Empusae
The Alchemist’s Rift
Arcane Dirge
Nicolas Van Meirhaeghe of Empusae’s always had a relatively brisk release schedule since his 2002 debut, but that pace has accelerated to a super-human level over the past few years with a near-constant slew of new music from the Swedish dark ambient vet, ranging from some expected collaborations (continuing his work with Shinkiro, teaming up with Peter Bjärgö of Arcana) to absolutely left field ones (the Præter project, which saw Van Meirhaeghe working with choreographers and fashion designers). Those have all done a solid job of showing Empusae’s flexibility as a project and Van Meihaeghe’s growth in both sound design and composition, but new proper stand-alone LP The Alchemist’s Rift offers the opportunity for a clear reappraisal of Empusae’s progression.
Despite a fairly short run time The Alchemist’s Rift serves as a solid reintroduction to the range of sounds and styles Empusae has at hand and moves through them at a fair clip; ranging from the cosmic grandeur of “The Echo Of Shadows” to the way the ritual minimalism of foreboding opener “Invocation (The Fractured Self)” blossoms into hi-def symphonic sweeps. That’s not to say that it’s underdeveloped or rushed; all six pieces are given more than enough time to establish themselves, and the loose theme of alchemical exploration of the beyond threads nicely through it.
More than anything, The Alchemist’s Rift showcases just how well Van Meirhaeghe’s technical sound design chops have grown alongside his compositional ambitions. Album centerpiece “Through The Rift” builds to an evocative and ever-shifting arpeggiated riff both mechanical and wholly abstract pads and percussion creating a constant sense of movement and drama. It’s a tour de force of composition which doesn’t just point to old cliches about “cinematic” sounds and “soundtracks to non-existent films”, but should call the likes of undisputed masters like Zimmer and Jóhannsson to the minds of film score aficionados.
For those who often find releases marked with the dark ambient tag to be too static or droning, The Alchemist’s Rift offers kinetic action and fully sculpted individual pieces, as well as a properly executed LP structure. Mature without being too ponderous or self-reflective, it’s the sort of record that Van Meirhaeghe might not have been able to pull off with such aplomb a few years back, but now is able to fully realize.
