Lustre - They Awoke to the Scent of Spring (2012)

Nachtzeit's Lustre is a project that certainly has an aptitude for trying my patience, due largely to the length of the tracks, and the dearth of activity occurring within them. That's not to say that the Swede's music is bad by any means, but it takes a particular mindset, and maybe a really long walk, to appreciate what it's all about. Like the 2010 sophomore A Glimpse of Glory before it, They Awoke to the Scent of Spring is a moderate success, if you're willing to give it the time and space it requires to bore its solemn, draining emotional expanse into the landscape of your mind. Just be warned in advance that not a whole lot happens here, and there's a very 'stretched-out' sensation to the first two (out of four) songs.

Lustre performs a hybrid of black metal and ambiance which is essentially a contradiction of the pioneers in the field, those Scandinavian acts which made a name for themselves with brazen, infernal tremolo rhythms, blast beats and occultist/atavistic incantations. Compositions glide along at a snail's pace, dowsed in vast swaths of synthesizer atmosphere, while the sadistic rasping of the vocals is slowly meted out in arching, hypnotic patterns that will eventually overtake your initial resistance; like a serpent casually treading through the garden on its journey offer you temptation. The fragile, distant drumming rides beneath the swell of the keys, and the guitars are molded into incredibly minimalist, melodic sequences that don't feature the sorts of textured chords and dissonance one might expect. There are some slightly busier pianos (like near the end of "Part I"), and Nachtzeit seems to excel at writing calming ambient/clean guitar instrumentals ("Part III"), not to mention the dreary and numbing finale "Part IV" which I thought was the best track on the album.

They Awoke to the Scent of Spring is nature music, as suited to environmental introspection as it is to the listener's own regrets and reflections. Grandiose, bloated hymns of rain and rime, offering very little warmth despite its title, but more than enough loneliness. Summoning lite. The low key production values on the record barely intrude upon its effectiveness, and there is nothing harried or complex happening anywhere throughout its 40 minutes of woe. It wouldn't kill Lustre to write patterns that are more interesting or evocative, or to add a few excess layers of texture and sounds, even if through additional samples and not synthesizers or guitars. But, as minimalism is one of the core values in this project, it's unlikely the creator would implement much else here. Even the lyrics, used through the first two tracks, are incredibly sparse. To his credit, though They Awoke... is just as captivating as its predecessor. Not a great album, but give it some time, and you'll find yourself wallowing in its tragic and uncluttered depths.

Verdict: Win [7/10]

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Lustre - A Glimpse of Glory (2010)

Lustre is an act thriving on sheer atmosphere, minimal complexity; conjuring sparse and haunting environments redolent of a band like Summoning only with the wealth of black metal input removed, namely most of the vocals. Last year's debut Night Spirit was an album I did not necessarily enjoy, but it would be difficult to argue that such a sentiment is the ultimate goal of this project, for the sole member Nachtzeit delights in cold and barren soundscapes for empty natural environments, or vacuous internal spaces from which there is little life remaining to the breathing, sentient host. To that effect, we can safely categorize A Glimpse of Glory as a slim success over its predecessor, for its odor of fallen majesty stains the conscience more so than that dull if inoffensive miasma.

Whereas the debut was comprised of two halves, the sophomore is split into three components, but the sum is roughly the same length (almost 41 minutes). Though not impossible to weed out and distinguish their individual motifs, the general aesthetic is nearly identical, with the swelling ambient keyboards taking center stage over the buzzing patterns of guitars that drone unending across the cold valleys and tundras being crafted out of thin air by Nachzeit's delight in numbing repetition. The drumming is either nonexistent (as in much of "Lunar Light") or reduced to a mere, distant snare cadence, with the occasional crash. Samples are omnipresent through the three compositions, an integral element to the vast spaces evoked by the simplistic patterns of synthesizer: birds, storms, wolf howls, crackling fires, and the like. Vicious black rasping is audible during the lengthy 16 minute opener "This Mighty Sight", but otherwise the music and sampling become the central voices of the piece.

Of the three, I probably enjoyed "Lunar Light" the most, simply for the intensity of the keys as they crash off against frigid slopes of wave and mountains created by the rhythmic swell, with the samples here best suiting the environment. But the other tracks are not unpleasant, and in all I found this a more compelling journey to repeat than Night Spirit. As I've mentioned, there is very little to it, it's nearly as bleak as the cover, so one cannot commence this without some understanding of its stark and bare nature. This is more borne of the ambient genre than black metal, the latter simply a seasoning applied to "This Mighty Sight" and "Lunar Light", void "Amongst the Trees". A Glimpse of Glory does not scream of quality, but for those seeking an absence of dense rhythmic complexity or a consistent audio immersion to place alongside a reading, hiking, gaming or exploring experience, the album does function as intended.

Verdict: Win [7/10]

http://www.myspace.com/lustresweden

Lustre - Night Spirit (2009)

Lustre is one of several projects from the Swedish musician Nachtzeit, who has played in Hypothermia. After releasing the Serenity EP last year, he has arrived with the project's first full-length. Nacthzeit performs all the instruments on this album, which consists of two 20-minute long tracks.

Night Spirit might have a limited appeal, as the material is extremely slow and repetetive. "Part 1" begins with the same riff it will maintain through almost 20 minutes of playtime...a doomish, simple wall of keyboard and guitar fuzz. Throughout the track, the grim vocals appear and disappear, and additional keyboards arrive to perform a few catchy, developing phrases which simmer in a subtle glory. Give in to the track's sparse charms, and you may feel a soaring sensation for as long as your attention can be held. There are some points which certain guitars cut out and the vocals sneer, or subtle variations at best, but ultimately the track grew wearisome.

"Part 2" is not unlike "Part 1", but the subtle context of the driving, glorious guitars was faster to sink in. In this track, there is a nice sequence where keyboards take over and then slowly progress forward, like a funeral for a mountain. Though I can't call it truly memorable, I found it more enjoyable than the first. The purpose here, is of course, not to 'enjoy' the music but to let its sad, droning endlessness consume your heart for 20 minutes. To that extent, it achieves a moderate level of success.

Night Spirit is decently raw but by no means inaccessible. The chords are simple and powerful, resounding alongside their synthesized companions. The keyboard melodies are graceful enough if you're able to become hypnotized by the composition. Of lyrics, there are few, and predictable. Fans of epic, minimalist ambient black metal (or perhaps funeral doom) might draw some inspiration from an album like this. Think Summoning, only stretched out in length. I didn't find the two tracks here impressive, but there are places where the album delivers an effective backdrop for the hidden sadness of the subconscious.

Verdict: Indifference [6/10] (the sense of beauty from me was taken)

http://www.myspace.com/lustresweden