Walhalla
This work by Ashtoreth has a deeply religious feel to it. It sounds as if we are invited to dark, forbidden and sacred rites.
Favorite track: Waní Yetu.
This Is Darkness
Morana is only four tracks, but still comes in at roughly an hour length. Over this hour Ashtoreth continues with his blend of subtle religiosity and a contrasting darkness. The hour will slip by in no time, attesting to the skills of the musician. It is no small feat to keep listeners entertained for this length of time using such minimalistic techniques. But its absolutely achieved by Ashtoreth.
Full review here: www.thisisdarkness.com/2017/03/19/ashtoreth-morana-2017-review/Favorite track: Tymor.
Morana is a Baltic and Slavic goddess associated with seasonal rites based on the idea of death and rebirth of nature. She is an ancient goddess associated with winter's death and rebirth and dreams. And Morana is the title of the latest work of Ashtoreth, the project of Belgian musician Peter Verwimp. A secluded voice in the panorama of so called "experimental ambient" music. His sound universe, usually made of suffering guitars and ritualistic voices, becomes in this work, more rarefied and meditative. Winter, also mentioned in his translation in Lakota language, Wani Yetu, is a condition of the landscape, but also of the mind, of the spirit. It is not the icy winter of a Thomas Koner drone music, but a winter in which the slow pace of rarefied guitar feedback, still lets to glimpse some feeble flame in which to try to warm up. A winter in which you can still feel the life moving in the mist, as well in the forests. Morana is a fully recorded album live, no overdubs (except for the track HYBERNA). An album in which the music of Ashtoreth unfolds slowly and solemnly, magical and ritualistic, but without the excesses of ritual ambient. A seemingly ethereal music, but that requires a mind abandonment to be perceived in its fullness and instrumental solidity. This is demonstrated by the beautiful and minimal guitar arpeggios in Tymor, passages in which we can sense the movement of the musician fingers on the guitar, in his living and material relationship with the instrument. When I started, for the first time, to discuss with Peter the project of publishing this work with Unexplained Sounds Group, I had in mind certain excruciating and suffering guitar pages of his previous productions, through which I had begun to love his music. At a first listen of new material so I was a bit puzzled, because I did not recognize the characteristic feature of Ashtoreth that had so fascinated me. Then listening the several times more, new songs brought me into this shining beauty Winter, mysterious balance between life and death, fear and fascination. The four tracks of Morana have been an enlightening experience for me and will be for many of you who will listen to with the right spirit.
A dive in Lovecraft’s universe. From Dark to experimental and ritual ambient all at the highest level possible, for a unforgettable trip in madness and darkness. Unexplained Sounds Group
A chilling collection of All Hallows’s Eve horrorphonia, a little something touched with a hauntologists bleakness and certainly ripe for companion listening with similar audio manifestations. Unexplained Sounds Group
Sonologyst is hard to label as one particular music style –except experimental or avant-garde, but that’s probably also a style or at least a different approach in dealing with music. Unexplained Sounds Group
The entirety of this album outs me in a unique mood, thanks to the general concept and absolutely authentic and unique way Sonologyst creates its own environment. Very nice production, creative noises that do have their place in the world of music. This is brilliant and moves my mind. slc_winterized
St Celfer returns with tracks culled from a series of live shows, each one a showcase for his inventive experimentalism. Bandcamp New & Notable Jun 26, 2023