HDR - 006 : Immundus - Haunted Memories
Released: April 20th, 2009Details: Pro CD A5 Digipack - Limited to 300 Copies
Genre: Dark Ambient
_______________________________________________________________________by Dark Mourning Promotions (UK)
''Presenting Dark Ambient from Norway'' is one Immundus line that describes precisely what to expect while listening to the latest album, Entitled *Haunted Memories*.
Beginning at Chapter I with the track title 'Entering The Domain' you straight away begin to have a sense of the dark and macabre with the gentle, Yet eerie sounds portrayed throughout the entire album.
An exceptional creation of music to satisfy even the most critical of Dark Ambient fans, 'Haunted Memories' will leave you with a chill down your spine, Exactly what Immundus sets out to achieve with all his music.
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byL.R.D Whispering Goom Zine (UK)
I was eagerly looking foward to reviewing the second opus when this was delivered through the door, and I was waiting for the right moment to be alone, and that happened to be on 1st May, at 3.30am, in complete darkness via headphones.
And that is when I listened to the new release from Immundus. Allow me to begin.........Firstly, lets concentrate on the lavish artwork and packaging.
This time around, the new release "Haunted Memories" has the art work that it greatly deserves. What looks like an old barn, in the middle of nowhere. Surrounded by isolation, and the landscape completely devoid of all human contact. The art work also has a "grainy" "soft focus" black/white image which adds to the atmosphere. Also the digi pak packaging is brilliant, this is all down to Depraved Designs who has done a fantastic job on this release.
As soon as you place the cd in your deck and press play, there is the sound of eerily howling winds and creaking doors. This is all done in the best possible taste, which sounds so real, and "flittering" from speaker to speaker, and the atmosphere has just begun!!!As a result, the album sucks the listener in from the first picosecond including a dream like state, where the mind is taken on an obscure and bizzare journey through a weird and twisted nightmare, replete with eerie landscapes and improbable lifeforms. (Of this you get a sence from the album cover also) .
There is not a dull moment on this album, and I have to say that there is such a massive difference here compared to the 1st release. Not that I am critisising it of course, but what I am trying to say is that with "Haunted Memories", it is so much more professional in every sence of the word. Not just with the art work, but the recordings sound much more dynamic. Immundus certainly know how to create atmosphere, with dark nights in misanthropic isolation. This will tickle the the morbidity of the more cryptomaniacal listener without a doubt, and turn them perhaps into untranslatable fanatics, unable to communicate their calliginous visions.
The neo~classical touches are echoed by the themes explored an elegantly illustrated in this album, dealing with the more tenebrous, disturbed, nostalgic, and Gothic aspects of the Romantic: morbid romantic obsession, dreamlike visions, spectral memories, turbulent emotion and tragic loss, and finally death. All in all you cannot go wrong with this release, and I reccomend this to anyone who listens to Dark ambient/Neo~classical/Dark Dungeon/Darkwave/Gothic and atmospheric soundscapes.
A brilliant album, produced by a genius brain with a fevid imagination and an endless capacity for invention. Already I cannot wait to hear what Immundus will come up with next.
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by Hierophant Nox Zine
It’s immediately clear from the beautiful artwork of "Haunted Memories" that this release by Norwegian ambient/experimental artist Immundus is a creation characterised by imagination and attention to detail. It follows on from 2008’s debut "Torments", continuing in the same dark and evocative vein that caused critics to liken Immundus to both a soundtrack composer and a storyteller, yet adding further adventurousness and subtlety, marking a progression of which the artist is understandably proud.
The dark ambient sounds with which "Haunted Memories" presents us are striking for their non-conformity; there seems to be a template for create unsettling ambient sounds at the moment, but Immundus is far freer with his compositions, resulting in a genuinely interesting output. Opener "Entering the Domain" is a perfect exercise in scene-setting, with its freezing tones and eerie atmosphere, created via the medium of creaking timbers and a deep, alien drone. Choir synths lend grandness, and the overall feeling is rather Lovecraftian, as if something immense, unknowable and unbelievably dangerous is lurking just around the next Arctic corner.
"The Hall" also utilises found sounds to disturb the listener’s peace, but seems unable to settle into one direction, and changes in pace and effects are rather disorienting. It is with the sparse, subtle "Whispering Walls" that Immundus really hits his stride, hinting at insanity with a very light touch. "Dining Beside an Old Corpse" is equally effective, with a harsh electronic buzz interfering with the extremely deep drifts and string synths which otherwise comprise the track, suggesting an awkward interface between the human and the natural, the technological and the just plain mystical. After some calm, if not calming, haunting pulses and cresting synths on "From the Depths" and "Lured into an Abyssic Maze", "The Descent" offers the creepiest moments on the album, with the skittering of unknown feet combined with distressing tones and a weird, electronic breathing.
The madness crests with the perturbing "Dementia", which introduces laughter, the final conclusion to the listener’s slowly-building fear. It’s a cleverly structured album, managing to sustain interest and threat throughout, while still providing plenty of relaxed, glacial passages that will satisfy the listener who is content not to engage the imagination, and expects a soothing experience from their ambient music. Whilst still not entirely mature, Immundus’ sound has plenty of potential, and there are a number of sophisticated passages on this album. "Haunted Memories" reflects a very dedicated delving into the darker corners of the mind, and throws up an amazing range of imagery and emotion, considering that its component parts are genre staples. A rewardingly different journey for the ambient traveller.
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by Mykl Neufeldaka Ambient Portal (US)
The new release from Immundus titled “Haunted memories” is a nice piece of ambient sound work and dark ambient movements. 10 tracks in all that will really send chills and thrills down your spine, a perfect mood setting experience from start to finish.
The feeling from track 1 through 10 is like your watching someone’s nightmare or late night chiller movie. Every song has a sound track feel from start to end. Immundus aka Bruno Duarte takes his time in crafting these pieces for the listener and really melds the ambient with the macabre sound.
He most certainly knows what he is doing here.
This is music for fans of such other spellbinding artists like; Coil, Controlled Bleeding, Vidna Obmana, and Raison de Etre.
Make sure to check out tracks 1, 3, 5, 8, 10. These really sent a shiver up and down my spine……loved it….can’t wait for more.
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From: Winter Torments Zine www.myspace.com/winter_torments
Immundus - Haunted memories CD {hypnotic dirge records}
Norwegian ambient/instrumental artist Immundus has released his newest dark masterpiece "haunted memories". This is probably one of the most chilling, haunting releases you will ever hear! While it seems a lot of today's ambient/instrumental projects seem to focus on the depressing/dark side of things ,Immundus focus more on creating dark horror-soundtrack theme music. Each track on "Haunted Memories" tells a story {without ever using a single word} of pure terror and leaves the listener with a uneasy feeling. Fans of horror movie soundtracks {espically from the 70's.early 80's} or dark ambient music will enjoy what Immundus has created and this is a masterpiece of dark music.
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From: NekroDeath Reviews and Interviews www.myspace.com/nekrodeath6_6_6
Review: Immundus - Haunted Memories.
