Search - Scorn :: Gyral

Here, in the shadow

loteq | Regensburg | 07/03/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A Mick Harris solo effort in all but name, "Gyral" is Scorn's darkest and most hypnotic, but also a comparatively one-dimensional album. What the band has gained in songwriting skills over the years has been lost with Nick's departure after the excellent "Evanescence", and so "Gyral" clearly misses the rock elements that made Scorn's earlier output so compelling. The music entirely consists of slow, repetitive rhythm loops, pulsating bass lines, and creepy samples. Any rhythmic or sonic variation occurs on the most subtle levels, and so "Gyral" can be a fascinating hypnotic listen. It works best as background music when you're in a dark, depressed mood. On the other hand, it can be quite frustrating when you actually try to listen to it. A nice bass pattern or interesting rhythm is introduced, and then maintained for up to seven or eight minutes. Best tracks here are the aptly titled "Time went slow", "Stairway" with its airy piano melody (there also a remix of this track on the "White irises blind" album), and the icy "Trondheim-Gavle". A worthwhile purchase for fans of dark ambient."

Not as interesting as the former recordings

loteq | Regensburg | 07/25/1999

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Their fourth full-time album is probably not their best, because the haunting vocals and the atonal guitar-work present on "Evanescence" are completely missing here. After the departure of band-member N.J.Bullen, Mick Harris immersed himself deeper into his nightmare-drum&bass-visions, but most of the tracks are too long to hold the listeners interest. It is also the darkest sounding record Scorn have released,and it leaves you a bit depressed."

Back drop for a quiet mood

Yumi | LA CA USA | 06/14/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A tapestry of sound for a quiet mood. I really love this CD and I also love Evanescence (which has lyrics)
Gyral has the kind of music that I imajine if I could astrally travel, this would be good music to do that to. I can imajine wonderfully curious landscapes like in some symbolist art such as The Island of the Dead..by Arnold Bocklin."