The previous and first Apoptose album, “Nordland” was absolutely stunning, with beautiful icy soundscapes. But for the new album Apoptose seeks its inspiration in different regions. No silent glacier landscapes in the north, but passionate rituals of the south! “Blutopfer” is a conceptual album around holy ceremonies in Spain, to be more precise the Easter drumming processions of the little Spanish village of Calanda. That’s why percussion is the main ingredient on this surprising album. Of course electronic dark ambient and noisy sounds are added, but the stress is on the drumming. The drums are alternating chaotic and military precise, and are constantly embedded in dark soundscapes.
Apoptose visited the festival in Calanda in 1998 and got so impressed that it resulted in this album. For this album many field recordings were used. They were not the first one, already in 1985 industrial legend Vagina Dentata Organ made an album around this theme, but I’ve never heard their result.
Although I don’t like this album from Apoptose as much as its ‘icy’ predessor, it certainly has enough qualities to bring you in a trance-like state and lead you to a ritual feast… My favourite is the title track, ‘Blutopfer’. It has a perfect combination of drumming and atmospheric electronics, and the tension is carefully built up in this song. By the way, the purple artwork of the digipack by Omnon.de is splendid.
