AURAL HYPNOX - "reborn"

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Those who have not noticed, Finnish label Aural Hypnox returned back in business. Is it reborn or simply continued where things was left some years ago? Anyways, check out:

http://www.auralhypnox.com/
http://www.auralhypnox-shop.com/

2009 appear to be year when they stopped releasing stuff, but returned strong, mostly with their clothing and AURAL HYPNOX UNDERWORLD EDITIONS.

"Underworld Editions presents rough and unusual glimpses to the hidden past and special manifestations of the present."

Luckily they have abandoned CDR editions known from past of this series, and now stuff is released as small edition pressed CD and tape for analogue fanatics.

Recent stuff:

[AHUE03]    Halo Manash    Wesieni Wainajat    November, 2013 / CD / Available
[AHMC04]    Halo Manash    Wesieni Wainajat    November, 2013 / C-40 / Available
[AHUE03]    I.corax    Cella Phantasma    November, 2013 / CD / Available
[AHMC03]    I.corax    Cella Phantasma    November, 2013 / C-40 / Available
[AHUE01]    Arktau Aon    Ikuisuus näkyy luiden läpi    September, 2013 / CD / Available
[AHMC02]    Arktau Aon    Ikuisuus näkyy luiden läpi    September, 2013 / C-40 / Available

From these I got Arktau Aon waiting to be listened, and I.Corax listened few times. Got to grab Halo Manash before it gets sold out...
I.Corax appears clearly as older material. In fact, dates back to 1999, very early sessions of I.Corax. These were the times when I personally heard project for the first time and one track ended up to "DEGENERATING FINLAND" CD compilation. While there is some clear clumsiness and perhaps less noble touch of time with some sounds, it has very different charm & atmosphere than a lot of computer general ambient & "ritual" muzak these days. Especially final track of "Cella Phantasma" is epic sonic journey!

In fine tradition of Aural Hypnox, they keep design elegant and now silk screen most things by themselves. Due small editions, I suspect label intends to distribute most stuff by themselves and most likely don't do any trading, so I'd expect getting these releases one has to order directly. (Although FA has now couple copies of couple releases..)

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Good moment to listen ritual music is when going to sleep.

Arktau Aon    Ikuisuus näkyy luiden läpi CD

Thought lost and subsequently forgotten, a complete album by AIH & AIL of ARKTAU EOS and JKV of ZOÄT-AON was recently rediscovered. This unknown chapter in the evolution of the classic Finnish ritual sound originates from sessions held in May 2005, when Arktau Eos was still unnamed, beginning work on their seminal opus 'Mirrorion' and Zoät-Aon had just released the equally influential 'Star Autopsy' CD.

The album retains the original title of the sessions: 'Ikuisuus näkyy luiden läpi', Finnish for 'Eternity Shines Through the Bones', and for purposes of this release the group is named simply ARKTAU AON. 'Ikuisuus näkyy luiden läpi' is enthusiastic, youthfully vigorous and decidedly ominous ritual music with a total running time of 31:53. Instead of songs, it is divided into different 'movements' or phases: it resembles a field recording of some obscure ceremony from a far-off corner of the world. Boasting a raw but good, clear sound, 'INLL' remains unaltered save for the mastering done in 2013 at Katajan Kaiku studio.

Unlike vast amount of "ritual music" with ghastly echoes and gloomy keyboard tones, this is much more what things should sound like. Acoustic percussions with kind of elevated level of frenzy. Not just cool meditations, but more primitive racket. Unfortunately no audio samples appear on Aural Hypnox page, but you can preview Halo Manash and I.Corax there...

[Zeno Marx]

Best label.  Looking really forward to hearing all three of these releases.  I'm surprised by the short running times of I.corax and Arktau Aon.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

I guess it is the nature of recordings. Perhaps not composed for the format. Now just session that was released on CD, whatever the length was. I'm ok with 30 min CD's. Also shorter if price is then considered to be "mCD" range.

[jesusfaggotchrist]

this is good news

[nullify]

They're definitely back.  Stayed with the Arktau Eos / Halo Manash / Aural Hypnox guys at Stella Natura this year and spoke with them on the topic of the label and the Arktau Aon release.  Very much releasing bigger and better versions of things now.  Also, as far as I know, all new packaging will now be relatively the same format as the Arktau Aon release with the cardboard box, CD, inserts, etc.

Going to be a good year for the label!

