Dark Awake is a dark ambient project active for about a decade at the behest of Greek musician Shelmerdine VI°, and Anunnaki is its fourth full length, originally released in 2014 and reissued on vinyl, at the end of 2016, by Hellenic label Sleaszy Records in a limited edition of 500 copies. The record in question shows an approach rather far from the more usual repetition to the bitter end of limited sound or noise cues: for once, the declaration of intent of an artist fully corresponds to reality and so, when on the bandcamp of Dark Awake we read its definition of a project dedicated to neoclassical, martial, dark ambient and neo folk music, we can only agree completely. The solutions adopted by Shelmerdine are very impressive, especially when he manages to combine classical scores with industrial ambient cues, as it happens masterfully in Die Nibelungen, but the alienating effect is not less in the heavy litany with female voice Decay or in the liturgical pulses of Towards The Nine Angles, deviated by rhythmic percussion and assorted noises. Euphoria (Of The Flesh) is an example of classical music with disturbing and malevolent traits, while the dark ambient more recognizable of the title track paves the way for the remarkable Sacrarium, a track that brings back to the already beaten classical liturgical way. Clearly this is a work for daring connoisseurs and also pervaded by a fair dose of masochism: it must be said, however, to tell the truth, that the form of ambient pursued by Dark Awake is more animated, thanks to the many variations on the theme and a melodic semblance present in almost all tracks, although here is less any lulling and reassuring effect, catapulting instead the listener in an atmosphere often nightmarish. A very convincing album, which the vinyl format should enhance even more making it attractive to fans of the genre, as well as being a good starting point to explore the rest of the discography signed Dark Awake.

2014 – Sleaszy Rider Records