Lustre – Lost in Lustrous Night Skies
Lustre’s distinct brand of dark ambient Black Metal returns in 2013 with Lost in Lustrous Night Skies, a strong collection of rarities previously unleashed on a variety of difficult-to-unearth cassettes and EP’s only, due to the ubiquitous ‘limited release’ dynamic pervasive among our wintry, misanthropic obsessives whose music we adhere to. Nachtzeit’s Burzumic, repetitive synth concoctions, always slow, but purposeful electronic drums, and low-mixed, open-chorded guitars, are all toned perfectly for staring at snowfall through cold windowglass or providing the perfect backdrop for a Winter’s afternoon spent indoors. As I mentioned in my review of last year’s They Awoke to The Scent of Spring, the music of Lustre provides a very real sense of peace for the listener, despite being soaked completely with cold Swedish misanthropy and sorrow. Indeed, were it not for Nachtzeit’s random, Ringwraith-like shrieks that appear and fade across not just this but all his discography, one could convince any fan of solemn-sounding music to give this Scandinavian take on atmospheric BM the ol’ college try, such is the ancient, dank well-depth and room-filling capability of this deceptively simple music. Since first hearing 2010’s Welcome Winter, Lustre’s albums have maintained an inexplicable grasp on me, and Lost in Lustrous Night Skies, while being a compilation and not a new release per se, gleefully tightens that frozen grip with its promise of buried, laid-back BM treasures previously unfound. I wouldn’t usually recommend a collection of past tracks for those unfamiliar with a band, but I’m not usually talking about Lustre. Lost in Lustrous Night Skies suffices as completionist fare for the initiated (and as a high-quality introduction for those who are not) to peer into the mind of a woefully under-appreciated, dark ambient artist. -Jim
ATMF
Worm Gear 