GEROSTENKORP

"Terre Brûlée"

OPN - 2009

CD

Gerostenkorp is back with a new intriguing work, showing a significant improvement in sound and atmosphere since the debut CDr of three years ago and the recent collaboration with Neonrain. While in those recordings the French project offered some interesting, but not very original dark ambient and noise soundscapes, on "Terre Brûlée" we find a collection of epic dark songs, strong of an exquisite darkwave taste, and other infinitely more elaborate instrumental sceneries.

A track like "Mermaid", powerful and rich of grandeur, recalls In The Nursery, also because of the delicate female vocals, here performed by Tilia Weevers, whereas the thrashing and excellent title-track, as well as, above all, the exciting "Rising", boast guitar, drums and the amazing voice of Von Magnet's Phil Von. In general, the atmosphere is magic and supernatural, rather than industrial or gloomy, there's Oriental percussion, hypnotic mantra and echoes suggesting images of remote temples on the mountains of Tibet or Thailand, where mysterious rituals are being practiced.

A surprising and much welcome change of direction for Gerostenkorp, who managed to move out of the scarcely evolving and imaginative dark ambient environment to embrace different influences and elaborate them in a personal and convincing way. Well done.

- Simon V.

Website: http://www.gerostenkorp.cjb.net

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/ger0stenk0rp

Related articles:

GEROSTENKORP & NEONRAIN - Io Non Ho Paura - OPN CD

GEROSTENKORP - Le Mécanisme De L'Aube - OPN / Cauldron Music CDr