I, Voidhanger Records presents: VV.AA. Yogsothery - Gate I

What we have here is a thematic compilation released by I, Voidhanger, a new Italian label apparently focusing on Black and Doom Metal. There are three things to be said here for an introduction. First, as the name indicates, the compilation is based on recordings inspired by the work of Mr. H.P. Lovecraft, arguably the Doom writer par excellence, which, despite the quite frequent use of his name for Metal and Industrial releases, gives something monumental and specific to be taken up. Second, the CD was compiled and managed by Len van der Wolf, a person to be somehow notoriously known from being initially associated with the Ashes to Ashes, Doom to Dust festival and the Comaworx label project. Leaving the controversies aside, it is somewhat nice to see that some of these projects are well able to reach a material manifestation. And third, perhaps on a more personal note, seeing the bands Aarni, Umbra Nihil and Caput LVIIIm (that is, a Malasangre side-project) on a single release makes one recall memories of the times when the Aarni/Umbra Nihil split and ’The Church of the Flagellation’ tape were some of the most obscure Doom metal releases to be found out there.
The compilation opens with a 25-minute track by Jääportit , a dark ambient / darkwave project from Finland and while it is the least “Metal” track on here, it surely offers some lovecraftian atmospheres of gloom-and-doom through obscure soundscapes and voices organized in layers around a lead synth. Here, Jääportit is not afraid (compared to other projects such as Vinterriket) to display invention and playfulness that one might have already had experienced on excellent albums such as ’Avarrus’ or ’Uumenissa’ and that makes the project a standout in the genre. For sure the release could not find a better invocation of an atmosphere of out-of-space colors.
While ever since their split released on Firebox records, Umbra Nihil and Aarni have taken paths of developing their tunes in ways peculiar to each project, the two tracks, both about 10 minutes in length, are genre-wise probably the closest on the compilation and offer a slab of psychedelia and Space-Rock-inspired Doom that stretches from some Stoner-sounding riffs of Umbra Nihil to the Aarni’s almost registered trademark use of provocative disharmonies, this time some bizarre flute/keyboard sounds which are followed by the entrance of some really heavy guitars at mid-track.
Caput LVIIIm is a one-off side project of the bands Malasangre and Tronus Abyss , and after 22 minutes of obscure Finnish doomy lovecraftian hallucinations, the listener is grounded by a heavy slab of monotonous, blackened, regressive Funeral Doom with mid- to high-pitched shrieks that amounts to a bit less than half an hour. Hardly much to object, the band is able to deliver some top-notch quality (although the production is perhaps the most “lo-fi” on the compilation) and definitely can't disappoint those like the review’s author who are waiting for another Malasangre offering, to be out somewhen this year on the label.
Overall, this is one of the best compilations I've came across over the last few years, especially due its thematic cohesion, the quality and uniqueness of the artists offering their goodies and the good job done with editing and choosing the artwork. The next nice thing to hear is that there are two more ’Yogsotheries’ waiting to see the stars to be right and that not all Doom that proceeds slowly doesn't deliver. And one last remark: while the booklet warns about listening to the record in sober, it is to be noted that some of its effects are able to crush a soul even through the hazardous mode of drug-free use.

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I, Voidhanger is a relatively new label, a sub-label of ATMF Records, dedicated to releasing the more obscure doom-oriented music out there, metal-related or otherwise. This ambitious project, sort of a homage to H.P. Lovecraft, is one of their very first releases. This is impressive in more than one way: The packaging, the cover art and the booklet are outstanding and the recording is top-notch. What's more interesting is taking upon themselves a project such as this, which gathers under one roof four interesting musical entities, each one offering their interpretation of what they understand as Lovecraftian music. Now, the idea of tributing the works of H. P. Lovecraft is in itself completely unoriginal and was pretty much thought of and realized a million times in music. But this four-way split is all about the outcome; music which will actually embody the spirit and atmosphere of the mystery writer and personify his legendary twisted worlds and dark ancient gods. And dark the music is. Four lengthy tracks, by four different bands, whose common factor is lunacy in a sonic form. From the thick layers of mysterious dark ambient of Jaaportit, through the bleak landscapes of Umbra Nihil and Caput LVIIIm, to the deranged and chaotic avant-garde of Aarni, this recording epitomizes the flavors, sounds and horrors of Lovecraft's unique literature. In no way is this tribute an easy listening experience, and sometimes it is too out there to be enjoyable, however its uniqueness lies with the fact it captures the Lovecraftian essence in a way no one before has succeeded. Put this album in your stereo system, grab Lovecraft's _The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath_ and see what happens...
[8 out of 10]

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As one of the most dense and intriguing releases we have received in the last few months, today we have a tribute album to H.P. Lovecraft titled “Gate 1: Yogsothery - Chaosmogonic Rituals of Fear”. In this release we have over 77 minutes of music divided into 4 crushing tracks performed by Jaaportit (Finland), Umbra Nihil (Finland), Aarni (Finland) and Caput LVIIIm (Italy).
With a very tense atmosphere that is composed by the Experimental Doom, Ambient, Drone and overall progressive thinking, this release takes the listener into a very trippy voyage through Lovecrat’s inspired atmospheric pieces that will haunt your dreams. With such a rich backdrop of works to focus their tracks on, the four bands that participate in this release do an excellent job in creating truly disturbing and dissonant tracks that nicely represent the Lovecraftian feeling.
Opening this release we have Jaaportit’s “Kuihtuman Henkivi”. Hailing from Finland, this duo has crafted a 25 minute monstrous atmospheric piece that will elevate your state of consciousness immediately. In such a long song the band goes from atmospheric to futuristic synth elements and the back to pure atmospheric madness. For such a long track we found ourselves wondering what happened with the time since we were completely transported to another place where time and space didn’t seem to matter.
Next up we have Umbra Nihil and their ‘doomier’ side of things, opening with some acoustic guitars and some Doom riffs that craft a very different atmosphere from the first song. The psychedelic elements that Umbra Nihil infuses to this song are very well incorporated and the deranged vocals near the end of the song make this track a very interesting and crazy experience.
With Arni’s “Lovecraft Knew”, we go back to the atmospheric trance-like state of the first track, but of course with Arni’s own brand of distorted guitars and creepy psychedelicness that creates a very strange feel to this song. With a feeling like a bad 70’s Sci-Fi movie, Arni manages (like always) to take the listeners away from their comfort zone and creep the shit out of them.
The crowning piece of this epic journey comes with the name of “Resurgent Atavism”, a 30 minute long track by Caput LVIIIm. In this track Caput LVIIIm brings their Funeral Doom Metal expertise and crafts a shape-shifting piece that flows very nicely. It also makes you forget that you have been just listening to a 30 minute song, which is always nice in such a genre that gets to be very dull.
Overall, we think that “Gate 1: Yogsothery - Chaosmogonic Rituals of Fear” is a very powerful release and greatly fits the whole Lovecraft influence behind it. All songs are very effective and while different from each other, they create a very uneasy and crushing atmosphere.
[85 out of 100]

