This cd from Stupor on Spectre Records comes with a very grim and dark booklet. It contains seven long tracks, ranging from dark ambient to ritual soundscapes, with some rhythmic industrial elements. The general mood is disturbing and occult. Stupor is an act from Germany, consisting of Christoph Siegel and Artur Zab. Synths are combined with samples, treated voices, ‘ethnic percussion’ and bass guitar.
Overall the music is quite minimal and repetive. The album has a very dark atmosphere, but most of the tracks are a little too monotonous for me. In a rhythmic industrial piece like ‘Flood’ too little happens for my taste. Perhaps it can bring you in a hypnotized state if you open yourself for it. I liked the pitch-black soundscape of ‘Homo exterior’ best, as well as the ritual piece ‘Jamaradga’, which works well as a solemn invocation. “Bête Noire” has its moments, but overall I must say though that this ambient-industrial cd is not one of my favourite Spectre releases. For me the black beast is a bit too sleepy.
