This album is four movements of a suite that explores the four alchemical states. Yes, let's have more occult practice in goth; that is what we need, and aside from being mentioned in the album's notes, it is not being otherwise exploited. It is a Dead Can Dance-like journey into atmosphere with siren-like vocals calling out over the mist of the synths. Not sure I would call this darkwave. At this point, I am going with ambient neo-folk, but we will see where the album takes us from here.
The title track is more percussive from the get-go. There is a more organic quality to this song thanks to the lingering guitar that ebbs in. The vocals continue in a mroe abstract chant in Italian. At least that would be my assumption, given it is her native tongue. A more rocking electric guitar joins in. While it is somewhat droning, there is still a sense of dynamics that works for me. Electronic elements are introduced in "Coil' which works off a more hypnotic pulse that finds us getting into the more ethereal side of darkwave. The vocals do not come in until midway into the song. The percussion takes on a more tribal feel; I can appreciate the tension but it does not feel like it's giving the same payoff as the previous two songs.
It ends with the twelve-and-a-half-minute "Lithos". From the jump, it's clear they could cut some of the ambient bloat to make it a more efficient song. It almsot feels more like Krautrock. In fact, the vocals do not come in for four and a half minutes, so it could have been an eight-minute song if we are being fair to her vision. This is a sparser arrangement with her voice taking center stage, which is fitting, as she has an excellent one, though not as powerful as Lisa Gerrard. But who is. I will give this album a 9; it is worth your time with you like this brand of forward-thinking ethereal neo-folk that is not afraid to step into the present with electronics.
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