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I, Voidhanger Records has unleashed a beast, and it’s only the beginning. To inaugurate its series of special thematic releases centered on the osmotic relationship between metal and literature, the label has picked the master of cosmic horror, H.P Lovecraft.
The first volume in the Yogsothery trilogy of metal tributes to the genius of Lovecraft, I, Voidhangers Records presents Gate 1: Chaosmogonic Rituals of Fear. The CD consists of only four tracks, but the artists hold nothing back, crafting more than 77 minutes of mind-numbing and nerve-stimulating music ever set to a compact disc. Each band reached deep into their notion of the essence of Lovecraft and his literary creations, and the end result is astonishing for fans into drone, ambiance, and understated but moving metal.
The opening band is Jaaportit, whose contribution is titled “Kuihtuman Henkivi.” Hailing from Finland, Jaaportit consist of a duo who play mostly instrumental music that combines styles that range from cold, atmospheric ambient electronic to frostbitten post-rock.
“Kuihtuman Henkivi” is the former, a dark instrumental journey that captures the weird concept of cosmic horror by drowning the listener in an overwhelming drone, within which there are instrumental kernels that hint at the outsider, the cosmic, and deep-seeded terrors of things and concepts best left alone. At more than 25 minutes, “Kuihtuman Henkivi” is a masterpiece for fans of drone and blackened ambiance.
Formed in 2000 in Finland, Umbra Nihil play progressive doom metal. The trio are inspired often by horror fiction, with its latest CD, The Borderland Rituals, serving as a concept album inspired by William Hope Hodgen’s The House on the Borderland, a novel that influenced writers such as Clark Ashton Smith and Lovecraft with its introduction of a more realistic and science-driven concept of cosmic horror.
With “Suur-Nikkurin Virsi,” Umbra Nihil begin with an amalgam of noise (I swear I heard Al Azif in there!), which then is taken over by an acoustic guitar under which are layers of subtle keyboards. The song then expands to a doomish structure, complete with a droning electric guitar and slow percussion. Low-end, chant-like vocals also take center stage, with subsequent interludes that provide a more psychedelic and spacey vibe. Of the songs on this disc, this one is the most metallic, featuring a guitar solo driven by a foot-stomping guitar riff.
One of the more esoteric and mysterious collectives is Aarni, an avant-garde metal band from Finland. Masterminded by 4 = 1 Master Warjomaa, Aarni play a musical style that covers various facets of metal, such as funeral doom metal and even folk metal. The band includes in its influences Lovecraft (the collective refers to itself sometimes as the Chthonic Musick), transhumanism, and parapsychology.
The band’s contribution, “Lovecraft Knew,” consists of more than 11 minutes of doom-driven chaos. A centered guitar riff is surrounded by sounds from the outré realm, including hideous voices, string stings, and distortion galore. The end effect goes for Lovecraft’s horror tales, evoking feelings of dread, weird science, and summoning things that should not be. There’s more of a structure to this song, with ambiance connected to actual musical interludes with keyboard and guitar leads.
Italy’s one-time-only formation, Caput LVIIIm, is actually the code name for Baphomet, an entity worshiped by the Knights Templar. Its purpose is far too complex to go into here, but the occult significance of the code is well known to those who delve into such studies. The band was formed by members of necro-doomsters Malasangre (“bad blood”) and black-ambient masters Tronus Abyss.
The band’s contribution is titled “Resurgent Atavism,” which clocks in at almost 30 minutes. The title of the song refers to a tendency to revert to ancestral type. Thus, in biology, the concept refers to an evolutionary throwback, whereas in the social sciences the concept refers to a cultural phenomenon in which a person reverts to ways of thinking and acting of a former time. Lovecraft was such a person, as he yearned to have been born in another time, preferably during the Victorian era. Atavism emerges in Lovecraft’s fiction in tales such as “The Lurking Fear,” “A Shadow over Innsmouth,” and “The Dunwich Horror.” The song attempts to reflect on concepts such as alienation, familial regeneration (punctuated with subtle but chilling laughter), and interbreeding leading to degeneration, all of which Lovecraft explored.
As the first of the Yogsothery trilogy, Gate 1: Chaosmogonic Rituals of Fear is a monumental success. All four bands manage to tap into the weird worlds of Lovecraft, using music as a pallet with which to paint abstract visions of cosmic terror. Fans of drone, ambiance, funeral doom, and of course Lovecraft will relish every minute of this CD. In one word: Outstanding!

