Blimey, has it really been a whole decade since we last had recorded material from enigmatic Swiss explorers of the cosmos Darkspace? It’s not like the trio comprising of Wroth, Zhaaral and new member Yhs have found themselves stranded on the outer limits of the cosmos as a recent ramp-up of live activities have proven. Still very much on my list to be seen in this context but for now it is their fifth album Darkspace –II (not to be confused with Darkspace II of 2005) we have to concentrate on. Here the ambient black metal cosmonauts have presented one track entitled ‘Dark -2.-2’ to immerse ourselves in and there’s a massive scope to do just that as the running time weighs in at a hefty 47 minutes and 12 seconds!
There is no live drummer, just two guitarists and bass with some vocal contributions. Obviously as transmission static and sampled voice starts this voyage, it is not for anyone without patience to step aboard the flight deck. Droning noise starts slowly filling the spaces and one can tell this is all going to be of a very hypnotic listening experience. Strangely although monotone the shivering riff does actually remind a little of The Ruins Of Beverast as electronic pulses join to add to the ballast. We are going nowhere particularly fast here but there is a dramatic feeling as we find ourselves cast adrift and things build up. If one thinks of science-fiction, there is the palpable dread of finding a long abandoned spacecraft drifting through the outer limits with something terrible on board. Think Event Horizon or even Alien and images should fill your head, although the crew are long dead and crumbling skeletal husks.
Although chilled to a large extent it all leaves you feeling chilly and on edge of your seat awaiting for thrusters to be engaged and a blast off or explosion to occur as the dangerous and hostile environment is abandoned and bombed into oblivion. It’s here that Darkspace excel in keeping you gripped as they send you down dark vacuumless corridors being stalked by deadly alien protagonists. The spoiler here is that although things build and the tension increases, you are toyed with and that massive impetus never actually occurs. Vocals are kept in the background, growling but indistinguishable, adding to the atmosphere. The melody is deliciously dark and as a soundtrack it all works brilliantly. The transmissions from the on-board computer which has taken on a feminine form is a constant babble as we drift on this limitless trip. It has a haunting and ghostly presence guaranteed to send an icy touch down the spine.
With a stifling spectral presence emerging all the more over the second half with a build-up of repetitive, chugging riffs, there’s plenty to keep you engaged and the louder you play it the more claustrophobic it becomes. Having had the album for some time I can state that it is one that will entrance over repeated plays and have coming back into its frigid, mysterious grip for repeated spins. It’s not a case of simply reaching the stars, this one takes you much, much farther than that. Transmission ends!
(8/10 Pete Woods)
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