Undertaken By Old Man Nekro & Lady Nekro
The next release that HDR gave us is in fact Immundus… no surprise here! This album captures only sound - scape in its purest form. Unlike the other two previous sound – scape albums that have incorporated both black metal & ambient styles into the concoction. Immundus shows us that sometimes simplicity is all an album needs. By using a combination of sounds, its creator has made an immersive environment for us to be in. It is not very much heard of, but it beats the drone of our everyday lives! This one – man project, hailing from Norway has been in operation since 2007 & we can actually say that we here at Nekrodeath, have never come across anything like this album. This is possibly the best-kept secret to the art of a great chilling masterpiece, so movie buffs and record executives keep your eyes peeled for this release!
This album has ten, non – vocalised tracks & falls under the name of sound - scape music. Yet it would be stupid not to put this into the film – score genre too. In this way, coupled with a film it would not only be the images that keep you on the edge of your seat, but this music would maximize this feeling to an extraordinary level. On the other hand, you could also say that this would certainly take a true visionary to incorporate this into a movie sound – track, as this would definitely rival the movie itself in probing even the furthest reaches of the listeners mind. With both haunting sounds & slight ambience, you can see where the album title has been drawn from.
It is not very often that we write about albums that create such vivid picture within our minds, but ‘Haunted Memories’ certainly is a different matter. Although we are not going to tell you what those visions are as they will obscure you own imagination.This could well be classified as a concept album, as these very images congregate & tell us a story.
All in all, this album has opened our eyes in more ways than one. The very use of the effect's/ samples coupled with the ambience makes the movements dark but deeper than your everyday Black Metal pieces. So this makes for such a wide variety, rather than being blasphemous and just reaching out to the ‘Satanists’ out there. There has obviously been much thought and consideration put in to this album as to how to make this a really dark and brooding masterpiece. 'Haunted Memories' will surely have others going back to the drawing board to reconsider before stepping up to the plate with their next offering. Is this worth parting with money? Well in my opinion that's a no brainer! More of you should really be starting to look outside of the box! That is before you go to buy that album of your favorite misanthropic & hate filled one-man artist. Cherish the old, but more importantly embrace the new.
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By:Aristocrazia Webzine
Transalated by Google - Original Version in Italian
I am going to review the reality of the Dark Ambient Norwegian, but with Portuguese roots, Immundus. "Haunted Memories", this is the name of the disc, is a work that rewards the most melodic side and left some of Dark Ambient.
From the outset, a certain aura of decadence and melancholy embrace you ', the rigging that we can hear, makes us' immediately understood that this ship (which is our life), is in a state of abandonment and desolation, unprecedented.
All the melodies, bringing to mind a single sign of lack of dusty soul and horror to create a now empty and devoid of stimuli, not of old memories, which engaged and exhausted, they become acidic and gloomy. Sorrowful and dilated, are being illuminated by the most delightful melodies, but it receives, which in reality 'they are only mocking reflections, as one might find mocking the meaning of life, from ectoplasmatic entities.
Everything in this work revolves around the desire to relive experiences that are now dust and the distance covered, seem 'take in depths ”plumbea”, where your memories, your dreams are, where you doubt your own presence, know that is so that should be perceived.
The conclusion of this disc, it speaks of a young life, laughing the burden of death all around, but this time everything is illusion, everything returns to a state of veiled impalpability, where there is no escape. An elegant and sophisticated album, even by those who appreciated the Dark Ambient, which often do not attend ...
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From: Defiance Magazine www.myspace.com/defiancemagazine
Immundus offer something extremely unique with his dark ambiance that is "Haunting memories". Very atmospheric and haunting all at once, it makes your hair on your neck stand on end.... The eeriness about the album makes you feel like your in your own personal horror movie. More soundtrack based than something you dance to, this album offers something different from the everyday bounds of music writing, it's composition at it's darkest and most unique best. Definitely an album for those who want something different. If you appreciate your music on all levels or you simply want to explore a new one then this album is the right choice.
It's carefully thought out down to the last pin drop. It gets the heart racing and the mind pumping. This really is, dark ambiance at it's horrifying best.
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From: Meridian 9 Magazine; Issue #4
Reviewer - Owen Wears
What Immundus’ sole member Bruno began with his first album he now takes to another level with “Haunted Memories”. This disc is truly a tour de force of utterly creepy and haunting Dark Ambient. This time, however, the level of not only the songwriting has risen but that of the overall production. The mix on this sophomore disc is far superior to Immundus’ first album and the glossy and impeccably designed digipack it comes in is by far one of the nicest presentations I have seen from Hypnotic Dirge Records. ‘Dirge has high standards to begin with, but they’ve out done themselves this time. Getting back on track: As always there is a story behind Immundus’ albums. They are, in fact, all concept pieces. Bruno still isn’t telling us what that concept is however. He wants you, the listener, to come up with your own version of what the music he has created represents. He has his own story, but that is just for him. You’ve got to come up with your own. Which is not going to be hard. “Haunted Memories” is filled to overflowing with creeptastic atmospheres and lilting synth lines that pull up all manner of beasties from the subconscious. While the album spins these haunted memories of our own are loosed on our conscious mind. Truly unpleasant emotions, only half remembered, go marching across ones imagination and we are only give respite once the disc stops spinning.
Wears—7/10
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From: Voltage Media http://www.voltagemedia.com.au
Reviewer: Anna Denejkina
Norwegian ambient artist IMMUNDUS presents what can only be described as the epitome of the dark ambient genre. From the opening notes of his second offering, "Haunted Memories”, his audience is dragged within another realm, within a sense of solitude and indeed bringing forth our past, and half forgotten, haunted memories.
“Haunted Memories” presents ten tracks, all holding their own part in a larger story. From the uncomfortable tonalities of “The Hall”, using the unease of minor motifs that progress to include beautiful and yet haunting strings, toward the chilling “Dining Beside An Old Corpse”, which for me personally brought up the imagery of Susan Hill’s “The Woman in Black” and Eel Marsh House.
Immundus’ music is meant to be listened to alone; it is a soundtrack to a ghostly story that you create yourself. Immundus is brilliant at what he does; his creativity and imagination all translate throughout this record. From the dark artwork of the album, toward the darkness inside, the themes interrelate and connect.
The chilling winds achieved at the beginning of “Dementia” create imagery of a lone being traveling through the aesthetics presented on the cover art. The creepiness is followed by a melody which reminds one of being a child, followed by that of manipulated children’s laughter, (which is perhaps the most uncomfortable sound of all) always underlined by a constant ambient progression beneath. “Dementia” is indeed the climax of this album’s horror theme.
From entering “Haunted Memories” through the first track, we leave to the finale of “Escape”, a piece that screams melancholy rather than dismay. Immundus has achieved a great depth within this track, a perfect close to a fantastic record, which becomes the soundtrack to what is inside of us.
“Haunted Memories” is available through Hypnotic Dirge Records and is for anyone who enjoys the best of horror in the dark ambient genre.