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Now this is a tremendous idea. Take the timeless works of H.P. Lovecraft in his 'Mythos' continuum, seek out four bands who might best be able to interpret the cosmic and obscure horrors within, have them each draft up an immersive, lengthy composition in tribute, and release as a single compilation. Rinse and repeat. Extreme metal is a genre loaded with split albums, EPs and demos, but I can't help but feel that Yogsothery is something more, something we've all been waiting for, and a truly positive use of the 'various artists' format, even if the overtures created by its dense lattice of horrific vibrations and haunted elsewheres could never be called 'positive' by any definition outside of great Chtulhu's swishy vocabulary.
Of the four bands signed up to have their minds bled out through such a ghastly tribute, three here are Finnish. Jääportit is a male/female duo who delve into atmospheric electronica, and their contribution here is "Kuihtuman Henkivi", a 25+ minute piece that cycles from tranquil, swelling ambiance to a sanity razing curtain of turbulence, cosmic horror erupting through strident and frightening retro synthesizer pads, before a lengthy 8-10 passage in which the song devolves back into sadistic but fulfilling tones. If you were somehow transported through space and time to the home dimension of the Big Squid, this might be the background music. Related acts Umbra Nihil and Aarni both follow, with shorter composition (11-12 minutes) that introduce jangling doom guitars into the fray. Umbra Nihil's "Suur-Nikkurin Virsi" is the more fluid and accessible, all depressive and instrumental rock with a touch of electronic freakout that should please fans of the band's great Gnoia album, while Aarni is a lot stranger, with strange, sluggish and psychedelic chugging and synth waves worthy of old Dr. Who episodes or 70s space jazz.
Italians Caput LVIIIm, who I've never previously heard, bring up the rear with the droning, hideous space funeral doom of "Resurgent Atavism". This is perhaps the most ambitious piece on the album, nearing 30 minutes in length, but it carries this weight well, fully absorbing the victim into the swells of extraplanar dread and might that would be likely if such grim tidings of H.P.'s sad, incomprehensible future should come to pass. There are some buried snarls in there, ritual indulgences of some pathetic soul given to its fate. Oddly enough, all four of these acts seem to fit well together here, with Umbra Nihil and Aarni sharing a bit more co-dependence than the rest (Markus Marjomaa is involved in both). It would be difficult to pick a particular favorite, since they all do their job effectively in driving the listener into a lucid state of terror, but I did enjoy the more freakish electro sounds in Jääportit and Aarni than the doom riffs. That said, this is such a colossal undertaking that I wish ATMF some success in bringing out future volumes, and hope that it will continue to attract this level of artist.
[8 out of 10]

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Somewhere between the ambient oddities of krautrock (Faust, Cluster, Neu, Damenbart), the aural experience of the cosmos aligning with your own psyche (Collapsar, Secret Druid Society, Tangerine Dream), sludge, doom, prog, and the right amount of psychedelia (Acid Mother Temple, Circle) comes this compilation consisting of four bands, each contributing one very epic track devoted to H.P. Lovecrafts work. This is actually the first volume in a new series releases centered around the relationship between metal and literature and honestly, I haven’t heard a better musical interpretation of sci-fi horror than can be found on this record.
Jaaportit's "Kuihtuman Henkivi” opens up with a sound that for me, an electronic music obsessive, is really close to my heart and has the liquid textures of synth hum and loops that reminds me of Peter Namlook/Klaus Schulze/Bill Laswell’s “Dark Side of the Moog” series. This thing is completely stellar and celestial drone with the right amount of warm hallucinogenic overtones so if you really dig Clusters drone stuff, Tangerine Dream, Cosmic Jokers and all of their related projects, then you MUST check this shit out!!! Kraut/psyche/ambient/epic space tunes galore!!!!
Umbra Nihil – “Suur-Nikkurin Virsi” comes in as more of a guitar driven space rock/kraut experimental track, every bit as bizarre and unpredictable as Circle and brings in some heavy metallic riffing throughout the 10-minute track that just adds the right amount of “kick ass” to something already outrageous and trippy. There’s definitely a prog circular rhythm pattern to this track, the time signatures are different and they vary, but any fan of: Circle, Acid Mother Temple, Gong, experimental psyche and Kraut rock will be completely at home deep within these tripped out lysergic and sometimes atonal sounds found here.
Aarni – “Lovecraft Knew” is just weird, but when describing this type of music my use of “weird” is simply saying that this stuff is really unique and completely amazing. There’s an atonal guitar in the background along with an altered flute and some jumbled up vocals that sound almost like an alien transmission being intercepted in parts. If you really enjoy the more experimental side of Acid Mothers Temple, then you shouldn’t hesitate to shit a brick of hash upon hearing this track. Halfway through the song a nice jammy groove comes in alongside a crunching metal riff as the proggy synth floats around the atmosphere created within this.
Caput LVIIIm - "Resurgent Atavism” is a 29-minute psychedelic sludge prog doom masterpiece that on it’s own could be a legitimate EP. The chords strummed and extended through thick layers of distortion and reverb hover and loom over you like thick clouds of smoke in a small dive bar packed with about 100 times the capacity. This thing is heavy, as in the amount of destruction caused by a 10 mega ton nuclear warhead HEAVY, but still manages to be fluid and celestial. It really doesn’t matter what track of the four you listen to, they are all hypnotic and dense and totally worth the time to sit back and experience.
If you’re looking for the ultimate sci-fi psychedelic, prog, doom listening experience then you really can’t afford to pass up on this gem. This is one of the coolest damn things that I’ve ever heard as it grooves, invokes doom and fear, spaces you out, and jams all in 77 minutes of purely avant-garde sounds.

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I, Voidhanger Recordings summoned three Finnish bands and an Italian band to this unholy Sabbath to celebrate the works of Howard Philips Lovecraft. ‘Chaosmogonic Rituals Of Fear’ is part one of a three piece that salutes the writer’s ideas one-hundred and twenty years after his birth. This four-split opens with Jääportit, which translates as “The Frost Portals”, a duo formed by Tuomas M. Mäkelä (keyboards and all music) and the beauty Mindy M. Heinonen (violin, voice and visual art) from Oulu, Finland. These self-proclaimed psychonauts try to seduce you with sounds of dripping caves, which sound serene, cold and like an underground river. (Reading tip during listening: ‘The Lurking Fear’). With the albums ‘Gnoia’ and ‘The Borderland Rituals’ under their belt the Fins of Umbra Nihil sound less busy because of the opening acoustic guitar play. But the music turns into that strange hypnotic claustrophobic sound that we know of the band and the chilling doom tunes put your nerves to the test. It still is an intriguing but not so easy to listen to combo. (Reading tip should be ‘The Strange House In The Mist’ or even better, the loneliness and despair of the main character in ‘In The Walls Of Eryx’).
Aarni is weirdness at its best, and the track ‘Lovecraft Knew’ is one of the strangest songs I have ever encountered. It makes you very nervous and sounds like a kaleidoscope trying to see the color of smells… A very heavy trip that lasts like eleven minutes and will turn your partner against you when you play this aloud. (I truly recommend ‘The Music Of Erich Zahn’ for this piece of…). The more traditional (read: an electrical guitar and drums and such) funeral doom by Caput LVIIIm hails from the ashes of Malasangre and might be the first band I know from this subgenre from Italy. I cannot trace whether this ‘Resurgent Atavism’ is an older song but I quite like this black metal drenched ambient doom drone that sounds very esoteric and desolate. This track only justifies this CD. (Why does ‘The Tomb’ apply for this one to read during listening?)
This is a remarkable release that comes in a great package and twenty paged booklet, and it surely would put a smile on the face with this gent from Providence. The initiator of the CD recommends to listen to this in a non-sober way. I on the other hand would recommend a firm cup of tea, a purring cat on your lap and the books of the master at hand.
[75 out of 100]

