Midnight Odyssey - Closer to The Sky

#FOR FANS OF: Atmospheric Black

The Australian project Midnight Odyssey is, for sure, one of the most respected projects in the atmospheric black metal scene. Dis Pater’s solo project has a unique approach to the genre, achieving an admirable masterfulness when we talk about creating captivating atmospheres. The project was founded back in 2007 and since then, Midnight Odyssey has released a good number of albums, showing that Dis Pater has never run out of ideas. Apart from the strong atmospheric approach, another characteristic of this project, has been that the compositions, and as a result, the albums themselves, are very long. This aspect has delighted some of his fans, while other fans of the genre complained that some albums could sound more focused if the length of the tracks would be shorter. Although I personally prefer shorter albums, I can’t deny the fact that I have enjoyed vastly lengthy albums like 'Shards of Silver Fade', for example. In any case, when Dis Pater has reduced a bit the length and has gone straight to the point, the result has been absolutely phenomenal. 'Biolume Part 1- In Tartarean Chains' was a clear example of it. Don’t get me wrong, the songs continue to be long, and the album lasts an hour, but in contrast to other lengthier albums, that opus can more easily be enjoyed if you are not a die-hard fan.

 

Taking into account the issue of the length, I was very curious to check out Midnight Odyssey’s latest output, an EP entitled 'Closer to the Sky'. This new opus contains four tracks and lasts less than 35 minutes. I can safely say that any fan of the project will be exultant with the result. These four tracks contain all the characteristics that have made this project so loved. Each song has its own personality and specific details. The EP opener, "Souls Left Wandering", is the heaviest track of the EP. The composition sounds powerful as it combines some tempo changes in a masterful way. The keys play an important role as always, but they share the job with the guitars and the always present powerful vocals of Dis Pater. If someone is a newcomer to the project’s music, this piece would be a nice one to discover what it can offer. The solemn ambience, a characteristic of Midnight Odyssey, becomes even more magnificent in the following track, entitled "Lightning Fall". Just listen to the intro, and you will immediately feel mesmerized by the grandeur of Dis Pater’s talent with the keyboards. As majesty domains the full track, the pace is slower, but I can assure that you won’t get bored if you like this kind of music. "Closer to The Sky" is another beautiful composition which includes the already known clean vocals of Dis Pater, which I personally enjoy quite a lot. The work behind to create delicate and beautiful melodies is excellent as always. If I should complain about something, I would maybe mention that a heavier track would have been a good idea, based on the fact that the last track, entitled "Awakening", is a pure ambient one. If you want to achieve a perfect balance between the more aggressive compositions and the most atmospheric ones, it would have been a good idea to include a track with a more vivid pace.

 

All in all, and even taking into consideration this minor complaint, 'Closer to the Sky' is an excellent work by Midnight Odyssey. The achieved quality creating captivating atmospheres is top-notch again, and I am sure that it will please the fans of the genre. (Alain González Artola)

 

(I, Voidhanger - 2024)

Score: 85

 

https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/closer-to-the-sky

Midnight Odyssey - Biolume Part 2 - The Golden Orb

#FOR FANS OF: Atmospheric Black

The Australian solo-project Midnight Odyssey has achieved a great reputation among the fans of atmospheric black metal since its impressive debut 'Funerals from the Astral Sphere', released in 2011. The project created by Dis Pater has shown since its inception, a tendence to release grandiose works, not only sonically, but also in its length. Midnight Odyssey’s works are not for impatient fans, due to its remarkably long songs and entire duration. Its first two works last around two hours, which means a lot of stuff to digest. Thankfully, the overall quality of those albums makes them a worthy listen, even though it is irremediable to find certain moments of dispersion in those compositions, especially in the longest songs. Listening carefully to a double album can be demanding and this requires tight compositions if you don´t want to sound scattered at certain moments. This happened here and there in those albums, although the conclusion was usually positive, because the positive aspects were superior to the negative ones. In any case, Midnight Odyssey and its mastermind appeared especially inspired, as maybe he had learned some lessons from the first works, when he released the first part of a new trilogy in 2019, the magnificent 'Biolume Part 1-In Tartarean Chains'. This album reached a new level in terms of quality. The length was no so long, even if it was more than 70 minutes long, and more important, the compositions were tight, focused and very well elaborated.

Two years later and having this first part in mind, Midnight Odyssey returns with a second half entitled 'Biolume Part 2-The Golden Orb'. The project’s trademark style and core-sound are still there, although Dis Pater has created this time a different beast. In contrast to the previous album, this opus has a brighter sound in general terms and undoubtedly it sounds more epic. This is indeed a truly majestic album and it shows a less dark side of MO’s soul, obviously related to the concepts developed for this second part of the current trilogy. One of the most important aspects that makes this album have a brilliant and epic one, is the much more generous use of the clean vocals, which have a shining role. The use of this kind of vocals occurs in almost all the tracks, though this does not mean that the extreme vocals are not there. Their presence is a fact, but this time the melodic voices have a greater presence leading to achieve an intended epic feeling. Songs like the opener "Drawn-Bringer" or the followings "The Saffron Flame" and "Unconquered Star", are mainly focused on those vocals, in the form of a sole clean voice or an epic choir. This use marks a great difference from the previous albums, making this new opus the most luminous one. The guitars and rhythmic-base follow similar patterns if we compare them to older works. Nevertheless, the guitars sound thinner this time, maybe due to the production, but I have the feeling that its production is not as crushing or dense as it was in the past. The difference is not enormous, but I can notice a change in this direction. The keys are unsurprisingly a key factor here. Like it happens with the vocals, this instrument plays an essential role in the search of a grandiose tone. The variety and quality in terms of key-based compositions is phenomenal. I am sure no one can complain about the keys, apart from preferring darker synthesizers than these ones. In any case, the opener "Dawn-Bringer" is just an example of how epic this album is. The keys are absolutely solemn and remind the most breath-taking film soundtracks. I can even feel a medieval touch in the arrangements used for tracks like "The Saffron Flame" or in the hypnotic beginning of "Below Horizon", which transports the listener to an ancient civilisation. Midnight Odyssey surely knows how to create a hypnotic and immersive sonic experience through its compositions. The most classic dark and space-related keys return for a quiet and beautiful final track entitled "When the Fires Cool", ideal for this vibrant journey.