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From: Nocturnal Cult Webzine www.nocturnalcult.com
Norwegian ambient artist Immundus brings on a chilling atmosphere like a gray winter morning. A strong wind and creaking timbers usher in the haunting synths of album opener, Entering the Domain. The song's atmosphere and approach conjure images of a foreboding house in a horror movie. Slightly more lighthearted synths lend an atmosphere of wonderment and discovery on The Hall. An additional layer of trepidation and mystery is added by a flickering violin. However, the horror movie style falls to the wayside starting with the stripped-down and icy darkness of Whispering Walls. Subtlety reigns supreme as feedback and a low-droning pulse pave the wayfor a lonely violin, which mourns the loss of its master, Erich Zann. Even more stripped-down and emotionless in their slowly shifting, foggy movements are the next two compositions, From the Depths and Lured Into an Abyssic Maze. What mysteries must lay deep within the dank earth. This creates a cold, dark minimalism that is reminiscent of some Cold Meat Industries project. Shimmering Xylophone synths and murky dungeon sounds seep like a magickal lightsof cavern walls on The Descent. For me there is a certain nagging problem I have. The way Immundus uses synths and the visual imagery created by their soundscapes plants dreams of the stillness of deepspace and slowly drifting astral bodies but Immundus grounds them with earthbound sounds like rattling chains, blowing wind, creaking boards, dripping water, etc. So these two mental visions conflict in my mind. The only song to truly embody this with out textural strife is the final track, The Escape however this fails in the end as samples of a child's laughter is closes out the track. Immundus is haunting and interesting in some respects and cold and distant in others. At its best it is chilling and eerie. However,more often it fails to truly connect with me.
Reviewer: Bradley Smith
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From: Heathen Harvest Webzine www.heathenharvest.com
"Haunted Memories" is Immundus second album, after the selfreleased "Torments" in 2008. Immundus is a project of the former bassist/vocalist from Necrokult Of Kronos, a Portuguese black/death metal band. Immundus has moved to Norway in 2003, and in 2007 he decided to create dark ambient as a means to express himself. I found the statement on his website quite pretentious though; "Inspired by the many dark aspects of life, its mystery, horror, the force and sounds of mother nature, combined with mental chaos, psychotic dreams, influences from depressive, gothic, haunting, ghostly and the unknown, Immundus intends to create eerie, haunting and bizarre atmospheres, yet beautiful and melancholic with intent to make skins crawl and turn the purest dreams into nightmares". Righto.
This album, 10 tracks, 42 minutes, takes longer than I'd like. I'm not too keen on the higher pitched sounds used on this album. They hurt my ears. I'm not exaggerating here, they really do. The brooding atmosphere is thus lost on me. It's not all bad though, surely not. 'Dining Besides An Old Corpse' is an excellent track, mainly due to what sounds like a violin. Though this violin uses high notes too, it's not annoying or ear aching on this track. Barely, but just on the safe side.
Something's just amiss on this album. It's simply not 'dark' enough, for some reason., not 'deep' or 'low' enough. It's music that can be used as a soundtrack to a horror movie with supernatural elements such as ghosts. Not really dark ambient to immerse yourself in. The only thing that's really dark on this release is the packaging. The cover, the back, the inside and the CD are really dark, to the point where the dark text printed on it is almost unreadable.
I am sure though that there are people who will like this album. Surely, since the musician and the label released it, there must be some souls out there who find it to their liking. Looking at press snippets on his website and myspace, there indeed are. So, give it a try. We might completely disagree.
Reviewer: ChAweck
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From: PAL Reviews(USA)
Haunted Memories begins with great ambient sounds of howling winds, creaking and rustling leaves. The scene is set and I am transported to Immundus’ dark and eerie world via Entering the Domain. That is a perfect title because you are not just listening to a piece of music here; you are entering a different world. A world of the mind, the imagination and one that is sinister, dark and haunting. We all have that place in our mind and Immundus knows how to find it.
As soon as Hall began, I was taken back to my younger days and a film I loved, Fright Night. I could see vampires, dark alleys and a chill went up my back. There is a constant ghostly sound throughout this soft and, dare I say, beautiful track. It may be sinister, it may be dark but it is an amazing creation. I especially loved the strings that come in and accompany the ghostly sound.
Whispering Walls kicks in with a very deep, guttural and extremely eerie sound. Sitting here in a dark room listening to this had me looking over my shoulder several times. It is fantastic how the ambient sounds, Immundus has incorporated in this track, really set a scary atmosphere and send my imagination wild.
Dining Beside an Old Corpse follows Whispering Walls very well starting with that gloomy humming sound that does make me feel slightly uncomfortable. Then this sound of static comes in. This is great stuff! So much sound, so much to flip the mind over into its darker depths. The string piece that gently comes forward is absolutely delicious in its cheerlessness. I can really imagine sitting at a huge dinner table, in a large candlelit room. There I am in my gothic clothing sharing a meal with an old corpse. What is Immundus doing to me? Whatever it is I am hooked! I love the way Dining Beside an Old Corpse ends, almost like death has come upon me…the sound of trying to tune in and then nothing.
It gets scarier people! I am sure in From the Depths I heard Satan growling out at me. From the Depths lives up to its name. It is very eerie, very sinister and a total creep out. The music is heavy on the bass and those magical ambient sounds, which Immundus seems so great at delivering, are there floating round to drive your senses crazy. Oh my God! I just had a screaming moment. The end of From the Depths is AWESOME! All I will say is listen to this track alone, in the dark and with the volume at a good solid level. Prepare to be terrified. Can I go on? Will my heart take this trip?
Lured Into an Abyssic Maze creates the sensation of floating or drifting. I think this track is magnificent and great for closing the eyes and falling into the mind. It keeps to the eerie sensation and deep bass but it is more relaxing than terrifying. The beautiful haunting sound is back, too. You certainly could be lured away to some deep corner of your mind with this one.
The Descent opens up with more great ambience. There is a very subtle creepy sound every so often that I am sure are bugs running about the place. The odd drip of water does nothing to ease my discomfort at this vision of creepy crawlies running around my dark room. As The Descent moves along, I notice my heart has started to beat that wee bit faster, which is strange. There is something very unnerving about The Descent, which I cannot quite put my finger on. If you have the same experience when you hear it, please let me know.
Chains of Hate comes booming in. Another deep and dark track with the great ambient sound of chains. Immundus always delivers what it says in the title. My mind takes me to the Tower of London and I see squalor and desperate prisoners all praying for the sweet mercy of death. Perhaps this is because I am a student of history, have visited the Tower often or just love the darker side of our world. Whatever it is, Immundus is the talent that has created a piece of music so powerful it can transport me to a different place and time. Oh, there goes Anne Boleyn to have her head removed – wake up Tom!
Dementia follows Chains of Hate very well indeed, as if they are actually part of the same piece. The howling wind – an empty mind perhaps – then the joyless sound of the music box, which is very spectral indeed. I see an old man sat in his rocking chair lost in the chaos of his own mind – his dementia. The music is so emotive and dark and my mind is buzzing. The scratchy sound of children laughing is very spooky. Is this the dementia sufferer remembering his childhood?
Haunted Memories closes with Escape. This track sticks with the heavy bass, haunting and eerie sounds, which travel round the mix. There is something strangely uplifting about this rather stripped down number. The music is rather delicate compared to the ghostly sounds. Escape is a beautiful close to an enchanting album. I drifted back to my past, my memories, my old friends and people I once knew and loved. It ends brilliantly with the sound of a large door closing. Amazing!
If you have not guessed, I love Haunted Memories. It is so clever how Immundus has created an album that is more than just music. Haunted Memories is a journey to the depths and darker parts of your mind. The way Immundus ends Haunted Memories, with that sound of a door closing, is so clever. To me it is the door closing on my dark mind, which I spent forty-two minutes exploring, with the help of Haunted Memories.
I highly recommend giving Haunted Memories a listen and do it alone, in the dark and with the volume up, or better still, wear headphones. You will soon disappear into your own dark mind.