[FreakAnimalFinland]

I.Corax "From gOLDem flesh to silverb ONE" CD
Nowadays perhaps feels even too "hi-fi". Not that one would expect suffocated blurry stuff, but it is so high fidelity of all electronics, effects and multi-layered elements that there isn't really feel of moist dusty dungeons. Curiously it is studio-live rehearsal for live show, dating back to 2003! One can't blame them for utmost careful post-production. They were simply sort of "ahead their time"?! Perhaps semi-melodic keyboard tones is something what doesn't give me much, but as opposite there are very tasty experimentation of sampled choirs, high pitched cascading electronics etc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXWliyMyOsw

I.Corax "Kuilu" CD
Same could be said of this. Even earlier. 2002. First live show of I.Corax, and it doesn't feel like it. It has very clear sound and also flow of album rather than only jamming session. Actual tracks, with precise ideas what to do within playtime of each track.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVPfsdqJvYw


Halo Manash "Wesieni Wainajat" CD
This being 10 years later. Of course different band too. I like so much the sound of physically played organ. When you can hear the air flowing slowly in old organs merely simplest slow chords do the trick. More musical qualities than in I.Corax, but certainly very much within realms of ethereal floating of slow paced cymbals, bowls, drones, and bones,.. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3BrIaNMEUs

[deathcamp]

I am not convinced too by I.corax, have to agree with the comments of Mr Aspa.
But, Aural Hypnox, generally speaking offers high quality music as well as quality packaging and visuals.
Halo Manash of course. This project present different approach with each release (I just own "Par-Antra I: Vir", "Syoma" and "Wesieni Wainajat").
But also Arktau Aon "Ai Ma Ra" double CD which offers superb ritual music. It can appear too much simple, maybe easy at the beginning but three spins + the reading of the booklet and it is just great.
Zoät-Aon "The Triplex Bestial" CD is awesome dark ambient with a lot of ideas, great sound. Unique.
Aeoga "Zenith Beyond The Helix-Locus" CD great "darker-than-black" ambient
Templum N.R. seems very interesting, releasing only tapes?

[FreakAnimalFinland]

I'm not highly critical about I.Corax. Only about "electric" sound and certain keyboard passages I'm hardly ever big fan. One could also see it as early stages of work, where things were about to find direction, but not yet fully refined. This project has also special meaning for me, as I put out their very early works on Degenerating Finland compilation CD in times when they only had like one self financed CDR out. I recall it wasn't even done when I got the track? Back in 1999. Band perhaps stood out quite drastically among Finnish noise/pe, but showed talent already then. I admire composition, structures,  etc, but sounds themselves could have more organic feel. That's all. As being exposed to project already back then, it's hard to have objective view on it so many years later. But as said, then it felt like the state-of-the-art, now it seems like notch too nice production.

To see perspective, one should remember I.Corax pre-dates Aural Hypnox and the other projects. Projects where members moved on from here are of course better as they had time to go further in experiments. I guess I.C works are 1998-2003? And most of the other groups from that onwards. Zoat Aon and muliple Haapapuro's projects indeed went further to explore sounds, for explorers of sound is good to see also where they have started. Still lightyears beyond vast majority of "dark ambient" if you ask me..

[sbtdoh]

AGREED THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST LABELS OUT THERE. THEIR STUFF IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND WORTH EVERY CENT. THE MUSIC IS SO GOOD, MAKES ONE FEEL THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS SPECIAL SECRET NOT MANY KNOW OF......EVEN IN THE INTERNET AGE. MAY THEY NEVER STOP!

[eyestrain]

MAKES ONE FEEL THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS SPECIAL SECRET NOT MANY KNOW OF......

I always assumed they just made their own folk rendition of Naga Baba/Aghori rituals, but what do I know.

I had to laugh when someone over at Heathen Harvest basically said these guys are on some next level shit because he didn't know what it was about. I guess being a human-occult-dictionary is mandatory to write for them. Maybe it's just that they're not following any scripted roles. Who's to say what that's worth?

EDIT: Templum N.R. takes the cake of the recent output for me. Halo Manash was at the height of their game before the dormant period, but their more "equipment"-based stuff isn't as appealing as the old "organic" sounds. I'd rather hear this Templum project produce something like that. It's got more of Radigue meets Arktau Eos vibe. Intentional drone. There's a new tape that just came out too.

[Zeno Marx]

Aeoga - Obsidian Outlander (2017)

Great mini-album.  Has some fantastic sounds.  Upon first listen, has some tonality that reminds me of Voice of Eye.  Made me drift into a few different climates.

[online prowler]

Good news. Will be certain to check. Thanx for the share. Was oblivious to this.

[impulse manslaughter]

Somehow missing in my collection. Seems i will be ordering a few cd's soon.

[Ritual]

Aeoga - Obsidian Outlander (2017)

Great mini-album.  Has some fantastic sounds.  Upon first listen, has some tonality that reminds me of Voice of Eye.  Made me drift into a few different climates.

I agree! It is really great! One of the better releases from Aural Hypnox, as far as I'm concerned. I quite like the fact that it isn't overly lengthy.