(02.16.09) Mathis Mootz releases his fifth album for Ant-Zen as m2 (or Squaremeter). His ninth album in total since 2000, Nyx means night and it is also ancestral name for the group of Greek gods and goddesses from which it draws its inspiration, each track named after a different deity from the dark side of Greek mythology. The first five tracks represent doom (Moros), death (Thanatos), sleep (Hypnos), discord (Eris) and retribution (Nemesis) while the last three represent the goddesses of faith (known as moires); Klotho who spins the thread of life, Lachesis who decides the thread’s length and Atropos who continually cuts the thread. Each track on the album is an exploration of each of the themes represented by the title.
From the start Nyx utilises space and silence to create an edgy air of unease, a short shrill telephone ring jolting the attention and senses during “Moros.” The lengthy silence is eventually replaced with a low motorised drone and the subtlest of flourishes to add just a touch more tension. Continuing the use of silence to great effect, “Thanatos” very slowly builds from absolute silence to a deep vibrating drone and distant industrial thuds augmented with the occasionally swirl of sound, disturbing cinematic melody or dark atmospheric tone. A very dark track that implies more than it says; the mood and imagery it creates is disturbing and sinister to say the least. Then again, it does represent death so maybe that is only fitting. Utilizing silence in a different way is “Hypnos,” a track that features shot bursts of metallic noise and a very low subtle noise that is barely audible most of the time. Representing sleep, this track starts by depicting the calm of rest and becomes increasingly restless and disturbed by nightmares, the short bursts of metallic noise and the appearance of a low rumbling drone emphasising the fact. “Eris,” representing discord, is initially quite calming and serene but slowly starts to take on more sinister traits; circling tones, distant industrial crashes and the occasional sound of breaking glass all help darken the mood and heighten the tension further. “Nemesis” continues the theme but, for the first time, includes rhythmic, almost militaristic drumming and the electronic sound of explosions along with a voice repeating “submit” all indicating the theme of retribution is represented in a retaliatory battle. The mood of this track changes completely around the mid-point and a distorted crackling drone is joined with a hypnotic industrial loop, underpinned by a harrowing cinematic atmosphere and the explosion effect heard earlier. It all adds up to indicate a redoubling of effort to prevail, the return of the “submit” refrain confirming this thought.
The final trio of tracks –“Klotho,” “Lachesis” and “Atropos” –are really a suite of tracks built around related themes concerning the thread of life and its attributes. Similar in style and structure to the earlier tracks, this small collection focuses more on atmospheric elements of the music with urgent bursts of sound to grab the attention and a demonic otherworldly quality as if voices from another dimension are calling, taunting or trying to communicate. Exhibiting a crisper sound and better sense of immediacy, this closing group of tracks subtly changes the mood of the album whilst maintaining the consistency of the theme. The last of the three tracks and final track of the eight, “Atropos,” closes the album with some of the darkest moods mixed with layers of disembodied voices, a relentless low drone and sudden startling flashes of sound that provide the counterpoints of the disturbing against the jarring.
Nyx is a mixture of skilfully crafted tense ambience discretely placed to enhance the mood of more obvious industrial elements and create a wonderfully atmospheric collection of harrowing ambient tracks. Nyx is composed so that it is cleverly captivating yet filled with the darkest of imagery.
Nyx is out now on Ant-Zen. [Purchase