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By: Matthew Caughlin
***This is a combined review of the full-length album Haunted Memories, as well as the free download EP The Method Learned II, and the single Poemia
To follow up my interview, Bruno asked me if I could review the full-length, EP and single he has released through Hypnotic Dirge records. Because, these three releases put together clock in at nearly eighty-one minutes, I feel it would be easier on me and all you readers if I just reviewed them in bulk and just divided it into three parts as opposed to three separate articles. I will order them based on chronological release which means we begin with the full-length released last year, Haunted Memories.
I will say this is the most eerie of any of the releases and definitely worth a purchase for any fan of music that emulates horror soundscapes. While there are no lyrics as far as I know throughout Immundus’ discography, the message being portrayed is very clear, especially on this release, and that is what I consider the most important part of music composition; to be able to express oneself musically without relying solely on lyrics. Minimalistic terror sends shivers down the spine and I swear if you listen to this in total darkness, you will be looking over your shoulder just to see if something is there.
The thing I love most about this release is it isn’t even remotely overdone. You will hear passionately haunting melodies without even the slightest hint of cheese; it can be taken seriously. One such melody that sticks out to me is the violin playback on “Dining beside an Old Corpse.” The gothic neoclassical approach fuses so harmoniously with the ambient and noise inspired overtones that one feels as if they are experiencing the dark secrets of the Victorian Era. Don’t worry though, as haunting as it is, the music seems well versed for the classic horror films that focused on a well made plot as opposed to the modern gorefests that will bore you to sleep with mundane silence until all of a sudden something jumps out and surprises (not scares) you.
Of all the tracks I would say the most frightful would be “Chains of Hate.” The execution is flawless and I could swear this is the perfect ambience to instill fear on a lost victim before a serial killer comes out to perform his sinister ritual. It reminds me a bit of the theme to Magus’ Castle in the video game Chrono Trigger, which I swear would be an eerie classic if it wasn’t limited to 16-bit production. Despite this tracks’ perfection, I would say my personal favorite is the follow-up track, “Dementia.” Maybe I’m just a sucker for a music box with music of this style, but I feel it fits perfectly as to look into the mind of a dementia patient which is a personal thing for me. My great aunt was diagnosed with the disease when I was young and before then I had a great bond with her and as her symptoms kicked in, I was too young to understand what was wrong with her and this track helps me look back.
The next two releases are offered as free downloads so unless you are limited in space on your hard drive, I don’t see why you wouldn’t get them. However, the full-length is my favorite and I think you should try to get a copy while they are still available. There really isn’t much more I can say without potentially ruining the experience.
A few months after Haunted Memories came out, Immundus gave us another great offering with The Methods Learned which as I just mentioned is a free EP for download available on Hypnotic Dirge’s website. This release while retaining the haunting sounds that have become signature for Immundus, seems to have a completely different approach. We are given four tracks that are each around six to seven minutes apiece which are longer than most of Duarte’s works in the past. The ambience is heavily industrialized and for me creates the aura of a steampunk world gone wrong or a post-apocalyptic survival. Audio is much more atmospheric than before and the sounds are much more futuristic. In fact the only track that seems entirely horror-inspired is the concluding track “Repentance of Midnight,” yet even this one has a post-modern tone.
My personal favorite not only from this EP, but Immundus’ discography would have to be “Sublimation at Zero Hour.” The track seems mournful, yet at the same time beautiful and so much emotion cascades the entire song. Of the two free works I would say this one is my favorite just because it stands unique from Bruno’s normal writings, though don’t let that sway you away from his recently released single, which further solidifies him as a great and underrated composer of modern times.
With that we are taken to a less than fifteen minute single Poemia, which is heavily inspired by the works of Edgar A. Poe. Three songs make up this release with “The Sleeper” being a very well executed introduction, though pretty modest compared to the other two tracks. I would say “Alone” seems to depict Poe the best out of all the tracks and if I had to guess I would say it is based on arguably his most famous work, The Raven. This piece blends the haunting appeal with a more accessible sound much stronger than anything previously written as well, though my favorite from this release for leisurely listening would have to be the concluding track, “Spirits of the Dead.” This must be one of the most progressively oriented songs I have heard not only from Immundus, but from any ambient artist since Aphex Twin or even as far back as Brian Eno.
I urge everyone reading to listen to these releases, even if you don’t want to buy the full-length, download the free releases and enjoy them. I have never heard horror music sound so fresh in a long time and you all owe it to yourselves to experience it at least once.
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From: Nocturne Magazine
Cold, dark and heavy atmosphere is the characteristic of almost every dark ambient material. This one is no exception.
Immundus has based his second album on successful creation of such atmosphere incorporating standards of some more famous projects, while maintaining his own identity, thus creating more original and trademark sound.
This album takes us to a journey through the dark side of human personality, dreams that serve as portals to another world, and also through the horrific scenes surrounding us in the world where we belong. In spite of not being very loud or strong, this music delivers a powerful strike to your inner world, to your subconsciousness...and has this strange kind of influence which creates various images in your head, that are connected to the emotions invoked during the listening of this material.
The music of Immundus successfully caries an atmosphere and mysticism of the north European forests, while being enchanted with deep musical parts, interesting rhythms and beautifully fitted motives which combined together create one fine composition. There are some samples here, which are not used in a large number, but still, sounds of violin, children's toys or deep voices give an additional depth to the overall shape of this album.
If you love projects like Raison d'Etre, or some early works of Der Blutharsch and Deutsch Nepal, this release is a must.
(8.5/10)
Reviewer: Stefan Lazic
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From: Lunar Hypnosis www.lunarhypnosis.blogsite.com
Immundus is the solo endeavor of Bruno Duarte who has been recording under this banner since he moved to Norway (originally from Portugal) back in 2003. During these past seven years he’s released two full-length albums, one EP, a 3’ single and has appeared on numerous compilations, but let us focus in on his second album, ‘Haunted Memories’ from 2009, which is surely one of the finest ambient records I’ve heard in recent years.
Bruno labels his music as ghost ambient, which will surely raise an eyebrow or two, but once you hear it you’ll definitely understand. His brand of ambiance carries a creepy and otherworldly sentiment, which at least to my ears sounds like it’s been partially influenced by classic 70’s/80’s horror movies and perhaps even some video game music. Therefore, the music is considerably more melodic and diverse from track to track and since the album only runs for forty two minutes it’s also obviously shorter than most ambient records. It is however definitely dark ambient music and you can surely listen to this album while relaxing, sleeping or reading, though you might feel yourself drifting to a different world and leaving behind your current whereabouts.
It’s Immundus’ goal to transport the listener to the darker side of life and through these ten songs he surely does do that. I’ve listened to this album a few times with the lights out with a few candles burning and the atmospheric effect as been quite colossal to say the least. It really gives me that feeling that something might be out there and when I feel those hairs on the back of my neck rising I can’t help but wonder if I’m alone or someone else is in my apartment with me. There are also some samples thrown in to his work like water dripping, chains being dragged on the ground, indistinguishable voices, children’s laughter, music boxes, violent winds and so on, which all add to the experience wonderfully. I’ve also often times detected a sense of beauty within this record, which perhaps is just one of the many factors that’s kept me coming back for more.
Immundus’, Haunted Memories is without doubt a work of genius in an otherwise overcrowded and often times stale genre that only has a few true standouts. I’ll make it simple though, if you like dark ambient music, this is the record to hear. Go h(a)unt a copy down soon.
