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Procer Veneficus weaves a deeply evocative spell using only simple acoustic guitar, minor atmospheric treatments and whispered vocals. The gloomiest, foggiest recording you ever heard.
Highly atmospheric dream-induced fog music played solely on acoustic guitar and wreathed in wet ambience and distant whispers. Composed in solitude by a mountain lake, and completed in the saltiest of back-bay fogs. Emphasis on backwater oceanic lull, as well as sub-aqueous emanations. Very wet, eerie recording. Contains an acoustic cover version of P.S. Nautical by VELVET CACOON.
Strange Fortune listener reviews are a free space to share your impressions of the music.
Michael J. Salo says on 27 Apr 2006
Large numbers of promos are received all the time here at Strange Fortune. While I strive to give everything a chance, the sheer volume of releases makes this difficult. Most of them get filed in line to be evaluated at some point in the future behind many others.
The main characteristic that will give a release priority attention is if I'm already familar with or happen to have heard good things about, the artist and/or the label. These go to the front of the line.
After this, the second best characteristic of a release would be guest appearances from a known artist, or perhaps testimonials from a known artist.
Beyond this it gets tougher, and it's hard to say the best way to make your release stand out. Shallow or not, one factor that can help a release look special and get attention is eye-catching packaging. If one title is a sloppy print job in a jewel case, and another is packaged in some beautiful handmade work of art with a ribbon on top, I'll tend to reach for the latter.
Occasionally a release can bypass all the above. Procer Veneficus is a case where somebody was able to catch my attention by description alone:
"Highly atmospheric dream-induced fog music played solely on acoustic guitar and wreathed in wet ambience and distant whispers. Composed in solitude by a mountain lake, and completed in the saltiest of back-bay fogs."
My fascination is triggered here, not only because it just sounds great, but also because of the apparent parallel with the "ghost ambient" school of artists we've been promoting at Strange Fortune lately.
I put this one on the stereo right away, and indeed we have a recording that reaches much of the same effect of Tor Lundvall & friends, except coming from a completely different angle.
This album is almost absurdly simple in its makeup. Procer Veneficus makes do with a slowly plucked acoustic guitar, some minor sonic effects, and low-in-the-mix vocals with no intelligible lyics. All of the tracks are mostly similar to each other.
Despite its simplicity, I haven't heard anything else exactly like this recording, and it seems to me that it works very well. It really does take me to the setting described in the press release.
The best comparison I can draw would be Harvest Rain meets Lycia meets Aghast. I don't know what the artist's actual influences may be, perhaps something from the metal scene I've never heard of. As I understand Procer Veneficus also plays in a black metal band.
As a small caution be aware that, along with everything that comes out of the metal scene, there is a definite "over-the-top" quality to this music – particularly in the vocals (which remind of the spooky whisperings of Aghast).
Procer Veneficus offers an enjoyable listen that proves a successful release doesn't need big complicated composition or big displays of talent. All you need is to find a good creative angle and to follow it. _Ghostvoices_ is a worthy, evocative addition to your "ghost ambient" collection.
vespers75 says on 21 May 2006
Excellent album, in my opinion.....it does tend to fit in with the "Ghost Ambient" and "Ghost Folk" genre, the likes of which my own compositons would find a home in the "Ghost" genres. I agree with the comparisons stated in the previous review....I would say mix elements of Harvest Rain, the foggy atmospheres of Tor Lundvall's "Empty City", and simplify it while adding something a bit dark. Eerie....
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