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When it comes to extreme strangeness in music, this 77 minute, 4 track compilation has to be one of the most bizarre I have ever come across. Titled "Yogsothery: Chaosmogonic Rituals Of Fear" it has only 4 bands but all deliver extreme pieces of diverse music, some of which might make the more tepid listener climb the walls. Voidhanger Recordings bring together three Finnish bands and one Italian band in this tribute to the works of Howard Philip Lovecraft who if it wasn't for him, a lot of bands would be stuck for things to write about especially in the doom-metal genre. The album is beautifully packaged and presented with a 20 page booklet so you can tell some time has been spent putting this together. Musically it is mixed bag and one that has plenty of highs but also many moments that had me, wishing it was all over.
It opens with "Jääportit", which translated means "The Frost Portals", they are a duo formed by Tuomas M. Mäkelä (keyboards and all music) and Mindy M. Heinonen (violin, voice) from Oulu, Finland. They play an experimental kind of atmospheric electronica and this track titled "Kuihtuman Henkivi" is 25 minutes long and getting through this one will test your patience. On the plus side, there is a lot going on this track from serene ambiance moments to passages of sheer horror. Based around the use of synthesizer, this track takes you on a cosmic journey that is relaxing and soothing one minute only to get very ugly the nice. The length of the track is the killer but a good 15 minutes of this is mesmerizing material but by the end of it, you may not be in the mood for the rest of whats in store and believe me, it just gets even weirder. "Umbra Nihil" is up next and compared with "Jääportit" seems much more restrained musically but they still have that element of cosmic strangeness about them. Their tune (?) titled "Suur-Nikkurin Virsi" is a 10 minute depressive yet hypnotic instrumental that is easy listening compared with this albums opening 25 minute piece. The main highlight of this track is the instrumental electronic freakout jam section but there is also an atmospheric, chilling quality to this track that is mesmerizing. The song is bizarre but given the overall weirdness of this 4 track collection it is the most accessible track on the album.
"Aarni" follows with "Lovecraft Knew" and some of you would already know that "Aarni" is one of the strangest bands on the planet and this track does nothing to change that status. This is a heavy, space-trip with sounds that are like something out of an old 1970's sci-fi TV show, anybody remember those old Dr.Who episodes from the 70's ? Heavily psychedelic with elements of jazz-fusion, this track will piss off your neighbors and family members so be warned, this is not for the traditional music fan. If the opening 25 track from "Jääportit" was too much for you, then the closing, almost 30 minute "Resurgent Atavism" from Caput LVIIIm will surely push you to the breaking point of your sanity. This is one of the most ambitious tracks I have heard all year that ranges from droning soundscapes to funeral doom that is blackened, esoteric and desolate. This is the best track on the compilation in my view and is worth the purchase price alone. While there is some unneeded padding to the track, the piece flows remarkably well despite being so long. The overwhelming darkness of the track might be too much to take at first and you may want to listen to this track on its own and save the other 3 tracks for another sitting.
This ambitious compilation has been put together very thoughtfully from the production to the packaging and the choice of bands is excellent in the way that each band seems to compliment each other. The two very long tracks that book-end the album do tend to overshadow the two shorter pieces and that is the only problem that I found with this but it is a major problem as I see it. Even now, after several spins I still find it hard to remember anything about "Umbra Nihil" and "Aarni" without going back and listening to those 2 bands on their own. The opening track from "Jääportit" despite its great moments is overly long and gets a bit tedious and I doubt if many people will sit through the piece without skipping to the next track so there is my gripes about the album. I will still give this a good rating because "Aarni" are just so good in their weirdness and the track from "Caput LVIIIm" is a monumental piece of droning doom metal dread.
[7,5 out 10]

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As an H.P. Lovecraft fan, I have high hope for any art - be it music, painting or literature - that attempts to cash in on the mythos. Creating a soundtrack is a particularly difficult task without the benefit of visuals, but with only the vague descriptions of primordial terrors penned in the early part of the 20th century the task must seem very daunting. After all, the beauty of Lovecraft was that you got to fill in the blanks, so you projected your own nightmares onto the frame that Lovecraft provided.
In this four-track compilation, Avant garde artists Jaaporit, Aarni, Umbra Nihil, and Caput LVIIIM have come together for the first in a three part series of aural tributes to the mythos. Blending elements such as ambient electronics, progressive metal, and blackened space-doom, the bands aim to split the walls between the dimensions of literature and music to invoke the old ones.
The opening track is the 25-minute long electronic psychedelic monster ‘Kuihtuman Henkivi’ by Jaaporit - the sprawling mix of futuristic synths and distorted noises are as chaotic as they are controlled and makes for interesting listening. Umbra Nihil offer up more disturbing yet beautiful sounds on the ten-minute opus ‘Suur-Nikkurin Virsi’ that makes use of both distorted samples and relaxing acoustic guitars before crashing into crushing spaced-out doom. Aarni’s ‘Lovecraft Knew’ on the other hand is a twisted progged-out slice of doom that sounds like Rick Wakeman after a nervous breakdown. The ritual is rounded off by thirty minutes of Caput LVIIIM’s ‘Resurgent Atavism’ which is probably the most sanity-shattering track on the album; with it’s swirling distorted samples and hanging funeral-doom guitars it is the most disserving of the “Lovecraftian” tag.
This is an interesting album put together by artists who know their stuff. There is a lot that invokes the mental imagery of Lovecraft, but maybe not enough that correctly invokes the horror? Jaaporit and Caput LVIIIM are joint winners here, with Umbra Nihil and Aarni not too far behind, but maybe needing some more work to bring out the darker elements of their contributions. A good effort all round though and I’ll be interested to hear the next two parts.

