Heterodox

Artist:
First Human Ferro
Label:
Old Captain / Gradual Hate Records
Catalog#:
OCCD17 / GH 128 CD
Format:
CD, Album, Limited Edition
Country:
Ukraine
Released:
2016
Genre:
Electronic
Style:
Dark Ambient

Tracklist

1 Offret (06:07)
2 Mother Death (07:29)
3 Transkommunikation (04:57)
4 Progenitor Unripe (05:02)
5 Reprobatorivm (07:31)
6 Misogyny (03:28)
7 Nova Utopia (06:33)
8 Throat Transfixed (04:59)

Notes

Recorded at Oda Relicta HQ in 2016.
Limited to 200 copies. A glossy 4-panel Digipak edition.

Reviews:

La estela mortuoria de fuegos fatuos que ilumina el camino de los héroes caídos es la guía espiritual para el ucraniano OLEGH KOLYADA (véase Oda Relicta, Ostarbeiter o el sello Old Captain), que armado con sintetizadores analógicos y modulares hace de médium musical para la santa cruzada que resulta HETERODOX de su proyecto FIRST HUMAN FERRO, que como otros grupos del estilo debutaría con grabaciones de campo en el llamado "Death Industrial", género áspero donde los haya, para limarse posteriormente hacia un actual Dark Ambient menos corrosivo en la segunda etapa del grupo. Como digo, HETERODOX es una imprescindible obra editada por GRADUAL HATE y OLD CAPTAIN y que se manifiesta a este plano de la realidad en un poderoso artwork obra de Stasys Krasauskas en edición digipack a 4 paneles y limitado a 200 copias. Un disco de electrónica oscura que coquetea hacia la escena alemana de los 70 en temas como el inicial "Offret", donde casi se puede sentir el poderoso legado de Popol Vuh o Schulze. "Mother Death" es puramente Dark Ambient, pero teñido de unas cadencias hipnóticas que espesan el aire. Como vestir una mortaja en una nube negra, respirando algodón emponzoñado de polvo antiguo... así es como suena un conflicto bélico cuando termina; suena/huele a viejo como el aire que exhala una víscera dejada al sol mientras se seca. Planeadora, etérea por momentos (con unos maravillosos sampleados vocales) y casi marcial resulta la épica "Transkommunikation", traspasando las anquilosadas líneas divisorias del Dark Ambient para aparearse con semillas del kraut más oscurantista... aunque "Progenitor Unripe" o la percusiva "Misogyny" sigan una línea más tradicional y menos arriesgada. La eclesiástica "Reprobatorium" es un auténtico himno litúrgico de viejos y putrefactos Kyrie entonados en iglesias que ya no mantienen piedra sobre piedra, por gargantas que ya no conservan las cuerdas vocales porque el tiempo las transformó en un maloliente detritus necrótico. La carne de gallina cada vez que lo escucho (recomiendo reproducir con auriculares para captar los bellísimos toques cósmicos de teclado). El tramo final con "Nova Utopia" y sus funestos designios o los cánticos tibetanos en "Throat Transfixed" no hacen más que consolidar una obra maestra del estilo, aunando el oscuro ambiente de una ceremonia Bon con un Neo-folk de corte marcial de una sensibilidad inusitada. HETERODOX me tiene completamente enganchado. Un trabajo lleno de sensaciones de vacuidad, herejía y tragedia como el pensamiento rumiante del espíritu de un viejo soldado. Desnudo de cuerpo y alma pero con un casco que lo identifica ad absurdum...

by Antonio Martin at "La Muerte tenia un Blog"
Source URL: http://lamuerteteniaunblog.blogspot.com.es/2016/07/first-human-ferro-heterodox-gradual.html

First Human Ferro is a solo-outfit by Old Captain’s chieftain Olegh Kolyada. In early 2016 he did create the album Heterodox at the Oda Relicta headquarters. There are some more ‘lost’ tracks from those recording sessions, which have been made available too in mean time via this label’s Bandcamp-page - FYI. Heterodox is a record that consists of eight compositions which last in between three and eight minutes (total running time: just over three quarters of an hour), and it comes with quite cool artwork by Stasys Krasauskas. Oh yes, about the label: on March 24th 2016 I did upload a review for a live registration of Die Weisse Rose, and in the future there will follow some other reviews too for (older) stuff – but first things first, and that’s Heterodox. And to be honest: I was quite anxious about starting this review, not because this project is run by the label owner, but because of the complexity and the confusion that I did experience each time when I listened to it. The album opens with Offret (06:07), which’s opening sequence sort of reflects both dreamlike hypnosis (in a cosmic way – do you hear the whales singing?) and some sort of rest-in-peace tranquillity. Though, ‘tranquillity’ isn’t necessarily an appropriate description, for this journey does not offer the chance to enter any level of boredom. Actually, Heterodox is a story about mindful explorations, discovery expeditions through inner dimensions in order to uncover hidden dimensions behind the Inner Eye. …at least, that’s how I do experience this grandiose piece of Aural Art. There is a whole story of communicating elements, which is quite unique, even for the actual Dark Ambient current. Primal expressions of emotions get defined through pieces like Transkommunikation, sometimes the focus lies on mesmerizing floats-of-sound, then again the whole turns towards somewhat noisy droning excerpts (cf. a piece like Progenitor Unripe). Yet in each single case, every chapter is an excerpt of a greater story. Quite ingenious is the diversity in execution, including more ambiental parts, eerie passages (Nova Utopia, for example, truly bewitches…), trancelike excerpts, minimal moments and / or harsh-droning pieces. Let the music do the talking… Let’s be sure about this: Heterodox is an experience you have to grow into. It isn’t just another easily-digestible Ambient field recording that lacks of spirit, but this album surely expresses an own identity that touches ritualism (I haven’t mentioned the mighty esoteric composition Throat Transfixed before!), introspection (cf. pieces like Mother Death or Transkommunikation) and minimalism (Offret, Misogyny etc.). With this album the listener is permanently searching for inner truth, for a reality which we might be part of (or which we are afraid to be part of ???)… Heterodox symbolizes this inner duality… …the most beautiful way… This experiment / experience is of a superbly high quality, and then I’m not referring to the compositions or execution / atmosphere alone; sound quality-wise too, Heterodox is magisterial in essence. The album does not drown into over-produced fakeness; no, this recording comes with a well-balanced mix, a great equilibrium in between all layers of sonic presence.

by Ivan Tibos at ConcreteWeb
Source URL: http://www.concreteweb.be/reviews/first-human-ferro

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