Empusae really impressed me with their debut cd “Funestus”, which demonstrated an exciting variety of electronic sounds and styles. Now there is a new mini-cd from this Belgian act, in collaboration with graphic artist Daniel Hulet. Inside the sleeve the following sentence can be read: ‘This is where musical composition meet graphical storytelling, in an unholy alliance of genre and perception.’ I’m not very much at home in the world of comics, but judging from what I saw on a few internet pages, the comic book of Hulet, which is also called ‘Extra-Muros”, or ‘outside the walls’, seems to be a mysterious fantasy creation, taking you to various times and places. I read some favourable reviews about it. Whether the music fits the graphic content specifically is a bit difficult to judge, but it has certainly good general soundtrack qualities.
“Extra-Muros” contains one track of almost 17 minutes. Again Empusae shows a surprising variety in this long piece. It is dark and atmospheric, with an appropriate cinematic atmosphere. The sound is spacious and mysterious, with a dynamic build-up of softer/ambient elements and more bombastic/rhythmic parts. The overall mood is a bit sombre and melancholic. The music on this mcd is entertaining to listen to, because of the great variety the long track holds my attention, while still remaining an unity. Towards the end the listener is treated to a nice rhythmic climax. A succeeded musical hors d’oeuvre, with an accessible combination of ambient, industrial and classical elements.
