When I was sent this album for review, I was promised something “interesting”, and I certainly was not disappointed on that score! As soon as I pressed play, I found myself contemplating the album title and considering how relevant it feels. In our current climate of endless headlines about ever-rising death rates from the COVID pandemic, life perhaps seems more precious and fragile than ever and the idea of eternal life (Vitam Aeternam) perhaps seems more appealing (or abhorrent?) than ever. The idea of simply no longer being, or perhaps fear or what may lie beyond (or not), is a cause of great anxiety to many, while to others these concepts and beliefs are the source of great comfort. To my mind, this album is a soundtrack to this ultimate uncertainty as it weaves and explores moods and emotions with an unsettling undercurrent.

Built across nine tracks, the album swings between disturbing, complex passages made up of electronic, synth, cinematic, rock and industrial elements and calmer interludes. Opening track ‘Born’ is a melancholic symphonic intro piece which builds over nearly three minutes before leading into ‘Coward’. A gentle piano piece starts, before haunting vocals create an unnerving atmosphere which settles back into a peaceful segment with a piano and alluring female vocals. It soon morphs back into a disconcerting atmosphere with a mixture of screeches and vocals all set to an unnerving slow drum beat before fading back to soothing vocals and piano. This pattern repeats itself and this juxtaposition is very effective, almost even symbiotic. A short cinematic passage follows before white noise leads into ‘Human’ with its industrial electronic sounds. Hypnotic rhythms are interspersed with more delicate pieces of spoken work. As the track progresses, the intensity and passion build with the vocals taking more prominence.

It is all a little disquieting and it feels as though it is exploring the inside of a tormented mind, one minute chaos and torment, the next peace and introspection. Another short cinematic piece follows before ‘Death’, a short sombre musical passage built around violin and piano leading into the album’s longest track ‘God Machine’, clocking in at almost ten minutes.  Gentle vocals and piano create sweeping, soothing melody which escalates with pulsating rhythms and symphonic, almost operatic, vocal interludes, but these quickly strip back to eerie spoken word and piano. There are complex dynamics with vocals, keys and synths creating continually evolving soundscapes.Towards the end of the track, there is some nice guitar work bringing this back towards more familiar territory for me.

Another short passage follows to clear the air, with soothing harmony and a choir, leading into the final track ‘Viral Idea’. Clean vocals give an air of melancholy over downtrodden synth rhythms and melody, until midway through the track there is a sudden change in pace and atmosphere and it feels as though a huge burden has been lifted giving a much more positive outlook until the track finally comes to a close.

This album is different from most things on Ave Noctum, in fact it is different to most things out there! It is complex, dramatic, intense, cinematic and pushes the boundaries. It is exhausting, disturbing, challenging and demands your attention. Even after several listens, I feel I am only scratching the surface of this album and will revisit again now doubt over coming weeks and months to explore it further. Perhaps not for everyone, but definitely worth a listen if you fancy something a little different.

(8/10 Andy Pountney)

https://www.facebook.com/VitamAeternamBand

https://vitamaeternam.bandcamp.com/album/the-self-aware-frequency