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Chaosmogonic Rituals Of Fear è il primo di tre album dedicati alla mitologia di Howard Phillips Lovecraft che, con le sue storie misteriose e con le terribili divinità aliene dai nomi suggestivi (Cthulhu, Nyarlathotep, Azathoth, Sub-Niggurath e appunto Yog-Sothoth), ha influenzato migliaia di artisti di ogni genere. A questo album partecipano quattro band, ognuna con una lunghissima canzone per un totale di quasi ottanta minuti. I primi sono i finalndesi Jaaportit che propongono un originale mix tra ambient, noise, psichedelia e certe colonne sonore di stampo horror e fantascientifico degli anni '60 e '70. Seguono poi altre due bands finlandesi collegate tra loro: gli Umbra Nihil con un personalisimo doom psichedelico, sperimentale e avanguardista, e gli Aarni con un'estremizzazione più noise-ambient e low-fi della stessa formula. Chiudono il tutto gli italiani Caput LVIIIm con un lunghissimo pezzo dai toni apoalittici e soffocanti a metà strada tra doom, drone, ambient e black metal. Un concept molto interessante, ma sicuramente riservato a pochi data la natura del tutto aliena della musica e la durata elevata, che rappresenta una vera agonia per i meno abituati a certe sonorità.
[7 out 10]

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This is a very hard album to define musically, there is a main theme, the Cthulhu Mythos which is the inspiration for all of these tracks. But every bands have their own musical approach and the music contained on this CD ranges from the rawest Black Metal to the slowest Doom Metal with influences from Sludge, Psychedelic music, Ambient music, Progressive music and much more, so much more. This is a really interesting album and if you are looking for what is essentially a Doom recording that travels all over the musical spectrum, or just something a little bit different look no further.

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'...Sometimes, in the throes of a nightmare when unseen powers whirl one over the roofs of strange dead cities towards the grinning chasm of Nis, it is a relief and even a delight to shriek wildly and throw oneself voluntarily along with the hideous vortex of dream-doom into whatever bottomless gulf may yawn...' (HP Lovecraft). And that's exactly what you'll do after listening to this!! (...) This is a mega package and brother you're gonna need to along with a trip to the funny farm - don't be expecting metal, don't be expecting anything structured or even remotely 'normal' - this is a trip to the outta limits. Except on this one, you may not return. I did wonder if some of the samples and 'noises' may have been occult chanting or goings on and truth be told, I flipped this sucka off lest something mean n nasty walk into my life. You have been warned.

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Every now and then, a tribute album appears in homage to H.P. Lovecraft, seemingly metal’s favorite horror writer. Certainly, he’s one of my favorites, as well, but tribute albums to his writings never really work. The reason, in my opinion, is that Lovecraft’s writing is so visually stunning, so strong, that it is very hard to encapsulate into any sort of worthwhile auditory representation, particularly with readers who have already formed such strong imagery in their minds while reading Lovecraft.
Four projects/ bands, three of them Finnish, attempt just that on Gate 1: Yogsothery - Chaosmogonic Rituals of Fear, a tribute organized by one man doom metal act Aarni, an artist with whom I’m not familiar. As would be expected, the admittedly wonderfully entitled Gate 1: Yogsothery - Chaosmogonic Rituals of Fear is uneven with two strong tracks, and two not so strong. By far, the strongest track is the nearly 26 minute opener entitled “Kuihtuman Henkivi" by horror electronica duo Jääportit. A haunting scream of harmonics and electronic tones sort of reminiscent of “Lux Aeterna” from the 2001: A Space Odyssey soundtrack, this nightmarish abyss provides the perfect accompaniment to Great Cthulhu’s emergence from R’lyeh. If any track comes close, on this album, at least, to personifying the cosmic horror of the Cthulhu Mythos, this is it, and really makes the album worth purchasing for this track alone.
Also of note is the fourth track, another marathon, this time from Caput LIIIVm, a project comprised of members of various Italian bands, none very well known. Entitled “Resurgent Atavism,” the song would fit in quite well with the work of Sunn O))) and Boris on Altar with the same sort of mild, droning vibe. Of lesser quality are the other two tracks, uneven mixtures of cascading doom, acoustic guitars, various intonations, and so on from Aarni and Umbra Nihil.
So, worthy of a purchase? Yes, but I would’ve loved to have gotten a look at the 20-page booklet of liner notes that accompanies a formal purchase in order to bolster my recommendation.

