Review Summary: Brings the likes of early Neurosis, Deathspell Omega and Blut Aus Nord in mind.
Rising from the ashes of atmospheric post-hardcore band, Breach, comes a slower, demented variant of the band, Terra Tenebrosa. The Tunnels can be explained as a mix of tribal drumming, drone, slow sludgy riffs, and melodies that brings the likes of early Neurosis, Deathspell Omega and Blut Aus Nord in mind. In fact, if you prefer the more melodious side of either of the bands I just mentioned, then this band has you in mind. In between the menacing, muffled vocals and the dirty chunky bass, this album has no hope; it is just one slow, directionless schizophrenic nightmare. Putting on this album in the right mood would have you envisioning your own visit to Silent Hill.
The longest track of the entire album comes in the form of the 10 minute “The Mourning Stars” which will remind all who listens to this of “Procession of the Dead Clowns” by Blut Aus Nord. It features of repeating melodies and riffs that gradually builds up noise and distortion that leads to an oncoming climax that never materializes. It just leaves you sitting there with a heighten sense of awareness to be introduced to the winding riffs of “The Arc Of Descent”, which along with “Probing The Abyss” is the most in your face songs on the album. Another highlight of the album is the 5 minute “Through The Eyes Of The Maninkari” which summarizes the entire album with towering walls of dirty distortion and menacing melodic leads to twisting, phasing in and out harmonies. This album is not about the climaxes, there is little to no direction on this album, it exists only to disturb you.
The negatives of this album have to be some of the more boring negative space this album has, such as in some moments of “The Teranbos Prayer” and the closer “The Tunnels”. As a whole the album doesn’t have many ideas, it just takes a few ideas and executes them very good. So while listening to certain parts of songs on the album you get a bit of Déj* vu. But all in all, if you are a fan of disturbing music, this is a welcome addition to your collection.
