Halo Manash - Par-Antra I: Vir (2004)

Aural Hypnox has been releasing first-rate dark/ritual ambient records for a good five years, and as the previously featured Zoät-Aon-release proved to be quite succesful, at least by the amount of downloads, for this feature I decided to go with the first ever release to come out on the Aural Hypnox-label, Par-Antra I: Vir.

The first part of the Par-Antra-trilogy, and the only part of the trilogy released so far, is entitled Vir, the latin word for man. Drawing inspiration from the "triad formation of night, sky and time", the album is a meditational journey into the dark depths of Man and the aim for a heightened consciousness laid out in nine tracks, each represented by a sigil.

Although all of the track titles consist of esoteric wordplay with the Finnish language and won't "open up" to the uninitiated, the music still speaks volumes and will capture your attention. This I promise.

The soundscapes are comprised of a blend of organic and synthetic sounds. Shamanistic percussions, moaned, whispered and chanted vocalisations and windbones exist in perfect unison with hypnotic guitar drones, analog synthesizers and a wide array of samples. Everything boils down to a ritual that feels scary and enchantingly beautiful at the same time.

The esoteric path to the Vir is best walked alone, with Halo Manash merely acting as a guide. They are careful not to interfere with the seeker or to reveal any answers along the way, leaving interpretations of the found knowledge pretty much to the listener. Whether he is open-minded enough to find his path is up to him and his instincts.

Truely enthralling electro-acoustic ritual ambience of the highest class. Warmly recommended!

Download part 1 | part 2
(95+44MB/320CBR)