Reviewer: Joe Mlodik
Released: April 20th, 2009Details: Pro CD A5 Digipack - Limited to 300 Copies
Genre: Dark Ambient
_______________________________________________________________________by Dark Mourning Promotions (UK)
''Presenting Dark Ambient from Norway'' is one Immundus line that describes precisely what to expect while listening to the latest album, Entitled *Haunted Memories*.
Beginning at Chapter I with the track title 'Entering The Domain' you straight away begin to have a sense of the dark and macabre with the gentle, Yet eerie sounds portrayed throughout the entire album.
An exceptional creation of music to satisfy even the most critical of Dark Ambient fans, 'Haunted Memories' will leave you with a chill down your spine, Exactly what Immundus sets out to achieve with all his music.
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byL.R.D Whispering Goom Zine (UK)
I was eagerly looking foward to reviewing the second opus when this was delivered through the door, and I was waiting for the right moment to be alone, and that happened to be on 1st May, at 3.30am, in complete darkness via headphones.
And that is when I listened to the new release from Immundus. Allow me to begin.........Firstly, lets concentrate on the lavish artwork and packaging.
This time around, the new release "Haunted Memories" has the art work that it greatly deserves. What looks like an old barn, in the middle of nowhere. Surrounded by isolation, and the landscape completely devoid of all human contact. The art work also has a "grainy" "soft focus" black/white image which adds to the atmosphere. Also the digi pak packaging is brilliant, this is all down to Depraved Designs who has done a fantastic job on this release.
As soon as you place the cd in your deck and press play, there is the sound of eerily howling winds and creaking doors. This is all done in the best possible taste, which sounds so real, and "flittering" from speaker to speaker, and the atmosphere has just begun!!!As a result, the album sucks the listener in from the first picosecond including a dream like state, where the mind is taken on an obscure and bizzare journey through a weird and twisted nightmare, replete with eerie landscapes and improbable lifeforms. (Of this you get a sence from the album cover also) .
There is not a dull moment on this album, and I have to say that there is such a massive difference here compared to the 1st release. Not that I am critisising it of course, but what I am trying to say is that with "Haunted Memories", it is so much more professional in every sence of the word. Not just with the art work, but the recordings sound much more dynamic. Immundus certainly know how to create atmosphere, with dark nights in misanthropic isolation. This will tickle the the morbidity of the more cryptomaniacal listener without a doubt, and turn them perhaps into untranslatable fanatics, unable to communicate their calliginous visions.
The neo~classical touches are echoed by the themes explored an elegantly illustrated in this album, dealing with the more tenebrous, disturbed, nostalgic, and Gothic aspects of the Romantic: morbid romantic obsession, dreamlike visions, spectral memories, turbulent emotion and tragic loss, and finally death. All in all you cannot go wrong with this release, and I reccomend this to anyone who listens to Dark ambient/Neo~classical/Dark Dungeon/Darkwave/Gothic and atmospheric soundscapes.
A brilliant album, produced by a genius brain with a fevid imagination and an endless capacity for invention. Already I cannot wait to hear what Immundus will come up with next.
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by Hierophant Nox Zine
It’s immediately clear from the beautiful artwork of "Haunted Memories" that this release by Norwegian ambient/experimental artist Immundus is a creation characterised by imagination and attention to detail. It follows on from 2008’s debut "Torments", continuing in the same dark and evocative vein that caused critics to liken Immundus to both a soundtrack composer and a storyteller, yet adding further adventurousness and subtlety, marking a progression of which the artist is understandably proud.
The dark ambient sounds with which "Haunted Memories" presents us are striking for their non-conformity; there seems to be a template for create unsettling ambient sounds at the moment, but Immundus is far freer with his compositions, resulting in a genuinely interesting output. Opener "Entering the Domain" is a perfect exercise in scene-setting, with its freezing tones and eerie atmosphere, created via the medium of creaking timbers and a deep, alien drone. Choir synths lend grandness, and the overall feeling is rather Lovecraftian, as if something immense, unknowable and unbelievably dangerous is lurking just around the next Arctic corner.
"The Hall" also utilises found sounds to disturb the listener’s peace, but seems unable to settle into one direction, and changes in pace and effects are rather disorienting. It is with the sparse, subtle "Whispering Walls" that Immundus really hits his stride, hinting at insanity with a very light touch. "Dining Beside an Old Corpse" is equally effective, with a harsh electronic buzz interfering with the extremely deep drifts and string synths which otherwise comprise the track, suggesting an awkward interface between the human and the natural, the technological and the just plain mystical. After some calm, if not calming, haunting pulses and cresting synths on "From the Depths" and "Lured into an Abyssic Maze", "The Descent" offers the creepiest moments on the album, with the skittering of unknown feet combined with distressing tones and a weird, electronic breathing.
The madness crests with the perturbing "Dementia", which introduces laughter, the final conclusion to the listener’s slowly-building fear. It’s a cleverly structured album, managing to sustain interest and threat throughout, while still providing plenty of relaxed, glacial passages that will satisfy the listener who is content not to engage the imagination, and expects a soothing experience from their ambient music. Whilst still not entirely mature, Immundus’ sound has plenty of potential, and there are a number of sophisticated passages on this album. "Haunted Memories" reflects a very dedicated delving into the darker corners of the mind, and throws up an amazing range of imagery and emotion, considering that its component parts are genre staples. A rewardingly different journey for the ambient traveller.
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by Mykl Neufeldaka Ambient Portal (US)
The new release from Immundus titled “Haunted memories” is a nice piece of ambient sound work and dark ambient movements. 10 tracks in all that will really send chills and thrills down your spine, a perfect mood setting experience from start to finish.
The feeling from track 1 through 10 is like your watching someone’s nightmare or late night chiller movie. Every song has a sound track feel from start to end. Immundus aka Bruno Duarte takes his time in crafting these pieces for the listener and really melds the ambient with the macabre sound.
He most certainly knows what he is doing here.
This is music for fans of such other spellbinding artists like; Coil, Controlled Bleeding, Vidna Obmana, and Raison de Etre.
Make sure to check out tracks 1, 3, 5, 8, 10. These really sent a shiver up and down my spine……loved it….can’t wait for more.
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From: Winter Torments Zine www.myspace.com/winter_torments
Immundus - Haunted memories CD {hypnotic dirge records}
Norwegian ambient/instrumental artist Immundus has released his newest dark masterpiece "haunted memories". This is probably one of the most chilling, haunting releases you will ever hear! While it seems a lot of today's ambient/instrumental projects seem to focus on the depressing/dark side of things ,Immundus focus more on creating dark horror-soundtrack theme music. Each track on "Haunted Memories" tells a story {without ever using a single word} of pure terror and leaves the listener with a uneasy feeling. Fans of horror movie soundtracks {espically from the 70's.early 80's} or dark ambient music will enjoy what Immundus has created and this is a masterpiece of dark music.
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From: NekroDeath Reviews and Interviews www.myspace.com/nekrodeath6_6_6
Review: Immundus - Haunted Memories.
Undertaken By Old Man Nekro & Lady Nekro
The next release that HDR gave us is in fact Immundus… no surprise here! This album captures only sound - scape in its purest form. Unlike the other two previous sound – scape albums that have incorporated both black metal & ambient styles into the concoction. Immundus shows us that sometimes simplicity is all an album needs. By using a combination of sounds, its creator has made an immersive environment for us to be in. It is not very much heard of, but it beats the drone of our everyday lives! This one – man project, hailing from Norway has been in operation since 2007 & we can actually say that we here at Nekrodeath, have never come across anything like this album. This is possibly the best-kept secret to the art of a great chilling masterpiece, so movie buffs and record executives keep your eyes peeled for this release!
