On form, like its impressive predecessor Draconic Synthesis, Old Tower continues in a chilling stride, painting eight unnamed portraits of meditative Dark Ambience. Set in Medieval times, these soundscapes yolk an esoteric mythos from embellished nostalgia of ancient, eerie times. These lonely atmospheres linger on delicate aesthetics, chiming ambiguity with soft instrumentation and scenic sound design. Whispering voices in the distance, unsettled fire crackling, ritualistic chants of worship and mysterious murmurs all lurch within these shadowy slices of lost time.
Mostly subdued and one dimensional upon inspection, the mastery emerges when attention is split. A powerful current of persuasion shapes ones mood as the rhythm of each picture settles in. Portrait V is the most animation, a rattle of perverse church bells call out over the cold countryside. Each eruption of bells is jarring. Portrait I opens the record with a beautifully chilling organ climaxing the short songs conclusion with drama. These moments of instrument augmentation are often a key delight.
Portrait VIII was my favorite. The arrival of percussion pivots the song into a mystical stride, its shimmering synths conjuring the sense of a cryptic presence. It rides these feeling well, as do many songs, establishing an aching ambience with nightly terror and occult suggestion lurking safely at a distance. Another impressive effort, perhaps constrained a little by these notions of Portraits. They feel perfectly suited as soundtrack moments for a horror film or evil themed video game.
Rating: 6/10