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Tra gli ultimi dischi del 2010 che ho avuto il piacere di ascoltare e in seguito recensire compare questo mastodontico progetto dell’etichetta I, Voidhanger denominato Yogsothery Gate 1: Chaosmogonic Rituals Of Fear. La parola Yog-Sothoth probabilmente vi suonerà familiare dato che viene presa al genio assoluto di Lovecraft e delle avventure di molti suoi personaggi/alter-ego.
L’idea di creare una trilogia di dischi dedicati allo scrittore ed alla guerra fra i Grandi Antichi e gli Dei Esterni descritte nelle opere del folle autore è coraggiosissima principalmente poiché ognuno, leggendo ed appassionandosi agli scritti di Lovecraft, ha viaggiato con la fantasia in modo soggettivo e quindi tradurre in musica tutto ciò è difficile in primis, e rischiosissimo in secundis.
Detto questo ecco ciò che ho desunto dalle idee sonore delle quattro band che hanno partecipato al progetto.
Per primi giungono il duo finlandese dei Jaaportit con la loro lunga e articolatissima suite di ben 25 min “Kuihtuman Henkivi”. Un sound davvero interessante che combina stili diversi quali Elettronica applicata al Dark Ambient e Post-Rock. I ritmi intesi letteralmente sono pressoché assenti ma degli evanescenti sintetizzatori riparano al “problema” senza risultare ossessivi.
Fin da subito ci si sente come immersi in un’atmosfera pressoché ambigua che gioca tra oscurità e futurismo, come se ci trovassimo su di un pianeta buio ma ipertecnologico e il tutto si muove come un mare nero sul quale siamo inevitabilmente trasportati verso la seconda traccia dello split.
Restando sempre in Finlandia sono i doomsters Umbra Nihil con la loro Suur-Nikkurin Virsi a continuare il viaggio. Ancora follia per quasi undici minuti, ancora sperimentazione ma stavolta non approdiamo all’Ambient restando su di un piano Metal, seppur Avant-Garde. Qui sono chitarre e basso iper-effettati a donarci un senso di vertigine e di marcia lenta e macchinosa, come uno spostarsi lemme e morbido di masse informi di esseri sgusciati fuori da qualche buio ed orrido anfratto.
Terzo capitolo, diverso discorso. Si chiama Lovecraft Knew e la band –sempre finlandese- è chiamata Aarni. Lovecraft sapeva.. mai titolo più azzeccato di questo! Qui il delirio e l’azzardo si fanno tangibili come sassi e per altrettanti undici minuti passati ci troviamo in una piena di illogicità che arriva quasi a spaventare. Melodie irrazionali che si fondono tra loro senza lasciare scampo mentre un’ossessiva chitarra distorta colora di nero lo sfondo sul quale camminiamo, è una densa danza ricca di frenesia, bestialità pura che culmina il suo percorso con l’ingresso in scena di ritmi serrati –semplici nonostante tutto, come a cozzare volontariamente con le incongruenze sonore di poco prima-. Arriva un Doom più che altro settantiano contornato da voci misteriose, alternando toni gravi a toni striduli. Un brano eccezionale anche se occorrono più ascolti per comprenderlo appieno.
Vi riporto ciò che ho letto degli Aarni, roba stupefacente con un pizzico di ironia.
“Qualche fonte ha descritto la musica degli Aarni pressappoco con questi termini: “'Almost Orthodox Doom Metallish Lovecraftian-Jungian Kalevala Avant-Garde', 'Progressive Doom Metal', 'Yanni with distorted guitars', 'Primitive Black Metal', 'Underground Progressive Rock', 'Repulsonic Metametal', 'Shit', 'Melanchthonic Dumb Metal', 'Savantgawd Submusic', 'Space Doom Metal' and 'Original As Fuck'. E la band è solita usare termini come 'Chthonic Hybrid Musick (pronunciato "moo-sik")', 'Antinomian Music', 'Maybe Music', 'Noise For Mutants', 'Shroom Gumbo', 'Functional Music' and 'Dream Torrent Music”.
Confusi? Benvenuti nel club!
Con il sorriso stampato proseguo nella quarta ed ultima traccia in cui giungono gli italiani Caput LVIIIm.
Resurgent Atavism è un brano di mezzora di minutaggio in cui si rintracciano fortissime presenze di Doom Metal e di Drone Ambient. I ritmi si fanno molto più lenti e le tonalità ancora più gravi rispetto alle precedenti tracce e la vena melodica, sebbene contornata di synth bassissimi ed urli disumani, non cessa di esistere ma perdura per tutta la durata della canzone facendoci sentire un po’ come dei bambini sperduti in un bosco di notte.
Estremamente soffocante è l’atmosfera in toto e le soluzioni melodiche non ci aiutano di certo a farci respirare, è tutto così scuro e soffocante, ma riusciamo comunque a sorreggerci grazie ai macigni ritmici di una batteria ricca di riverbero e qualità sonora bassa, come se ci trovassimo di notte in cima ad un’altura e maligne percussioni giungessero dal fondo della valle per annunciarci sinistre presenze.
Il tutto è di un plumbeo e dilatante infinito e di certo Resurgent Atavism rappresenta la canzone di più arduo accostamento da parte nostra di tutto lo split.
Concludendo, di certo si tratta di un’opera di un’imponenza assolutamente grande, non troppo né troppo poco ma di certo se siete fanatici sia dei generi sperimentali che amanti degli scritti di Lovecraft tutto ciò rappresenta un must e almeno un’ascoltata dovete necessariamente dargliela, logicamente a passi lenti, pena una gran confusione e noia mortale.
Personalmente ho apprezzato ogni singola nota e posso dire di essermi trovato di fronte ad una pensata davvero magnifica e di classe.
[85 out 100]

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Progetto impegnativo quello della I, Voidhanger, creare una trilogia musicale dedicata e totalmente ispirata al Pantheon e al genio di H.P. Lovecraft di cui questo "Yogsothery: Chaosmogonic Rituals of Fear" è il primo episodio. L'artwork è affascinate e ricco di illustrazioni create nei primi anni Settanta del francese Philippe Druillet ed anche la colorazione in quattro colori ne accentua la chiave psichedelica e la tensione cosmica. Dicevo impegnativo perché ogni appassionato della guerra fra i Grandi Antichi e gli Dei Esterni ha avuto generalmente visioni ed emozioni personali, dettate dagli Orrori creati dietro le ombre e da rituali innominabili, nonché da immense e grottesche città disabitate se non da cultisti dalla dubbia lucidità ed umanità.
Con queste premesse ci poniamo ad ascoltare cio' che la mente di questi quattro gruppi è riuscita a partorire.
I finlandesi Jääportit nella loro lunga suite ci propongono uno spaccato ambient misterioso e minimale dove sono i suoni a dettar legge cercando di trasmettere quelle sensazioni di alienazione universale che sono la linfa vitale di Yog-Sothoth, quindi una lunga infinita trasmissione di onde che cercheranno di concupirci quasi oniricamente irretendo la nostra mente di psiconauti; lo stesso riusciranno a fare i successivi Umbra Nihil, ma utilizzando strumenti piu' convenzionali al mondo del rock. Quasi undici minuti di melodie sbilenche, a volte tenui e dolciastre come l'andare asincrono della camminata degli abitatori del profondo e la visione dei loro occhi vacui, in cui le melodie avantgarde riportano alla mente citta medio orientali assonnate e blasfeme.
Altro discorso per gli altri finlandesi Aarni che cercano di portare il piano su livelli di debordante follia, in cui chitarre, synth e sinistri e sghembi flauti cozzano fra loro continuamente senza darsi tregua, fino al culminare di una parte doomish di chiara estrazione settantiana dove pesantezza e psichedelia si uniranno per ritualizzare l'aberrazione cosmica, venerandola profondamente con una follia consacrata ad omaggiare il Terrore Ancestrale.
L'ultimo rito è ad opera degli italiani Caput LVIIIm (nome templare che risiede nella conoscenza della gematria), la vena doom si accentua vertiginosamente, i bpm calano a dismisura, facendoci ritrovare in una dimensione plumbea, desolata, dura, dilatata nel tempo e nello spazio, anche il lavoro della tastiera mira a dirigere su frequenze dalle tonalita' bassissime e le vocals aspre e ricche di delay sembrano urlare all'Abominio assoluto senza risparmio realizzando piu' di ogni altro il cancello per l'avvento di Azaghtoth e la sua progenie.
Questo in verità è il pezzo che più mi ha trasmesso l'angoscia e la deturpazione senza limite, che come un macigno pesa criticamente sul destino di chi si avvicina incauto e ignaro al maledetto santuario di R'lyeh, dove Cthulhu dorme in sogni d'incubo che influenzano le menti degli uomini.
Un pezzo greve, epicamente decadente, scuro e disperato, un sogno in cui ci si può perdere.
In conclusione posso solo dire che se siete dei veri appassionati dei Miti di Lovecraft e certe ambientazioni vi esaltano un'ascoltata è d'obbligo, poi per confrontare le proprie paure e follie con gli artisti c'è sempre Tempo... sempre che Esso non muoia prima.