This album has ten, non – vocalised tracks & falls under the name of sound - scape music. Yet it would be stupid not to put this into the film – score genre too. In this way, coupled with a film it would not only be the images that keep you on the edge of your seat, but this music would maximize this feeling to an extraordinary level. On the other hand, you could also say that this would certainly take a true visionary to incorporate this into a movie sound – track, as this would definitely rival the movie itself in probing even the furthest reaches of the listeners mind. With both haunting sounds & slight ambience, you can see where the album title has been drawn from.
It is not very often that we write about albums that create such vivid picture within our minds, but ‘Haunted Memories’ certainly is a different matter. Although we are not going to tell you what those visions are as they will obscure you own imagination.This could well be classified as a concept album, as these very images congregate & tell us a story.
All in all, this album has opened our eyes in more ways than one. The very use of the effect's/ samples coupled with the ambience makes the movements dark but deeper than your everyday Black Metal pieces. So this makes for such a wide variety, rather than being blasphemous and just reaching out to the ‘Satanists’ out there. There has obviously been much thought and consideration put in to this album as to how to make this a really dark and brooding masterpiece. 'Haunted Memories' will surely have others going back to the drawing board to reconsider before stepping up to the plate with their next offering. Is this worth parting with money? Well in my opinion that's a no brainer! More of you should really be starting to look outside of the box! That is before you go to buy that album of your favorite misanthropic & hate filled one-man artist. Cherish the old, but more importantly embrace the new.
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By:Aristocrazia Webzine
Transalated by Google - Original Version in Italian
I am going to review the reality of the Dark Ambient Norwegian, but with Portuguese roots, Immundus. "Haunted Memories", this is the name of the disc, is a work that rewards the most melodic side and left some of Dark Ambient.
From the outset, a certain aura of decadence and melancholy embrace you ', the rigging that we can hear, makes us' immediately understood that this ship (which is our life), is in a state of abandonment and desolation, unprecedented.
All the melodies, bringing to mind a single sign of lack of dusty soul and horror to create a now empty and devoid of stimuli, not of old memories, which engaged and exhausted, they become acidic and gloomy. Sorrowful and dilated, are being illuminated by the most delightful melodies, but it receives, which in reality 'they are only mocking reflections, as one might find mocking the meaning of life, from ectoplasmatic entities.
Everything in this work revolves around the desire to relive experiences that are now dust and the distance covered, seem 'take in depths ”plumbea”, where your memories, your dreams are, where you doubt your own presence, know that is so that should be perceived.
The conclusion of this disc, it speaks of a young life, laughing the burden of death all around, but this time everything is illusion, everything returns to a state of veiled impalpability, where there is no escape. An elegant and sophisticated album, even by those who appreciated the Dark Ambient, which often do not attend ...
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From: Defiance Magazine www.myspace.com/defiancemagazine
Immundus offer something extremely unique with his dark ambiance that is "Haunting memories". Very atmospheric and haunting all at once, it makes your hair on your neck stand on end.... The eeriness about the album makes you feel like your in your own personal horror movie. More soundtrack based than something you dance to, this album offers something different from the everyday bounds of music writing, it's composition at it's darkest and most unique best. Definitely an album for those who want something different. If you appreciate your music on all levels or you simply want to explore a new one then this album is the right choice.
It's carefully thought out down to the last pin drop. It gets the heart racing and the mind pumping. This really is, dark ambiance at it's horrifying best.
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From: Meridian 9 Magazine; Issue #4
Reviewer - Owen Wears
What Immundus’ sole member Bruno began with his first album he now takes to another level with “Haunted Memories”. This disc is truly a tour de force of utterly creepy and haunting Dark Ambient. This time, however, the level of not only the songwriting has risen but that of the overall production. The mix on this sophomore disc is far superior to Immundus’ first album and the glossy and impeccably designed digipack it comes in is by far one of the nicest presentations I have seen from Hypnotic Dirge Records. ‘Dirge has high standards to begin with, but they’ve out done themselves this time. Getting back on track: As always there is a story behind Immundus’ albums. They are, in fact, all concept pieces. Bruno still isn’t telling us what that concept is however. He wants you, the listener, to come up with your own version of what the music he has created represents. He has his own story, but that is just for him. You’ve got to come up with your own. Which is not going to be hard. “Haunted Memories” is filled to overflowing with creeptastic atmospheres and lilting synth lines that pull up all manner of beasties from the subconscious. While the album spins these haunted memories of our own are loosed on our conscious mind. Truly unpleasant emotions, only half remembered, go marching across ones imagination and we are only give respite once the disc stops spinning.
Wears—7/10
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From: Voltage Media http://www.voltagemedia.com.au
Reviewer: Anna Denejkina
Norwegian ambient artist IMMUNDUS presents what can only be described as the epitome of the dark ambient genre. From the opening notes of his second offering, "Haunted Memories”, his audience is dragged within another realm, within a sense of solitude and indeed bringing forth our past, and half forgotten, haunted memories.
“Haunted Memories” presents ten tracks, all holding their own part in a larger story. From the uncomfortable tonalities of “The Hall”, using the unease of minor motifs that progress to include beautiful and yet haunting strings, toward the chilling “Dining Beside An Old Corpse”, which for me personally brought up the imagery of Susan Hill’s “The Woman in Black” and Eel Marsh House.
Immundus’ music is meant to be listened to alone; it is a soundtrack to a ghostly story that you create yourself. Immundus is brilliant at what he does; his creativity and imagination all translate throughout this record. From the dark artwork of the album, toward the darkness inside, the themes interrelate and connect.
The chilling winds achieved at the beginning of “Dementia” create imagery of a lone being traveling through the aesthetics presented on the cover art. The creepiness is followed by a melody which reminds one of being a child, followed by that of manipulated children’s laughter, (which is perhaps the most uncomfortable sound of all) always underlined by a constant ambient progression beneath. “Dementia” is indeed the climax of this album’s horror theme.
From entering “Haunted Memories” through the first track, we leave to the finale of “Escape”, a piece that screams melancholy rather than dismay. Immundus has achieved a great depth within this track, a perfect close to a fantastic record, which becomes the soundtrack to what is inside of us.
“Haunted Memories” is available through Hypnotic Dirge Records and is for anyone who enjoys the best of horror in the dark ambient genre.
