[reviews] afe093cd
bestia centauri: teratogenesis

I have to admit I've been waiting quite some time for the next installment from Bestia Centauri. BC creates mislabeled "dark ambient" music that leans more electroacoustic then it does towards the former. With his previous releases he has delivered a broad array of different sounds ranging from more subdued drones to scattering washes of cascading sounds washing every which way but always keeping a very abstract sound while managing to harness a unique dark mood. His first full length debut "The Self Immolation Rite" released on the now defunct Somnambulant Corpse Records was a heavy conceptual piece that was based off of chanting and other music used for Satanic rituals but was somehow more tied to outer space then it was to the bowels of the earth, the traditional image of Satan and Hell.

Musically I enjoy the first two records (both EPs) delivered by BC because they retain more of an organic feel then the full lengths and somehow seemed to flow a bit better as well as keep interest throughout their running time (perhaps the shorter nature of the tracks contributed to this). But it is now 2007, it's been three years since the "The Self Immolation Rite" and BC brings us the next chapter of his work entitled "Teratogenesis" on the larger label Eibon Records which I'm sure is probably a good turn of events for him and will get him some more deserved exposure.

"Teratogenesis" clocks in at about an hour and is the least "dark ambient" flavored soundtrack to date from BC. These tracks remain solely focused on quickly moving and detailed soundscapes packed full of electronic chirping, metallic moaning, and watery washes of oscillating waves that create a somewhat unsettling atmosphere but gives me such a blur of different images ranging from mangled computers to the deepest reaches of space and the darkest void of the ocean.

The first track "X" and it's follower "Teratogenesis" both go by in a blur. They sadly, just seem to be somewhat forgettable maybe because there's just too much going on here, but there's also a somewhat "monotone" quality in them following along with the lackluster artwork used for the release consisting mostly of blurry green abstract textures. That is, however, certainly not to say that these tracks are not of any worth because they do retain many aspects that rise above your run-of-the-mill generic dark ambient music. First off, they are detailed and the array of sounds are truly outstanding. They move much quicker and are completely arrhythmic forming their own sense of movement through the juxtaposition of their different elements. These sounds do have a much different vibe then most other dark ambience out there and the music as a whole serves a different purpose.

By the time "Spores" rolls around I realize that BC sound has morphed into much more of an digital sound then his earlier more organic influences. This does take away a little bit from the atmosphere of the "Teratogenesis" because it kind of makes the process stand in the way of the end product which can tend to be distracting at times. But "Spores" does begin to present a few more dynamics with its moments of undulating metallic movement starting out subtle but soon becoming overbearing. The general flow of "Spores" has less of a forced feel to it then its two predecessors.

I really like some of the more organic clicky sounds presenting in "The Shaping of the Nucleus" about 3/4 of the way through, perhaps the most interesting sounds by that point. These lead into the excellent "Nebular Embryo" which is by far my favorite track on the album finally dealing with some more drone styled elements that are treated with great care and molded into a great flowing piece that ends up going in unpredictable directions by the end and provides much more then most drone pieces I've heard.

I personally would have found "The Shaping of the Nucleus" to be a more fitting outro than the colossal "E Faucibus Draconis, E Profundis Barathri" which brings us back into the chaos but still retains its moments. It is a little disappointing how the sounds here fall back to where we left off in "Teratogenesis" (the track) but they aren't completely unwelcomed, just a little harder to swallow when the bar has been set to the level of "The Shaping of the Nucleus."

This isn't my favorite Bestia Centauri effort and I do think that there is a wealth of talent where only a trickle is currently being released. It seems BC is trying to fill a very narrow niche for himself and is a bit too shy to overstep his bounds. The thing that works to his advantage is that the general sound is utterly unique, so if you are a fan of dark ambient but are just a bit malcontent this may be just the thing your looking for. Like a more digital, refined Aural Hypnox release "Teratogenesis" is a great starting point for the work of Bestia Centauri, a solid and inventive effort, and won't disappoint, especially to those unfamiliar with his work.

[XDementia]