Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on February 29, 2024, 10:05:50 AMI know a lot of people who refer Raison D'Etre among the old favorites and early influences. For me personally, Stratvm Terror was first "noise" live show I ever witnessed. Back in the 90's noise gigs in Finland were almost non-existent, so went to Stockholm to see Con-Dom and ST!
I used to say that I tend to prefer early RD'E stuff, as I always associated old material more industrial and later stuff leaning more into soundtrack-esque dark ambient. Which may be true, but now that I was listening 2021 release, I was indeed wondering I should really dig deeper into releases he has done over the years and see what else is there.
Peter's output was certainly important for me getting into the wider experimental industrial underground. I think if you discovered this music in the 90s, Raison and BDN were pretty much the flagbearers for CMI at that point, so either one was unavoidable.
I actually always found the opposite as far as RD'E's stuff. His "classic" 90s/early 00s era was more dark ambient. The clangs/factory scraping was there always, of course, but the choirs, chants, and synths are more prominent. "Prospectus" had a bit more electro-industrial influence with some of the beats. Its ok, but not as good as what followed. The next four albums are all rightly dark ambient classics and still get a lot of play from me. "The Empty Hollow Unfolds" I think is the highlight of that first era, and where the industrial elements start to become more prominent. "Metamorhyses" and the next few proper albums were where the industrial side came to dominate. I know a lot of people think this is when he "lost it." I can see where that would come from, especially if you enjoy his early work, but I think what he was doing then was just different. Not a step down, just a different approach. Maybe enjoying noise made me appreciate those albums more, I don't know. "Mise en Abyme" started to see elements from the classic era come back. And then came "Alchymeia."
Personally, I think "Alchymeia" is the best thing Peter has ever done. As good as anything from the classic era, and surpassing them. I'd put it up there with Yen Pox-Between the Horizon and the Abyss as one of the best dark ambient albums released since the turn of the millenium. He took the best parts of both his eras, the factory scrape and dirge of the industrial/experimental stage and the choirs and darkly gorgeous and morose melodies and atmospheres of the classic era, and fused them into something epic. Its nothing fancy, just immense atmospheres to drown in.
The new one is good. I like it. But "Alchymeia" was so good to my ears that anything was going to have a hard time exceeding it.
I do think Bocksholm deserves mention here too. Every release from the two Peter's has been enjoyable. Lots of searing, bludgeoing, industrial factory heat and grime. Not quite pe or harsh noise, but hitting a good sweat spot just beneath it.
I've enjoyed all the Stratvm Terror other than the really early stuff. Anyone that isn't ready to try to smash through a brick wall with their bare hands by the end of "Skullbreeding" wasn't meant to listen to this kind of music. :)
The newest one ups the creepiness factor somewhat as opposed to the more aggressive moments on other albums.
