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Band: Christopher Alvarado
Album title: A Desolate Eternal
Release date: 30 September 2015
Label: Kalpamantra
Tracklist:
01. Sol Oscuro Creciente
02. The Tantarist And The Rat
03. Collapsed Soul
04. Buried Beneath The Leaves
05. Quiet Isolation
06. A Clandestine Obloquy
07. Finishing The Spirit
08. No More
Christopher Alvarado's debut album A Desolate Eternal on Kalpamantra is a dark and brooding experience. Listen as the demons are brought forth from the depths of our minds. This album is a perfect autumn release, it is a very spooky experience from beginning to end.
The theme of desolation is felt throughout this album. It brings forth feelings of claustrophobia and despair wrapped in a thick layer of industrial ambience. "Sol Oscuro Creciente" starts A Desolate Eternal off with a ritual dark ambient track that is highly representative of the album. It seems cavernous as if we are in a subterranean lair, held against our will, watching the surrounding horrors. Field recordings fit nicely giving the album a lot of atmosphere and depth. "The Tantarist And The Rat" has a similar feel adding in a serene almost ghostly female vocal that rings out through the thick haze. "Collapsed Soul" is a slowly progressing drone intense track that rises to a blistering level and then recedes back into the darkness again accented at the end by a soft female vocalist. "Buried Beneath The Leaves" seems more sci-fi horror in its approach, with a strong ambient feel yet surrounded by strange and bizarre noises. The symphonic element felt in this track is very interesting and a nice change of pace without taking away from the pure desolation. "Quiet Isolation" is a thick cavernous track. The reverberating noises and deep drones coupled with a beautiful vocalist take the listener to a state of crazed bliss as you can feel the prisoner's mind unravel. "A Clandestine Obloquy" is a horror oriented track using synths and drones that seem to have a reverence for 80s horror films at their best. "Finishing The Spirit" follows this horror theme. Beginning with a child's music box, it slowly tears at the listener, subtly encompassing us in darkness. As the track closes the demons seem to strengthen as the intensity is taken to its climax, only to fade back out with the breathing of some twisted creature. "No More" brings the album to a close with a gloomy acoustic guitar creeping into the deep atmospheric rumbles and lonely piano notes. It is a bittersweet close to the album, as it is bringing out yet unheard elements leaving the listener asking for more.
A Desolate Eternal is a solid debut by Christopher Alvarado. He has showcased a variety of different styles and approaches to the dark ambient genre. The overarching horror theme is a perfect fit for this season and I enjoyed watching the leaves fall outside while listening to these tracks of desolation. Keep an eye on the progression of this artist as he seems to have a thorough grasp of the various elements of the dark ambient genre, I will be happy to watch as he hones these skills in future releases.
Review written by: Michael
Rating: 7/10
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