel diciannovesimo secolo.
Partiamo subito col dire che la qualitа di registrazione и ottima, intensa e comunicativa, dai suoni pieni e potenti. Insomma, una qualitа perfettamente in linea con quella tipica dei prodotti Solitude. E, nonostante The Howling Void sia un progetto solista, il suono che fuoriesce dalle casse (o dalle cuffie) и molto simile, se non uguale, a quello che potrebbe essere prodotto da un gruppo. Ryan infatti ha svolto un ottimo lavoro di missaggio, aggiustando i volumi con perizia, senza lasciare nessuno strumento sullo sfondo. I lentissimi riff di chitarra fanno tremare i timpani, e si schiantano nelle orecchie dell'ascoltatore come se fossero monoliti precipitati dal cielo. La batteria scandisce il ritmo con un fare implacabile: la lentezza и devastante, fa tremare i corpi di impazienza. Una sezione ritmica davvero torturante, nella quale il basso svolge un lavoro onesto ma preciso. E poi la tastiera, presente in maniera ossessiva, che suona accordi lenti, infiniti, penetranti. Ecco, questi strumenti "raccontano" l'ispirazione musicale di Ryan, autore anche dei vocalizzi, generalmente risolti nel classico gutturale profondissimo ed incomprensibile.
Le cinque composizioni presenti in "Shadows Over The Cosmos" si intitolano "The Primordial Gloom", "Shadows Over The Cosmos", "Wanderer Of The Wastes", "The Hidden Sun" (uno strumentale minimale ed ossessivo) e "Lord Of The Black Gulf". Si tratta di composizioni perfettamente in linea con gli standard del funeral doom internazionale, dai minutaggi che variano dai dodici ai quattordici minuti l'una (con l'eccezione del breve strumentale, di cinque minuti). Chiunque conosca un prodotto standard della Solitude, non dovrа sforzarsi molto con l'immaginazione per comprendere le caratteristiche stilistiche di The Howling Void. Tanto per fare dei paragoni, questo progetto puт ricordare vagamente gli Ea, perт piщ doom e meno ambient. O ancora, potrebbe portare alla mente i Colosseum o i Somnolent.
Pur non brillando in quanto ad originalitа, The Howling Void rientra perfettamente nei canoni del funeral doom di qualitа, ed il fatto di essere una pubblicazione Solitude ne и la conferma. Gli amanti del genere non potranno che gradire la sua proposta musicale. Bravo Ryan, promosso con merito.

Author: EGr
Solitude Productions 28.10.2010, 23:01
Review
Metal Revolution Webzine
7/10
27.10.2010

From a band called The Howling Void, sporting the title Shadows Over the Cosmos and with tracks such as "The Primordial Gloom" and "The Hidden Sun" it is relatively easy for one who has little imagination to instantly label it doom metal (or in this case, more correctly portrayed, funeral doom.) And how right one would be! From the moment the disc starts, taking you through the slow tracks, caressing your ears at one moment, using the next to caress the senses, Shadows Over the Cosmos takes you on a journey much more than it entertains you with music.

While not my favorite style of music, in many ways, I thought to myself, no, I decided, that I would have to listen it through several times, seeing if I could in some derive meaning from all of it. In the end I do not know if I succeeded. One thing I can say, without a shadow of doubt in my mind, is that The Howling Void has managed to make something remarkable with this release. For anyone who can take the time to dwell into the mysterious world that the music so presents, lies endless joys that, if you close your eyes and lean back, just might offer your soul a tranquil moments of rest in this hectic world of today.

A fine production means that the sound is seemingly perfect, thus rendering the feeling and illusion complete. It is, for all intentions and purposes, possible to simply but it on, lay down and close your eyes and just reach a state of well-being. Obviously, this album caters not to those too impatient to really immerse themselves into the music , or those just wanting something new to fill their iPod with for the hell of it.
I cannot possibly guess on the longevity of the album, a major factor in deciding on a score for the album. I beckon, though, that people hear for themselves on this one - the feeling(s) associated with the album are hard to put into words.

Author: Patrick
Solitude Productions 27.10.2010, 21:22
Review
Metal.de
6/10
09.07.2010

Bereits das zweite Album innerhalb kurzer Zeit veröffentlicht das texanische Einmannprojekt THE HOWLING VOID: Nach dem Debüt "Megaliliths Of The Abyss" erscheint "Shadows Over The Cosmos" nunmehr bei den russischen Doom-Spezialisten Solitude Productions und wartet mit stimmungsvollem Coverartwork auf – Landschaftbilder des russischen Malers Fjodor Alexandrowitsch Wassiljew. Und die dargebotene Musik passt nicht nur perfekt zur Optik und zum Label, sondern auch zum Wetter: Sinfonischer Funeral Doom bei 35 Grad im Schatten – der richtige Stoff, wenn der Kopf anfängt, in der Gluthitze zu zerfließen.

Was habe ich mich auf die fünf überlangen Tracks gefreut – und wie ernüchtert war ich nach dem ersten Durchgang: THE HOWLING VOID zelebrieren auf ihrem über zwölf Minuten langen Opener immerzu dasselbe Riff, mal unterlegt von Keyboards, mal von Grabgesang. Und fast mag man "The Primordial Gloom" bannen, wenn da nicht ab und zu das Riff wechseln würde, um ein wenig Dramatik aufkommen zu lassen. Der Titeltrack ist in dieser Hinsicht noch ein Stück extremer: Knapp 15 Minuten lang, bietet er wiederum nur träge Saitenverschiebungen, zumeist von flächigen Synthesizern und Glockenklängen (immer passend zum langsamen Takt) ergänzt, und somit seit dem ersten Moment vorhersehbar. Zugegeben, nach einigen Durchläufen gewinnt das Songmaterial, und es stellt sich ein episches Grundgefühl ein. Aber es erzeugt kaum Bilder im Kopf und keine Gänsehaut.

Alleinstellungsmerkmal von THE HOWLING VOID sind merkwürdig wabernde und pulsierende Keys und Gitarrenleads – das hat Mr. R. wirklich gut hinbekommen, genauso wie der schwere und fette Sound hervorragend zur Musik passt. Dem Album mangelt es aber einfach an songschreiberischem Geschick: Nichts gegen Wiederholungen, nichts gegen Einfachheit in den Strukturen – denn das ist ja integraler Bestandteil des Funeral Doom –, aber "Shadows Over The Cosmos" ähnelt darin einer Fahrt mit der Transsibirischen Eisenbahn: Abgesehen vom Mythos dieser Bahnstrecke und einer immer mal wieder aufkeimenden Faszination bietet sie doch vor allem den Blick auf endlose, ewiggleiche, monotone und öde Landschaften. Und irgendwann möchte man einfach nur noch aussteigen.

Aufgrund der schicken Aufmachung und einiger netter Momente knappe...

Author: Eckart
Solitude Productions 08.10.2010, 02:31
 Prev
1 2 3 4
Next 
Write a review

All Labels