Veiled Allusions - Visions Of The World

Veiled Allusions is the penultimate Karsten Hamre project (the other being the elusive Flux Complex) - a dark and meandering peninsula, leaving the listener stranded in the middle of nowhere, devoid of everything except thought.

"Fall Into Dust" begins with a typical gothic organ intro, always nice as mood settlers. The question here, is whether Karsten shares the same unsettling images of the world as we do. If so we are in for an unsettling ride.

In fact, it doesn't take long for this aural rollercoaster to begin its steep ascent - "Dark Eternity" is a suitably wicked track, high pitched frequencies and horror-esque soundwaves provide us with six of the most harrowing ambient minutes I've heard in the best part of six months. This leaves you with the same feeling of uncleanliness you could get only by inadvertently entering a Leper Burlesque house.

There is a segregated echo of inhumanity and despair running through this cd like a groove. All of Histories darkest moments can be relived and replayed if you pay enough attention to the moribund tracks that flake and shed like dead skin masks on the butchers of O'wi'cim. Naturally, there is a beautiful element to each track too - sounds accomplished and almost beautiful in their morbid biographies. "Beneath the Remains" is a highlight immediately.

"A Sombre Beauty" takes us on a direction change as it is a much faster, much more uptempo track, and it sounds almost like someone has forced Von Thronstahl to play slowly inside an Electric Generator Room. I have just realised that I have no idea what I am talking about, so the next sentence will sum this up for you wonderfully. Get this release, or I will be forced to write more reviews like this one!

To put this into perspective, I personally feel this is by far the best thing Karsten Hamre has released in quite some time - up there with Defraktor as the masterpieces of this suavé, inspired mind. The fifth track is another pretty and romantic Piano portfolio.

The remainder of this collective is a reverie of inspiring and thought-consuming outlets, nothing is weak on here, and all of the tracks can suitably invoke hazy and mescaline images.

Seventy minutes of reflective and successful ambience. Enjoy! Nov 07 2006