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From: Nocturnal Cult Webzine www.nocturnalcult.com
Norwegian ambient artist Immundus brings on a chilling atmosphere like a gray winter morning. A strong wind and creaking timbers usher in the haunting synths of album opener, Entering the Domain. The song's atmosphere and approach conjure images of a foreboding house in a horror movie. Slightly more lighthearted synths lend an atmosphere of wonderment and discovery on The Hall. An additional layer of trepidation and mystery is added by a flickering violin. However, the horror movie style falls to the wayside starting with the stripped-down and icy darkness of Whispering Walls. Subtlety reigns supreme as feedback and a low-droning pulse pave the wayfor a lonely violin, which mourns the loss of its master, Erich Zann. Even more stripped-down and emotionless in their slowly shifting, foggy movements are the next two compositions, From the Depths and Lured Into an Abyssic Maze. What mysteries must lay deep within the dank earth. This creates a cold, dark minimalism that is reminiscent of some Cold Meat Industries project. Shimmering Xylophone synths and murky dungeon sounds seep like a magickal lightsof cavern walls on The Descent. For me there is a certain nagging problem I have. The way Immundus uses synths and the visual imagery created by their soundscapes plants dreams of the stillness of deepspace and slowly drifting astral bodies but Immundus grounds them with earthbound sounds like rattling chains, blowing wind, creaking boards, dripping water, etc. So these two mental visions conflict in my mind. The only song to truly embody this with out textural strife is the final track, The Escape however this fails in the end as samples of a child's laughter is closes out the track. Immundus is haunting and interesting in some respects and cold and distant in others. At its best it is chilling and eerie. However,more often it fails to truly connect with me.
Reviewer: Bradley Smith
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From: Heathen Harvest Webzine www.heathenharvest.com
"Haunted Memories" is Immundus second album, after the selfreleased "Torments" in 2008. Immundus is a project of the former bassist/vocalist from Necrokult Of Kronos, a Portuguese black/death metal band. Immundus has moved to Norway in 2003, and in 2007 he decided to create dark ambient as a means to express himself. I found the statement on his website quite pretentious though; "Inspired by the many dark aspects of life, its mystery, horror, the force and sounds of mother nature, combined with mental chaos, psychotic dreams, influences from depressive, gothic, haunting, ghostly and the unknown, Immundus intends to create eerie, haunting and bizarre atmospheres, yet beautiful and melancholic with intent to make skins crawl and turn the purest dreams into nightmares". Righto.
This album, 10 tracks, 42 minutes, takes longer than I'd like. I'm not too keen on the higher pitched sounds used on this album. They hurt my ears. I'm not exaggerating here, they really do. The brooding atmosphere is thus lost on me. It's not all bad though, surely not. 'Dining Besides An Old Corpse' is an excellent track, mainly due to what sounds like a violin. Though this violin uses high notes too, it's not annoying or ear aching on this track. Barely, but just on the safe side.
Something's just amiss on this album. It's simply not 'dark' enough, for some reason., not 'deep' or 'low' enough. It's music that can be used as a soundtrack to a horror movie with supernatural elements such as ghosts. Not really dark ambient to immerse yourself in. The only thing that's really dark on this release is the packaging. The cover, the back, the inside and the CD are really dark, to the point where the dark text printed on it is almost unreadable.
I am sure though that there are people who will like this album. Surely, since the musician and the label released it, there must be some souls out there who find it to their liking. Looking at press snippets on his website and myspace, there indeed are. So, give it a try. We might completely disagree.
Reviewer: ChAweck
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From: PAL Reviews(USA)
Haunted Memories begins with great ambient sounds of howling winds, creaking and rustling leaves. The scene is set and I am transported to Immundus’ dark and eerie world via Entering the Domain. That is a perfect title because you are not just listening to a piece of music here; you are entering a different world. A world of the mind, the imagination and one that is sinister, dark and haunting. We all have that place in our mind and Immundus knows how to find it.
As soon as Hall began, I was taken back to my younger days and a film I loved, Fright Night. I could see vampires, dark alleys and a chill went up my back. There is a constant ghostly sound throughout this soft and, dare I say, beautiful track. It may be sinister, it may be dark but it is an amazing creation. I especially loved the strings that come in and accompany the ghostly sound.
Whispering Walls kicks in with a very deep, guttural and extremely eerie sound. Sitting here in a dark room listening to this had me looking over my shoulder several times. It is fantastic how the ambient sounds, Immundus has incorporated in this track, really set a scary atmosphere and send my imagination wild.
Dining Beside an Old Corpse follows Whispering Walls very well starting with that gloomy humming sound that does make me feel slightly uncomfortable. Then this sound of static comes in. This is great stuff! So much sound, so much to flip the mind over into its darker depths. The string piece that gently comes forward is absolutely delicious in its cheerlessness. I can really imagine sitting at a huge dinner table, in a large candlelit room. There I am in my gothic clothing sharing a meal with an old corpse. What is Immundus doing to me? Whatever it is I am hooked! I love the way Dining Beside an Old Corpse ends, almost like death has come upon me…the sound of trying to tune in and then nothing.
It gets scarier people! I am sure in From the Depths I heard Satan growling out at me. From the Depths lives up to its name. It is very eerie, very sinister and a total creep out. The music is heavy on the bass and those magical ambient sounds, which Immundus seems so great at delivering, are there floating round to drive your senses crazy. Oh my God! I just had a screaming moment. The end of From the Depths is AWESOME! All I will say is listen to this track alone, in the dark and with the volume at a good solid level. Prepare to be terrified. Can I go on? Will my heart take this trip?
Lured Into an Abyssic Maze creates the sensation of floating or drifting. I think this track is magnificent and great for closing the eyes and falling into the mind. It keeps to the eerie sensation and deep bass but it is more relaxing than terrifying. The beautiful haunting sound is back, too. You certainly could be lured away to some deep corner of your mind with this one.
The Descent opens up with more great ambience. There is a very subtle creepy sound every so often that I am sure are bugs running about the place. The odd drip of water does nothing to ease my discomfort at this vision of creepy crawlies running around my dark room. As The Descent moves along, I notice my heart has started to beat that wee bit faster, which is strange. There is something very unnerving about The Descent, which I cannot quite put my finger on. If you have the same experience when you hear it, please let me know.
Chains of Hate comes booming in. Another deep and dark track with the great ambient sound of chains. Immundus always delivers what it says in the title. My mind takes me to the Tower of London and I see squalor and desperate prisoners all praying for the sweet mercy of death. Perhaps this is because I am a student of history, have visited the Tower often or just love the darker side of our world. Whatever it is, Immundus is the talent that has created a piece of music so powerful it can transport me to a different place and time. Oh, there goes Anne Boleyn to have her head removed – wake up Tom!
Dementia follows Chains of Hate very well indeed, as if they are actually part of the same piece. The howling wind – an empty mind perhaps – then the joyless sound of the music box, which is very spectral indeed. I see an old man sat in his rocking chair lost in the chaos of his own mind – his dementia. The music is so emotive and dark and my mind is buzzing. The scratchy sound of children laughing is very spooky. Is this the dementia sufferer remembering his childhood?
Haunted Memories closes with Escape. This track sticks with the heavy bass, haunting and eerie sounds, which travel round the mix. There is something strangely uplifting about this rather stripped down number. The music is rather delicate compared to the ghostly sounds. Escape is a beautiful close to an enchanting album. I drifted back to my past, my memories, my old friends and people I once knew and loved. It ends brilliantly with the sound of a large door closing. Amazing!
If you have not guessed, I love Haunted Memories. It is so clever how Immundus has created an album that is more than just music. Haunted Memories is a journey to the depths and darker parts of your mind. The way Immundus ends Haunted Memories, with that sound of a door closing, is so clever. To me it is the door closing on my dark mind, which I spent forty-two minutes exploring, with the help of Haunted Memories.
I highly recommend giving Haunted Memories a listen and do it alone, in the dark and with the volume up, or better still, wear headphones. You will soon disappear into your own dark mind.
