Already after a few sounds you are not surprised that this album is released by the Swedish Cold Meat label. This is dark ambient at its best! Letum is a solo project of Mattias Henriksson, who worked at this debut album between 1998 and 2001. The bandname Letum means ‘death’ and it is also the name of a god in the underworld. The style of the music fits very well in the Cold Meat stable, reminding of Raison d’Etre or Desiderii Marginis. Another name that comes to my mind is Sephiroth, because Letum also uses many samples of nature sounds, collected during field trips.
The album starts very dark and industrial, after which more quiet soundscapes with heavenly chorals follow. The album conveys religious or mystical feelings, just as Arcana often does. Although the atmosphere of the album is alternating cold and melancholic, the music is rather accessible. Long floating keyboard and choral parts are combined nicely with dark sounds and low frequencies, this album seems to have a natural flow. People who already have an impressive Swedish dark ambient collection will not be surprised too much by this album, but I think it is of a very high quality. I suggest listening to this album with your headphones on in a darkened room ( a cellar or a cloister would be even better)….
You can listen to some sounds of this album here.
