The Opening Track “I Walk Through The Shadows” sets the scene for this dreamy and eerie album. Everything sounds quite simple but while allowing yourself to truly absorb the experience of “Torments” you will find the layers to envelop you in a hazy cloud of mystery.
The album has a very open, cold and breezy way about much like an abandoned house on a cold winter night. Harps and bells note by note seem to invite you down a path of darkness and seduction, like a waking dream that leads you to the creepiest corners of your mind.
It’s an excellent listen while drifting in the candlelight and sipping a sweet liquor. This album should be viewed as an experience, only able to truly understand from start to finish.
by Overthrow Music (US)
Many people consider Dark Ambient music to be very much an acquired taste. It’s something you either love or loath, I do not for one moment think there is any middle ground to be had. Obviously like many other genres, there is both good and bad to be found lurking beneath the myriad of Myspace pages and emanating from countless bedrooms worldwide.
In the case of Immundus it is the former option that is predominant throughout the varied tracks featured on this, the debut album.
There is something of an atmosphere that has been captured in the recording of this material, that takes the listener on a journey into a dark space. A place where anything could happen. If the listener is of a nervous disposition it could be a rather harrowing trip that gets undertaken because there is a sinister evilness and brooding aura that surrounds this collection of dark sound scapes.
Picking apart individual tracks would be a waste of time as ‘Torments’ is an album that needs to be listened to as an entity. It is soaked in atmosphere and a vibe that is reminiscent of many a Black Metal album, yet refrains from crossing directly into this territory instead happy to sit on the fence and be interoperated by the listener for their own definitions.
Its a fine debut and well worthy of everyone’s attention, no matter what style of music you consider to be your preference.
Beyond All Remorse Zine (UK)
The constant notion delievered in this album by the various melodies is depression. It is sometimes brought in a good manner, such as in the fourth track – ..'Candles..', and on other times it could use some fine tuning. The basic structure of the album, a low, droning background and a carefully chosen melody over it, is certainly giving the feeling I am listening to a soundtrack, thus making the album sound more like a whole unit instead of random set of tracks put together.
This works perfectly for Immundus and his narrative. However, at times one might ask wether the melodies are that necessary. My favourite track is ..'Stronghold of pain..', where the melody is reduced almost to ashes, and what's left are scorched, self digested sounds of an almost unrecognized origin. This comes as a contrast to other tracks with an obvious piano or piano-like melody I sometimes question the necessity of.
The album begins with ..'I walk through the shadows..' and lets you get the idea pretty quickly. The myserious melodies set the atmosphere fast and this is what the album is about, after all, the darkened atmosphere. ..'Mist..' is a better track in my opinion, setting the melody to a more minimal level. A very interesting track is ..'Black roses for the dead..' which reminds me some hybrid between parts of CMI's Sophia, on the album ..'Spite..' along with cradle of filth's track ..'Beauty slept in sodom..' (both start with a very similiar melody!) . The last track – ..'The grieving widow..' is powerful, perhaps the most powerful in the album, and serves as a proper ending for Torments.
Overall, Torments is a pretty good, well thought and well performed album. In my humble opinion, a more abstract Immundus, who, unlike sopor aeternus who is probably a great influence, doesn't go into the obvious, anachronistic grief-riddened music, but to a more personal and hard to point at level of execution, would be an even more interesting artist to listen to.
by Heathen Harvest Webzine (USA)
'Torments' is a haunting ambient album from Norwegian artist Immundus. Prepare yourself: one listen may force you to sleep with the lights on.
Immundus creates an overall atmosphere of horror, suspense and distortion. Though the mood is dark, you'll hear some nice melodies and temporary hints of hope throughout. The arrangements are powerful enough to make you create your own horrific scene in your mind, like a horror movie without the movie.
'Torments' is well-produced and allows the listener to hear those dark, disturbing ambient sounds as cleanly as possible. 'I Walk Through the Shadows' opens thing up with creepy yet melodic bells and works its way into a disturb-o-rama of sounds. 'To Where the Spirits Dwell' fills your ears with faint chants, creepy soundscapes, and a feeling that evil is approaching. 'The Grieving Widow' wraps things up nicely with organic elements in the beginning and a nice progression in the end that speaks to the title.
With 'Torments,' Immundus has created a must-have for those who enjoy horror soundtracks and dark ambient music.
by Radio Indy (US)
Immundus is a Dark Ambient project from Norway and is Inspired by the many dark aspects of life, its mystery, the horror and the force&sounds ofmother nature with the intention to create a bizzare eerie, haunting atmosphere.
Looking at the cd artwork being 95% black, with a window pane loking out onto trees on a bleak autumn evening(on reverse) and you just know that this is an indication of what atmosphere contains within. The only way to listen to Dark Ambient is during the hours of darkness, in pitch blackness, via headphones, Incense burning and sat on the floor crossed legged in a meditative state of conciousness.
There are no vocals whatsoever on this release. What we have here is truly 'haunting' mesmerising, unsettling,distressing, psychlogical torment!!! This is Dark Ambient of a VERY high quallity, and this is the stuff that I listen to and adore.
Imagine yourself having a long walk in a thick wood or forest, alone.........you have strayed from the path and you are walking deeper and further into the unknown.Its getting dark very quick, and before long, you realise you are lost.
THIS IS IMMUNDUS!!!
Disturbing, nightmarish, unsettling, haunting.
Stand out tracks or me personally are 'Black roses for the dead' and 'Candles'.
This is an absolutely ESSENTIAL release and I highly reccomend this to anyone who really appreciates Dark Ambient/Dungeon muzic.
5 star*****
by L. R. D. Whispering Gloom Zine (UK)