Alphaxone - Living in the Grayland

Extend your arms to another one of Cryo Chamber's recent finds, Iranian based Alphaxone. Focusing on ambient and experimental sounds, the producer behind this project has worked on other projects including Spuntic, Inner Place, Monolith Cycle, and Altitude-X. While at one time being ancient in sound, Alphaxone can also heavily relate to futuristic ear pleasures that coincide with later era technologies.

And, to begin off the album, Awakening creeps in with a higher pitched drone that certainly gets louder and homed in with different effects. Eventually overtaken with a layer of synth and heavy drones that push out an atmospheric sound, it becomes both peaceful and exploratory at the same time. This sound is not uncommon to the genre it fiddles with, but it pushes out a wonderful opening track nonetheless.

A more calm and collected intro follows format of the first track in Cold Spring. Little dotted electronic effects are heard in the background, as the drones slowly income to take over a bulk of the song. This is where the futuristic sound play in; the electronics follow through, blending in with the background hymns alongside wondering sci-fi notes. Intriguing sounds.

El Shadows has a more cavernous, drone feel to it. It's much like a few other tracks I've listened to in my past; and while it may not brave new territory, it does its job well, and moves from sound to sound rather than maintaining a steady path with one main line with no change.

Darkscore marks a more frantic, a more ready set sound that urges something forth, something untold of from an abyss. The eerie high pitched synths that blend with macabre, other worldly sounds pay off nicely in collaboration with one another, as the better quiet, digital effect glitch in with themselves.

While the fifth track Interface has some trouble differing its sounds from El Shadows, the wind effects bustling and the offering of multi layered synths shows more face this time around. It was more enjoyable, and better served.

As a quiet drone precedes the forthcoming sound, flies buzz about in your ears as Overwhelm takes the light of the stage. Very heavy, very inspiring synths break through; the random drops of computerized textures move them forward and offer something more than just the standard.

A bit of a crumbling sound is formed with Into the Silence; either that, or a sort of infestation of multiple larva are feasting on a now dead creature. At least, that's what I thought of when I heard the alien sounds manifest in my ears and continue on throughout the duration of the track.

The slow moving assault continued in Foresight. The first half of this track focused heavily on making an atmospheric effect, utilizing water effects as its main course; the effects added in almost seemed like nature was digitalized. Both astounding and interesting. The second half goes lighter, focusing on more wind like effects with a slight distortion to it.

Sounding like an organ decided to be held against its will, Melancholy plays with higher pitched notes that go on for quite a while. In comparison to the other tracks, I don't think this one does much justice. It can be decent at certain points, but the awkward sound and irritating numbers don't really suit it well.

And, finally, the title track of the album comes to fruition with Grayland. I was suspecting a sort of bleak sound to come across, and that's what I found. At one time forbidding, you can just imagine yourself sitting in a field of nothingness while meditating. Pure beauty is renown as the track lingers forth, drawing you into brooding synths and, when the end comes, it lets you off just as easy as it dragged you in.

Now, these sounds coming from Alphaxone really aren't anything new, or anything to be highly praised. It's something that has really been seen and done; where he shines, where he makes his mark is his ability to blend both the old with the new. Not many acts I've come across can so effortlessly break digital diddles into somber sounding songs without feeling out of place. With this work, he shows he can do just that while making each track sound naturally put together, as if the sounds were meant to mix and mingle. And that's where I do give him praise. Let him mature his sound more, put together a few more tracks that will certainly allow him to obtain more of a personal identity, and I guarantee a very successful album will come from his creative fingertips. Aug 07 2014