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Es gibt einfach Arbeiten, die in ihrer Einzigartigkeit überzeugen, die den Hörer erst überfahren und dann mitreißen, ohne, dass man damit rechnet. Eine dieser Arbeiten hört auf den umständlichen Namen “Yogsothery – Gate I: Chaosmogonic Rituals of Fear“, veröffentlicht unter dem kryptischen Banner VV.AA über “I, Voidhangar Records“, einer Subdivision des italienischen Vorzeigelabels ATMF.
“Yogsothery…” stellt dabei den ersten Teil einer Trilogie dar, deren Kapitel sich mit dem von H.P. Lovecraft kreierten Horror-Kosmos um alte Götter, Cthullu und das Necrono- micon beschäftigen. Dieser erste Teil stellt dabei ein Mammutwerk von 77 Minuten Länge dar, und besteht seinerseits nur aus vier einzelnen Titeln. Wie auch auf den noch folgenden Bestandteilen der Trilogie handelt es sich hier um eine Zusammenarbeit von vier Künstlern / Projekten, die trotz unterschiedlicher Stile eine gemeinsame Basis gefunden haben. Eingerahmt von zwei dunkel-atmosphärischen Monolithen liegen zwei gitarrenbetonte, drogengeschwängerte Psychedelic-Nummern; alle vier zusammen erzeugen faszinierende Fremd- und Losgelöstheit, eben genau wie Lovecraft’s fantastische Literatur.
Namentlich finden sich hier die finnischen Jääportit und ihre Landsmänner Umbra Nihil & Aarni, sowie das italienische “One-time-only”-Projekt CAPUT LVIIIm zusammen, jeder von ihnen mit einer monolithischen Arbeit, deren Länge zwischen 11 und 29 Minuten liegt. Wie schon zahlreiche Literaten und Künstler zuvor nutzen sie die Lovecraft’sche Welt als Basis, um auf diesem Fundament eine eigene Welt und Sichtweise zu erschaffen.
Den Anfang machen Jääportit mit dem 25-Minüter ‘Kuihtuman Henkivi’, ein sich langsam evolvierendes Stück, das mit einer Mischung aus Harsh-Noise-Modulation und Elektrosounds beginnt, sich zu einem finsteren Dark Ambient-Track entwickelt und mit bedrohlich-ritualistischen Klängen endet. Die sich anschließenden Umbra Nihil greifen zuerst die vorbereitete Stimmung auf, brechen die ernste Atmosphäre jedoch schnell mit klaren Akustik-Gitarren auf, die sich im weiteren Verlauf zu einer Nummer zwischen schwarzmetallischem Doom und psychedelischem Rock entwickeln. Sein wohlverdientes Ende findet ‘Suur-Nikkurin Virsi’ dann in einem sich progressiv-aufbäumende Klimax. Umbra Nihil und die ihnen nachstehenden Aarni bilden den gitarrenbetonten Mittelteil, obschon letztere noch deutlich “abgedrehter” zu Werke gehen. Bei ihnen finden sich zeitgleich fette Drone-Riffs, schiefes Flötenspiel, 70s Keboard und improvisierte Jazz-Gitarren, getragen von einer tiefverzerrten Stimme – schön! Das gewaltige Finale bilden dann CAPUT LVIIIm, ein Projekt, zu dem unter anderem ein Mitglied von Tronus Abyss seinen Teil beiträgt. Nach der doch sehr freien Vision von Aarni erzeugt ‘Resurgent Atavism’ dann wieder tiefe Schwere und Schwärze. ‘Resurgent Atavism’ ist ein 29-minütiges Funeral Doom-Epos, bedrückend, tragisch und dunkel. Langsames, einer Prozession gleichendes Schlagzeug, beißender Gesang und minutenlanges Dröhnen bringen die Reise zu einem intensiven Ende und gleichzeitig zu seinem emotionalen Höhepunkt.
Fazit: “Yogsothery – Gate I: Chaosmogonic Rituals of Fear” ist eine spannende Veröffentlichung für alle, die auf schwer zu fassende Konzeptwerke stehen. Trotz der musikalischen Diversität der Projekte untereinander (und sogar innerhalb der Lieder selbst), erzeugt diese Compilation durchgängig eine weltfremde, verstörende und bedrohliche Stimmung, die seiner literarischen Vorlage durchaus gerecht wird. Auf die nächsten zwei Teile darf man gespannt sein!

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Primo volume di una speciale trilogia dedicata a H.P. Lovecraft, Yogsothery... raccoglie quattro brani , a firma di altrettante band, evidentemente ispirati all'opera del lettarato americano. La prima traccia, quella dei finnici Jaaportit, è un lungo strumentale cosmic-ambient che funge quasi da intro ai brani successivi, due dei quali sempre ad opera di band provenienti dalla Finlandia, Umbra Nihil e Aarni, che invece si muovono su territori space-doom. Ma se gli uni sono più accessibili, grazie soprattutto all'utilizzo del cantato e a certe influenze prese in prestito dal rock più depressivo, gli altri sono ben più schizzati e contorti, sempre in bilico fra doom, psichedelia ed elettronica. La chiusura del disco è invece affidata agli italiani Caput LVIIIm, con il loro funeral-doom ruvido ed oppresivo che ci porta con la mente a terribili scenari di morte. Ci troviamo di fronte ad un lavoro concepito quasi più come una colonna sonora che non come album vero e proprio. Se le premesse sono queste, chissà cosa ci riserveranno mai i successivi capitoli di Yogsothery...
[7 out 10]

