NIGHTLY TREMBLING

This album was an interesting experience, meditative, sincere and all music created by just one man, Ben Chasny. The first song "Redefinition of Being" builds mainly from an oriental sounding mantra for acoustic guitar, tablas and a voice. There is a very long, hypnotic approach used here, lyrics entering later, and then as the rhythm dies, another motive is studied with rhythm and ideas rolling as calm waves, until the main theme is reprised. The song ends to a minimal, quiet and abstract sound wall. Second "Creation Aspect Fire (reprise)" continues this style line, with repetition of simple elements and building tension slowly, leading to another interesting foggy aural empty space, where chimes quietly play in the wind of archaic echoes of the past. This is very, very beautiful. Later the acoustic guitar returns with some subtle percussions and chanting. Last "Creation Aspect Earth" starts with quiet layer of bells and distant sounds, leading to the most aggressive sequence of the record with some electric guitar, wild playing of acoustic guitar and wailing. This was not maybe the best part of the record for me, but I enjoyed much the other parts of this impulsive, pleasant and sincere recording, created with minimal equipment proving you don't need masses of studio equipment for a long, pleasant musical release. If simple, meditative and acoustic music with long ambiences sounds appealing, check this fine record out.