Tag Archives: dark ambient

Sutekh Hexen & Hissing – SH::HS (Cyclic Law)

Posted by John Lithium on

Label Description: Bay Area based experimental metal entities Sutekh Hexen and Seattle’s Hissing unveil SH:HS, a long-awaited collaborative release capturing the raw intensity of their joint improvisational project, SH:HS (Sutekh Hissing Arkestra).

Originally conceived as a live convergence of both bands’ full lineups, SH:HS documents two volatile and distinct performances recorded in 2017 and 2019. These recordings, born from spontaneous interaction and unrestrained sonic exploration, have since undergone an extensive transformation. Across 2024–2025, both groups meticulously revisited the material, cleaning, mixing, and reshaping the source recordings with a careful balance of restraint and intervention, preserving the immediacy of the performances while expanding their depth and dimensionality.

The result is a work that embodies abstract metal improvisation at its most feral and unfiltered. SH:HS channels dissonant textures, unstable rhythmic forms, and raw sonic collisions unfolding in real time. What emerges is a dense and unpredictable soundscape, oscillating between chaos and intention, where structure feels simultaneously eroded and reconstituted in the moment.

This release stands as both a document and a reconstruction, capturing not only the ephemeral nature of live improvisation, but also the evolving dialogue between two of of the west coast’s most uncompromising experimental acts.

CD co-released with Phage Tapes.

Edition of 300 copies in 6 panel Digisleeve. 2 Tracks. Running Time 29:45

Live recordings by James Livingston and Joy Von Spain
Mastered by James Plotkin
Illustrations by Eric Radey
Layout and design by Kevin Gan Yuen and Zach Wise

Sky Burial – Shadow And Shroud (Black Artifact)

Posted by John Lithium on

Label Description: Sky Burial marks its twentieth year in 2026 with the release of “Shadow and Shroud,” the project’s first recording built entirely around rhythm-based material. The eleven tracks coalesce euphoria and angst, forming a dichotomous tenet of ritual praxis for liberation from the binds imposed by the self, society, and state; a return to an actuality where life’s cadence is the totality of existence.

Recorded, Aborted, Reanimated 2006-2026
Mastered by Chris Leamy
Original artwork by Matthew Blodgett

Black Artifact 111

Arran Poole – Painkiller (Submarine Broadcasting Company)

Posted by John Lithium on

Label Description: Our new release is from a new artist on SubCastCo. Glacial long form electronica. This from the artist.

“Slowly building, repeating washes of synthesised sound and noise envelop all around it. Overtaking, consuming, suppressing and supplanting background signals. Noises ricochet through the consciousness; ghostly snares echo back and forth as in an imagined cathedral. Anxious calls and distorted responses. A cloud of hazy dissonance rises, forced up and through intricate tones and space.

The thaw. Ice melts, turns to water, trickles and weaves, carving out streams and pathways. Slowly, shapes emerge from a frosty prison. Moist moss and lichen, once deformed, returning to shape; reappearing from the cold.

An antidote to pain.”

Music and visuals by Arran Poole.

Created using guitars, bass and snare drums, strings, tape hiss, synth and effects.

Nordvargr / Drakh – 2001-2008 (Fluttering Dragon Records)

Posted by John Lithium on

Label Description: NORDVARGR / DRAKH – 2001-2008
Wooden Box Edition, 66 numbered copies

Limited and handcrafted, the wooden box houses five professionally manufactured cassettes and stands as a tribute to one of the most distinctive and uncompromising projects in the Nordic dark ambient scene.

The box includes:

1 pin

5 professionally manufactured cassettes

5 exclusive stickers

2 posters

j4vaman – Never Ending Void (Petroglyph Music)

Posted by John Lithium on

Label Description: I am a Polish musician specializing in electronic, experimental, dark ambient, and plunderphonics music. My work explores the boundaries of sound through unconventional textures and immersive atmospheres, often blending found sounds with synthetic layers to create unique sonic landscapes. Drawing inspiration from both the eerie and the abstract, I aim to evoke deep emotional responses and transport listeners into otherworldly auditory experiences.

This album was heavily based on sampling the short snippets of music from old Adult Swim bumpers. And as usual with my work, I also sampled stuff from old public service advertisement, like anti-drug ads, etc.

There’s everything on here: tracks that are calm, sad, bright or aggressive. There is always a severe amount of different emotions in the void.

All tracks mixed and produced by j4vaman
Artwork by j4vaman
Additional chords on Track 3 by Michael Monaghan.

j4vaman.bandcamp.com/album/never-ending-void

j4vaman.bandcamp.com

Blood Incantation – All Gates Open (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Century Media Records]

Posted by John Lithium on

Label Description: 24-bit / 48K HD audio master.

The over 60-minutes’ long ‚All Gates Open (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)‘ demonstrates Blood Incantation’s diverse capability of songwriting and reveals a light, beautiful and holistic side, serving as the pastoral „yang energy“ of the dark atmosphere of ‚Timewave Zero‘

Line-Up:
Paul Riedel
Jeff Barrett
Morris Kolontyrsky
Isaac Faulk

Kathodos – Parasomnia: Pavor Nocturnus (Slithering Black Records)

Posted by John Lithium on

Label Description:

Order the CD here: thecirclemusic.gr/product/kathodos-parasomnia-pavor-nocturnus-new-album-cd/

All sounds, noises, rituals, and devilries written, recorded and performed by Kathodos
except: Soprano, spoken word and guitar by Lavinia

Cover art by Odilon Redon, The Eye Like a Strange Balloon, Goes to Infinity, 1882

Logo by Lavinia
Additional artwork and layout by Omen North

Produced, mixed and mastered in 2023 by Kathodos

Exit Chamber – Strategy Of Tension (Passed Recordings)

Posted by John Lithium on

Label Description: I have once again broken my brain, and I am afraid that I am therefore inflicting it upon you too, dear listeners.

It’s hard not to feel like everything is ramping up right now but, as they say, there is nothing new under the sun. If we don’t learn from history etc etc. Further reading here, but prepare yourself for quite the rabbit hole: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategy_of_tension and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Gladio

I know physical media and shipping is asking a lot of people just now, so I’ve included the cassette masters and j-card as bonus items with the digital purchase so you can roll your own. Just print the j-card, score the folds on the back and cut it out.

Massive thanks to Ruinbox for the track art edits of the cover and phone wallpaper: ruinbox.bandcamp.com

Shout out to the Ghost Stories for the End of The World podcast too for making me aware of all this stuff initially: www.patreon.com/GhostStoriesForTheEnd

rauðvik – blóðsjúkdómur (Self-Released)

Posted by John Lithium on

Label Description:

A ponderance on the cosmic horrors in the shadows, just beyond the veil of what you can see.

The sky and the cosmos are one.

Special thanks to everyone at FromSoftware for Bloodborne, which served as the inspiration for and subject matter of this album.

All sounds designed by rauðvik at Overlook Studios
Recorded, mixed, and mastered by rauðvik at Overlook Studios
Cover photo by Nephron – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9716436
Text added by rauðvik