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By: Matthew Caughlin
***This is a combined review of the full-length album Haunted Memories, as well as the free download EP The Method Learned II, and the single Poemia
To follow up my interview, Bruno asked me if I could review the full-length, EP and single he has released through Hypnotic Dirge records. Because, these three releases put together clock in at nearly eighty-one minutes, I feel it would be easier on me and all you readers if I just reviewed them in bulk and just divided it into three parts as opposed to three separate articles. I will order them based on chronological release which means we begin with the full-length released last year, Haunted Memories.
I will say this is the most eerie of any of the releases and definitely worth a purchase for any fan of music that emulates horror soundscapes. While there are no lyrics as far as I know throughout Immundus’ discography, the message being portrayed is very clear, especially on this release, and that is what I consider the most important part of music composition; to be able to express oneself musically without relying solely on lyrics. Minimalistic terror sends shivers down the spine and I swear if you listen to this in total darkness, you will be looking over your shoulder just to see if something is there.
The thing I love most about this release is it isn’t even remotely overdone. You will hear passionately haunting melodies without even the slightest hint of cheese; it can be taken seriously. One such melody that sticks out to me is the violin playback on “Dining beside an Old Corpse.” The gothic neoclassical approach fuses so harmoniously with the ambient and noise inspired overtones that one feels as if they are experiencing the dark secrets of the Victorian Era. Don’t worry though, as haunting as it is, the music seems well versed for the classic horror films that focused on a well made plot as opposed to the modern gorefests that will bore you to sleep with mundane silence until all of a sudden something jumps out and surprises (not scares) you.
Of all the tracks I would say the most frightful would be “Chains of Hate.” The execution is flawless and I could swear this is the perfect ambience to instill fear on a lost victim before a serial killer comes out to perform his sinister ritual. It reminds me a bit of the theme to Magus’ Castle in the video game Chrono Trigger, which I swear would be an eerie classic if it wasn’t limited to 16-bit production. Despite this tracks’ perfection, I would say my personal favorite is the follow-up track, “Dementia.” Maybe I’m just a sucker for a music box with music of this style, but I feel it fits perfectly as to look into the mind of a dementia patient which is a personal thing for me. My great aunt was diagnosed with the disease when I was young and before then I had a great bond with her and as her symptoms kicked in, I was too young to understand what was wrong with her and this track helps me look back.
The next two releases are offered as free downloads so unless you are limited in space on your hard drive, I don’t see why you wouldn’t get them. However, the full-length is my favorite and I think you should try to get a copy while they are still available. There really isn’t much more I can say without potentially ruining the experience.
A few months after Haunted Memories came out, Immundus gave us another great offering with The Methods Learned which as I just mentioned is a free EP for download available on Hypnotic Dirge’s website. This release while retaining the haunting sounds that have become signature for Immundus, seems to have a completely different approach. We are given four tracks that are each around six to seven minutes apiece which are longer than most of Duarte’s works in the past. The ambience is heavily industrialized and for me creates the aura of a steampunk world gone wrong or a post-apocalyptic survival. Audio is much more atmospheric than before and the sounds are much more futuristic. In fact the only track that seems entirely horror-inspired is the concluding track “Repentance of Midnight,” yet even this one has a post-modern tone.
My personal favorite not only from this EP, but Immundus’ discography would have to be “Sublimation at Zero Hour.” The track seems mournful, yet at the same time beautiful and so much emotion cascades the entire song. Of the two free works I would say this one is my favorite just because it stands unique from Bruno’s normal writings, though don’t let that sway you away from his recently released single, which further solidifies him as a great and underrated composer of modern times.
With that we are taken to a less than fifteen minute single Poemia, which is heavily inspired by the works of Edgar A. Poe. Three songs make up this release with “The Sleeper” being a very well executed introduction, though pretty modest compared to the other two tracks. I would say “Alone” seems to depict Poe the best out of all the tracks and if I had to guess I would say it is based on arguably his most famous work, The Raven. This piece blends the haunting appeal with a more accessible sound much stronger than anything previously written as well, though my favorite from this release for leisurely listening would have to be the concluding track, “Spirits of the Dead.” This must be one of the most progressively oriented songs I have heard not only from Immundus, but from any ambient artist since Aphex Twin or even as far back as Brian Eno.
I urge everyone reading to listen to these releases, even if you don’t want to buy the full-length, download the free releases and enjoy them. I have never heard horror music sound so fresh in a long time and you all owe it to yourselves to experience it at least once.
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From: Nocturne Magazine
Cold, dark and heavy atmosphere is the characteristic of almost every dark ambient material. This one is no exception.
Immundus has based his second album on successful creation of such atmosphere incorporating standards of some more famous projects, while maintaining his own identity, thus creating more original and trademark sound.
This album takes us to a journey through the dark side of human personality, dreams that serve as portals to another world, and also through the horrific scenes surrounding us in the world where we belong. In spite of not being very loud or strong, this music delivers a powerful strike to your inner world, to your subconsciousness...and has this strange kind of influence which creates various images in your head, that are connected to the emotions invoked during the listening of this material.
The music of Immundus successfully caries an atmosphere and mysticism of the north European forests, while being enchanted with deep musical parts, interesting rhythms and beautifully fitted motives which combined together create one fine composition. There are some samples here, which are not used in a large number, but still, sounds of violin, children's toys or deep voices give an additional depth to the overall shape of this album.
If you love projects like Raison d'Etre, or some early works of Der Blutharsch and Deutsch Nepal, this release is a must.
(8.5/10)
Reviewer: Stefan Lazic
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From: Lunar Hypnosis www.lunarhypnosis.blogsite.com
Immundus is the solo endeavor of Bruno Duarte who has been recording under this banner since he moved to Norway (originally from Portugal) back in 2003. During these past seven years he’s released two full-length albums, one EP, a 3’ single and has appeared on numerous compilations, but let us focus in on his second album, ‘Haunted Memories’ from 2009, which is surely one of the finest ambient records I’ve heard in recent years.
Bruno labels his music as ghost ambient, which will surely raise an eyebrow or two, but once you hear it you’ll definitely understand. His brand of ambiance carries a creepy and otherworldly sentiment, which at least to my ears sounds like it’s been partially influenced by classic 70’s/80’s horror movies and perhaps even some video game music. Therefore, the music is considerably more melodic and diverse from track to track and since the album only runs for forty two minutes it’s also obviously shorter than most ambient records. It is however definitely dark ambient music and you can surely listen to this album while relaxing, sleeping or reading, though you might feel yourself drifting to a different world and leaving behind your current whereabouts.
It’s Immundus’ goal to transport the listener to the darker side of life and through these ten songs he surely does do that. I’ve listened to this album a few times with the lights out with a few candles burning and the atmospheric effect as been quite colossal to say the least. It really gives me that feeling that something might be out there and when I feel those hairs on the back of my neck rising I can’t help but wonder if I’m alone or someone else is in my apartment with me. There are also some samples thrown in to his work like water dripping, chains being dragged on the ground, indistinguishable voices, children’s laughter, music boxes, violent winds and so on, which all add to the experience wonderfully. I’ve also often times detected a sense of beauty within this record, which perhaps is just one of the many factors that’s kept me coming back for more.
Immundus’, Haunted Memories is without doubt a work of genius in an otherwise overcrowded and often times stale genre that only has a few true standouts. I’ll make it simple though, if you like dark ambient music, this is the record to hear. Go h(a)unt a copy down soon.
Reviewer: Joe Mlodik