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Yogosthery is a highly intriguing compilation of four artists inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos—a common inspiration amongst many metal artists. All artists represented here paint similar pictures with their songs but are able to distinctly display their own style. Finland’s Jaaportit sets the stage early with a spacey, ambient-type track “Kuihtuman Henkivi.” At over 25 minutes, it’s dark as hell but it contains a brilliant subtle beauty to it as well. Following the first track is Umbra Nihil, one of the more known artists in the avant metal realm on the compilation, with their contribution “Suur-Nikkurin Virsi.” It’s an oddity of a track with straightforward doom portions and noisy space moments, flat out noise and vocal weirdness. It encompasses quite a bit in its almost 11 minute playing time and plays to Lovecraft’s odd writings. Fellow avante Finnish metalers Aarni follow Umbra Nihil with their equally odd “Lovecraft Knew,” that has standard doom riffing and drumming, but also plentiful keyboard/programming oddities and a highly distorted vocal approach that sounds like the Necronomicon is being read by unknown and definitely unseen demonic forces. The album closes with “Resurgent Atavism” from Italy’s Caput LVIIIm, a collaboration of members of Malasangre and Tronus Abyss formed solely to create a track for this compilation. The track provides a monstrously epic and blackened atmospheric doom piece of music that runs at almost 30 minutes. Every collaboration on this compilation is unique, the artwork is stunning and the CD version comes with a 20-page booklet. Really, what’s not to like here? Doom, ambient, black, space, metal and H.P. Lovecraft.

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I, Voidhanger Records is an independent subdivision of the Italian label Aeternitas Tenebrarum Music Foundation. They took up a project to release a series of three albums in honour of H.P. Loveccraft. The albums in this series are titled Yogsothery and this one, the Chaosmogonic Rituals Of Fear is Gate I. On this installment, there are four artists to be heard, only one of which I already knew.
First off is Jääportit, the band I already knew. Their last album Voimasuo was absolutely wonderful. By chance I ended up on their website again a while ago and noticed the Yogsothery album. I had to have it. Jääportit delivers a 25 minute long ambient piece that swirls all over the place. In the beginning you’re still accompanied by singing birds even though the music keeps pulling and pulling you in, like a black hole pulls on light. As the music gets harsher, the birds fly away, leaving you all alone and you’re completely submerged in the music. When you are around nine minutes in, there’s a nice a quiet passage, reminiscent of a calm stream flowing through a jungle. Danger, darkness and death are everywhere, merely lurking. Just enjoy the relative safety for as long as it lasts, because it will end. But not anytime soon. You’ll go insane from paranoia and fear first.
The band with the shortest track on this album is Umbra Nihil, delivering a track just under the 11 minute mark. Their website is apparently offline, but here are their Myspace and their Metal Archives entry. First some noise is buzzing around before an acoustic guitar sets the track in motion. A nice a slow acoustic build up eventually lead to a nice and slow electronic continuation, slowly increasing in speed and ferocity. Guitars come blazing in and the vocals deliver some clean Finnish lyrics, here and there accompanied by a voice from beyond he void. The lyrics, with English translations, are all in the booklet. Quite a nice track here, but the best is yet to come.
Then, Aarni. Strange bunch of people they are, going by what they tell about themselves in the booklet. Or a strange person, as the Metal Archives says it’s only one person. Now here begin the nice guitar drones. Highly distorted guitar drones. Following each other in high speed. This is a very unaccessible track, but I found it very fulfilling to listen to. Once you can let yourself go and just let the music flow over you, you’ll know. Then it’s no longer a strange mishmash over sounds. Then it’ll make sense, even the vocals, even the high electronic ghostly noises that are all over the place. Just past midway, the seemingly free-flow-freak-out part is over, and some heavy riffing and spacey synth combine wonderfully to create a deep and mystical atmosphere. The synth is later on dropped in favor of some more weird voices.
Finally we have the one-off band Caput LVIIIm. The members of this band only got together to make this track for this album. That’s it. They won’t make anything else anymore under this moniker. Too bad. This 30 minute track is a monster, a best, a true drone doom leviathan. It just goes on and on and on. And then some more. After minutes of listening to wind and dust blowing over a barren landscape, we hear what we love. One single riff, going on for a few seconds. Deep, drone, distortion. Oh yes, absolutely excellent. Music to dream to, to space out to, to read to. In other words, music to transcend to an other world.
This release is one of those that stand out. Not only is the music highly enjoyable, but the art and design of the whole package is very well done. An excellent addition to your collection for the mere cost of only €10 including worldwide shipping.

I, VOIDHANGER RECORDS PRESENTS

FORMAT: CD CATALOG N. IVR-004	TRIBUTE TO H.P. LOVECRAFT YOGSOTHERY Gate I : Chaosmogonic Rituals Of Fear I. JÄÄPORTIT - Kuihtuman Henkivi (25:31) II. UMBRA NIHIL - Suur-Nikkurin Virsi (10:46) III. AARNI - Lovecraft Knew (11:34) IV. CAPUT LVIIIm - Resurgent Atavism (29:57) Total time 77:48 Released November 15th, 2010 CD in a cardboard slipcase. 20-page full colour booklet with liner notes and lyrics BUY NOW AT OUR STORE	"Chaosmogonic Rituals Of Fear" is the first volume in the YOGSOTHERY trilogy of metal tributes to the genius of Howard Phillips Lovecraft and his literary creations. 120 years after his birth, 4 underground bands passed the Gates of Unknown to distill their Lovecraftian cosmic visions of horror and madness in 4 monumental tracks, exclusive to this release. Secretly assembled during the years, the album is a 78-minute opus of obscure avant-garde prog metal, abysmal dark soundscapes and frightening blackened space-doom courtesy of the Finnish avant-masters AARNI and UMBRA NIHIL, the cosmic-ambient psychonauts JÄÄPORTIT (FIN) and the mysterious space-doom project CAPUT LVIIIm (ITA).
"Sometimes, in the throes of a nightmare when unseen powers whirl one over the roofs of strange dead cities towards the grinning chasm of Nis, it is a relief and even a delight to shriek wildly and throw oneself voluntarily along with the hideous vortex of dream-doom into whatever bottomless gulf may yawn." H.P. LOVECRAFT