Label : Cyclic Law
Review by Luisa Mercier
New Arcana record is another long dream, a foggy dream into oniric landscapes opened by a track meaningfully called “Somnolence”. Five years after “Raspail”, the band is back with an album that is even more far away from their main inspiration, Dead Can Dance, and draws from India, Buddhism, from the roots of humanity, though retaining their gothic/dark flavour.
As for the intro, also “Medea” (with an amazing Ann Mari), “Inceptus”, “Infinity” and “The Fading Shadow” are ethnic tinged tracks with the hypnotic percussions of Mattias Borgh made even darker by Sergio Gamez e Nùria Luis.
Vocals by Ann Mari, Cecilia and Peter Bjärgö are ethereal, light and are just an accompaniment to music, an embroidery that is needed to get the final masterpiece. Arcana once again managed to create an album balanced between darkness and light, shadow and brightess, at the top of dark ambient scene.
Rating – 70/100
Tracklist
- Somnolence
- As The End Draws Near
- Inceptus
- Medea
- Leave Me Be
- Infinity
- In Memoriam
- The Fading Shadow
- As Bright As Thousand Suns
- Vinter
Line Up
- Peter Bjärgö – Vocals, Mixing, Mastering & several instruments
- Ann-Mari Thim – Vocals & additional instruments
- Cecilia Bjärgö – Vocals & additional instruments
- Sergio Gamez Martinez – Keyboards
- Nuria Luiz – Violin
- Mattias Borgh – Percussions & additional instruments