Ars Onirica – II:Lost
Ars Onirica – II:Lost
Ardua Music
Release Date: 23/09/22
Running Time: 40 minutes
Review by Paul Hutchings
9/10
Although Ars Onirica was originally formed in 2003, it was only when Alessandro Sforza (Invernoir, Veil of Conspiracy) decided to develop the band as a solo project that it really became a living entity. Playing a blend of Doom which stretches from the 1990’s to current day, you’re sure to reflect on the influence of the likes of Novembre, Katatonia, early Anathema and Paradise Lost. Sforza released the full debut “I: Cold” via Solitude Productions / BadMoodMan Music in 2019.
“II: Lost” sees the direction shift slightly, moving through intensive passages of haunting, ethereal sounds, dramatic soundscapes and shimmering segments that contrast with crushingly heavy, Death Metal blasts. The tempo varies throughout, with the delicate intro of ‘Lost’ as gentle as it gets, a beautiful combination of Anathema and Riverside at their most sensitive.
The tempo slowly builds, a subtle rope of tension that indicates something bigger is likely to arrive. Swathes of synths add a texture to the background as Sforza sings. Unsurprisingly, ‘My Heart … Your Tomb’ moves things on to a darker plane. The vocals are harsh, the music doom laden and full of despair but there’s an unexpected twist as the track momentarily switches from the funeral pace before returning just as swiftly.
The combination of darkness and light is one of the most appealing things about this album. The melody surges through even the heaviest of songs, such as the ferocious stomp of ‘Daydream’ with its feral vocals that send a shiver down the spine. Yet the rich clean works excellently as a foil to the growls in a way that few bands achieve.
Unsurprisingly, the masterpiece is a lengthy nine-minute epic which combines everything that is good about this album in one majestic, sweeping piece. ‘Forever and a Day’ is the song, and it works on every level. Brooding, melancholic tempos switch with more aggressive passages. The tempo of doom is maintained throughout, and even drifts calmly into the final two tracks, including the grand finale ‘On the Wall’.
It’s possible that some parts of “II: Lost” maybe a little clichéd and predictable, but for me, the contrasting elements provide something rarely heard these days. That may be more about my naïvety, but I’ll leave you to judge. For me, this is a splendidly dark and gloomy minutes which will be played time and again as those dark evenings begin to creep in.
‘My Heart… Your tomb’ Official Video
TRACKLISTING:
01. Lost
02. My Heart … Your Tomb
03. Daydream
04. Regret
05. Forever and A Day
06. Together … Alone
07. On the Wall
LINE-UP:
Alessandro Sforza – All Instruments / Vocals
LINKS:
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