CD-R EP, self-released, 2006
nostalgia.mercurous.net
“Infestation” serves as my personal introduction to Mark Hunter’s work under the Nostalgia moniker. Nostalgia has been releasing material since the “Funereal Rituals” demo in 2005 and has done a few other releases since then.
The disc opens with “Prologue: Decomposition,” which starts with a growling voice that almost leads you to wonder if you popped in a metal album instead. Immediately afterwards, however, an assault of dark and noise-laden synths comes forth. Not the kind of noise that is blasted in an irritating fashion, instead it lays down a blanket of sound along with the other sounds, going on to build a dark and sinister atmosphere. The way sounds are used in this track actually bears a bit of resemblance to the Current 93 track “Ach Golgotha” in my head and, though I may be imagining things, it definitely gives me a similar vibe, except this piece lacks the sinister vocals of the Current 93 piece. In fact, throughout the disc there are certain small bits of processed sounds that vaguely remind me of this, though usually it’s very subtle and I’m sure its just my brain thinking of something to latch onto. The next two pieces are “Infest” and “Infest II,” the former being a longer, more drone sounding piece at first before bits of noise flow in, not unlike water violently crashing into a shore. At various points throughout the track the level of activity comes and goes. “Infest II” and its follow-up, “Decadence,” are both harsher tracks compared to the previous two. In fact “Decadence” is an all-out assault as far as I’m concerned, with crushing walls of sound that bear resemblance to a more restrained version of Blue Sabbath Black Cheer’s “blackened noise” sessions.
After finishing this EP I can’t say I was disappointed. Mr. Hunter’s work is really well done for someone in his field, though his take on the so-called “dark ambient” path isn’t completely original. He’s good at what he does, and “Infestation” is definitely something I’d pop in when I’m in a brooding mood or need to dwell in my own little dark place.
(editor’s note: in 2007 Nostalgia has made this work available as a free download at RapidShare)
[7/10]
— Charlie Martineau