Although I consider its predecessor a superior album, due to its incredibly focused compositions and greater balance in the use of the different vocals, 'Biolume Part 2-The Golden Orb' is also an impressive work. Perhaps, this album is not the dreamed work for those who desired more extreme vocals and a darker sound. In spite of this, the excellently achieved grandeur, the richness and the quality of the arrangements, make Midnight Odyssey’s last opus an excellent album and a must for every fan of atmospheric metal. (Alain González Artola)

(I, Voidhanger - 2021)
Score: 81

https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/biolume-part-2-the-golden-orb

Midnight Odyssey - Biolume Part1 - In Tartarean Chains

#FOR FANS OF: Atmospheric Black

Black metal´s realm has been expanding during recent years, showing once again that this genre has become a magnificent cradle for more and more subgenres, which have risen from its dark core. Atmospheric black metal is undoubtedly one of the most prolific ones, both in quantity and more importantly, in quality. Among the most common topics like nature, paganism or darkness, space has become one of the trendiest ones. There are more and more bands which find a very appropriate source of inspiration in the dark vastness of the space. This theme seems to be a great one to create a particularly hypnotic form of atmospheric black metal. Among these bands, there is a one-man project which has especially shone, Midnight Odyssey. This solo project, created in 2007 by Tony Parker, known as Dis Pater, takes inspiration from the aforementioned concept, but also with lyrics dealing with the matter of death, rebirth or nature, caught the attention of some fans even in its earliest demos. This positive first impression was reinforced with the subsequent first and second albums. Dis Pater has shown an enormous talent to create a particularly absorbing form of atmospheric black metal, releasing always quality stuff, but also creating very long albums with a generous duration up to two hours. This aspect could scare off some people as it is obvious that you must have some patience to listen to the full thing. Nevertheless, the quality is in general terms quite high, and though at times some songs can sound disperse, to listen to these works is an experience worth of your time.

Having reached a cult status among fans, Midnight Odyssey is back with a third instalment, which comes four years after its acclaimed sophomore album. The creature is entitled ‘Biolume Part1 - In Tartarean Chains’ and it seems to be the first part of, I guess, a duology or maybe a trilogy. Stylistically this new album doesn´t mark a departure from the previous works as its more like a logic development in the natural search of perfectioning this sound. I am sure that almost no one will complain about this lack of rupture from the project´s trademark sound. Once again Midnight Odyssey offers an atmospheric black metal full of ambience and grandeur, with those well-known cinematic keyboards with its surround sound, making the listener feel immersed in an astral journey. It´s difficult to highlight a sole track as they all conform an immersive soundtrack, but "Biolume" is indeed one of those tracks which irremediable capture out attention making us feel flying in the unattainable sky. Dis Pater has a natural talent to create beautiful key melodies, but Midnight Odyssey´s music is not only good because of the keys, the compositions are well balanced between the most aggressive parts and the majestic mid-tempos. All the tracks contain also good executed riffs. As an album ‘Biolume Part 1 - In Tartarean Chains’ sounds like the most focused and accomplished album that Midnight Odyssey has ever recorded. The album lasts, as mentioned, more than one hour, but the tracks don´t contain an unnecessary tightening. The combination of mid-tempo, slow and slightly faster sections with the ever present keys sound better balanced than in any other release. And I sincerely I can´t imagine any fan of this genre which can´t fall in love with immense tracks like "A Storm Before A Fiery Dawn", which doesn´t have a single useless second. This song like many others, sounds as mighty and regal as this genre could demand. As a vocalist, Dis Pater is also a great talent, as his shrieks are powerful and remarkably consistent. As a great addition to the vocal performance, I can´t leave without praising his excellent clean vocals, sounding sometimes like a single dramatic voice or like an epic choir. The excellent album opener "Hidden in Tartarus" is a nice example. These excellent clean vocals have a chance of shining in several tracks of this album, but they have their own especial room in the delicate composition "Pillars In the Sky", a purely ambient track which closes the album in the most solemn way.

In conclusion, Midnight Odyssey has released with ‘Biolume Part 1 - In Tartarean Chains’, probably the most focused and refined work to date. It can hardly beat the majesty of tracks like "From a Frozen Wasteland" from the previous album, but the whole album sounds as ethereal and grandiose as you could imagine, while it is simultaneously restrained in the duration of its tracks and it has never lost the focus on composing balanced songs. (Alain González Artola)

(I, Voidhanger Records - 2019)
Score: 88

https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/biolume-part-1-in-tartarean-chains