Review: Ævangelist “Dream an Evil Dream III” [Dead Seed Productions]

Experimental dark-ambient might not be the most season-appropriate music to listen to right now, but ÆVANGELIST’s 46-minute track Dream an Evil Dream III may well be the most interesting, captivating listen you’ll experience this spring.

Of course, surrounded by mystery and intrigue is always a good set up to experience a band’s new release, and the known unknowns of ÆVANGELIST’s current setup are as intriguing as the music itself. Constantly off-kilter and purposefully non-easy-listening, Matron Thorn’s latest offering is not for the faint of heart. The barrage of sound and ghoulish samples, the lack of any real structure, and the swap of build-and-release for constant tension make the listener feel like they’re trapped in a house of mirrors mid-nightmare when trying to sleep in the middle of something as crazy as, oh, I dunno, a global pandemic.

The samples that take us up to the 3-minute mark are a fascinating choice alone, before the slightly-tinny riffs and drums anxiously take over to conduct yet more feeling of unease. On first listen, the slow-down before the vocals sounds almost like the guitars aren’t tuned properly, but once you’re got your head around the avant-garde nature of some of the phases of this track, it sounds more like an experiment with microtonal playing. The vocals that accompany this incantationesque horror score are other-worldly, in a frightening way. When mixed with the unsettling Sonic Youth type guitar noise on the 29-minute mark, don’t be surprised to see your furniture starting to levitate.

As if the history, the mix of influences, and the approach overall weren’t disorientating enough, ÆVANGELIST mix the orchestrated parts perfectly with segments that sound spontaneous, unrehearsed, or throw-away. 3-19 minutes is an absolute whirlwind, and the 2-minute respite we have before the track takes off again is anything but relaxing, with ominous noise a harbinger for the looped sample of ‘the tools in the hand of the devil’ that then segues into yet more malevolent guitar parts and intricately devilish drumming. Being selective with the number of vocals and how loud they are in the mix gives a sense of unease, as wanting to know why one is trapped in this purgatory of relentless sound will come naturally to anyone who listens, alas, the answer comes not. Even the fact that the dark and intriguing cover art is slightly off-centre, whether by mistake or design, is unnerving. Much like the intro sample says, this will be ‘uncharted territory’ for some, but still a great ‘chance to study my own transformation’. It won’t be to everyone’s taste but is a must-listen nonetheless.

Release date: February 22nd, 2021

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