The acute mystic tone struck on In Pursuit Of Forbidden Knowledge seems absent elsewhere in Gate Master's discography. Perhaps the lengthy escaped through cloudy ambiguous fog drenched synths on the closer My Journey To The Stars shares some spirit. However, its dreamy tone and airy hum feels closer to Brian Eno than our cryptic Dungeon Synth. Its also devoid of any progression, just a droning loop glistening in its own reflection, chewing up fifteen minutes of time aimlessly.
This project feels like more of a dumping ground for experimentation. The opening Relics blatantly derivative of Emperor's masterpiece In The Nightside Eclipse. Utilizing the chemistry of its pioneering symphonic extremity, even lifting a riff directly. This imitation however, lacks charm. Following it, a dreary dark ambient piece lacks depth.
Its two other cuts feel like crude experiments with dirty harrowing noise and Black Metal's harsh ugly aesthetics. They seek an abrasive disgust yet perhaps miss the point from this listeners perspective. That darkness needs to be driven by something truly musical, otherwise it remains a bleak noisy mess of discomfort and chaos.
Rating: 2/10