Apoptose – Nordland

Apoptose's "Nordland" is a highly significant release, not only because it was his debut album but more than anything else
it contains some truly brilliant and ethereal ambiance.

The artwork cover hints the nature of the musical content as it shows the Algiz rune (a conventional name given to the "z-rune"
of the Elder-Futhark runic alphabet, a powerful rune of protection and spirityality, symbolising reaching up to the devine),
clearly indicating that we're about to take a journey to the forgotten lands of old, governed by ritual spirituality, inherently vowen into the fabric of environment and every day life.
Indeed, through crafty and well timed use of various elements like ancient drumrolls, solemn keyboards, female choir vocals,
misty yet melodic swashes of layered synths, Rüdiger is able to create an almost metaphisical atmosphere that is rather a perception of a coherent reality and not just a geographical or a historic location.
In addition, there is nonetheless an overpresent sense of melody and harmony and the overall aura of darkness and desolation
is not precieved as an isolating condition but is embraced as a human idiosyncrasy.

I wouldn't go so far as to call this groundbraking or a masterpiece, but still it's an incredibly effective, coherent, emotional, meaningful and above all higly recommended piece of dark amibent.

This is one of my favourite dark ambient albums. It's a perfect music for dark winter nights and walking in the woods alone. At night!