DCLXVI - Enoch

Artist: DCLXVI
Release: Enoch
Label: Far From Showbiz
Year: Jan, 2006
Format: MP3
Tracks: 6
TRT: 23:38

I haven't heard much from DCLXVI but this release was downloaded over 300 times on the website so I thought I'd review it. There are 6 tracks, each sub-titled as a Canto and each track gets progressively louder from one to the next, so it says. Same as the length of the track times as well. Starts out short until the last track, which is at 6 minutes.

The first one is what it is; Canto I: The Whispering Ocean. It has soft whispers layered with subtle light pushes and brushes of noise. Very quite and very low. Canto II: The Hydra, has some soft high pitches with an echo to start. Soon comes in a low slowed down voice stating something I can't make out. There's what sounds like a reversed feedback sound as well. Creepy. Canto III: The Golden Serpent, has some various key played sounds that fade in and out in frequency. The pitched shifted scrapping type sound also varies in speed as well. Still a very quiet track and we're half way through. Canto IV: The Red Emperor, starts off musical sounding with slow ambient keystrokes. About half way through the strokes stop and some low and high screeches come in. Violins or something. I don't know, but it's improv style for sure. This track reminds my of some material Ctephin has done so if you like that style than this track should please. Canto V: The Blind Priestess, starts off, again, quietly. There's a hidden rumble that builds speed and intensity. Not at all loud, but another ambient track. Half way through some guitar type pluckings come in at random. There's a rhythm somewhere in there. Canto VI: The Screaming Rabbit, finally showcases the loud noise coming in. A lo-fi feel for sure and lots of feedback highs. Also sounds like a phaser is used in one sample. In and out, in and out. The track ends with a vocal whisper like something out of "The Ring".

The cover artwork is great. A crusted looking picture of a mask with red paint down the bridge of the face within a dark background. Gloomy. Overall a fair release. I like the noise a lot but I don't think each track builds up in noise level as I though it was...not until track 5 hits anyway.