Compiled by Parvati label DJ Natan from Austria, Hammering the Gates of Soul follows Inpsyde’s 2004 release There Is No Tomorrow. The style is not strictly darkpsy, although much of this could be said to mix well enough with other tracks in the style. Russia is highly represented, with more than half of the tracks emanating from that land. The artwork and layout are particularly appropriate for the material, and 73 minutes of sound pack this release full of value.

The recently deceased Zolod (Terminator) opens the compilation KFSBK on Submarine. This is exactly how Russian psytrance is done! Powerful rhythms, heavy bass lines, intricate breakbeat-laden percussion, curdling psychedelic atmospheres, and an aggressive drive send the listener into the empty expanse of outer space. Incrementally ratcheting up the intensity is how Zolod develops this monster of a tune. Despite the lack of really distinct melodies this is a great piece of dark psychedelic trance, easily among the best of the compilation!

Seroxat exhibits his usual qualities with a remix to Communication Breakdown, imitating the style of Azax Syndrom and Psychotic Micro with a high degree of accuracy. Though it is plainly derivative, this sound is particularly effective as a dance floor weapon. The pumping beats are raw and aggressive, with an offbeat snare and no shortage of tricky filtered drops and explosive comebacks. Clocking in at slightly less than seven minutes, this tight slice of powerful dark trance is one of the best from Seroxat.

Ex-Er-Sis from Equilibrium is a sloppy tune with no real focus or direction. Everything sounds curiously off somehow. Unpolished, dissonant, and poorly produced – in my opinion.

N3XU5 and Darkpsy get things back on track with No Network, a deep pounding thriller with malevolent tendancies. A few samples from The Ring spice it up as horrific atmospheres creep past. It isn’t anything you haven’t heard before, but this no-nonsense stomper makes for decent enough set filler.

In Malo Veritas is the debut of DJ Natan’s project M.W.S. The track opens with a mood-setting sample from an anime titled Legend of the Overfiend, after which the beats begin to pound. Several elements make this one stand out from the crowd. Stark guitar riffs frequently appear to add some texture, and the song takes on a gothic flavour with the use of strong choral voices. The synthetic melodies, such as they are, slice through the air like a scythe. The production might be a bit rough, and the guitar use isn’t among the best I’ve heard in dark trance, but this track manages to hold it together. A promising beginning for M.W.S.

Freaking is a collaboration between Zolod, Kristy, and Sasha Aizin. Departing from the darkened sounds of the first half of the journey, Depravation Chambers is a morning-time trancer in the Russian style. There’s something very peculiar about this song, as it samples plenty of weird noises which are used to texturize the atmosphere in many segments of the song. This one has become a favourite of many who have reviewed the release, but the production sounds a bit funny to me. I have to admit that I don’t get it, but I’m not going to say it’s bad.

Zolod is back with his third and final contribution: Power Ride from Big Noise. The track is well-named, as this is a heavy throbbing psychedelic work-out. It sounds deep and layered without being all that mysterious, curiously enough. Huge bass lines deliver a powerful drive amidst all the fluttering chaos. This shall certainly appeal to fans, but I would always choose the first track if I were reaching for material of this nature from this compilation.

Cyberplanet’s Wasabi is much more aggressive, immediately diving into a hard throbbing rhythm wriggling with acidic undulations. In a strange twist, the track drops into a mystic morning sound as it reaches the middle. The staggered flow is accompanied by a distinct oriental melody for a while, drifting and floating until the inevitable return to heavy beats. It seems rather overwhelming, especially considering the relatively short track length. It is so blatantly up-front and that it seems to lose something vital when it isn’t lighting up a dance floor.

Exited is another Russian project, debuting with Lirik on Outer Space. The production is credited to Furious Vovan, and I wonder if there is a connection with the Russian project Furious? This certainly sounds similar in some ways to Run Forest! and Paper Seed, for example. Vacant pounding beats begin to accumulate a deranged assortment of alien sound particles by the very middle. I find the final moments very childish, with laughter and strange utterances spewing into a thick haze of autistic melodies. It’s strange and different, but I can’t quite sort out if I like it or not.

The final story is provided by the Swedish forest masters Derango. Their remix to Boomorgan is, without a doubt, the best song on the release. These guys are the titans of twisted psychedelic trance, and it shows. This song is full of punishing beats, mind-bending noises, and incredibly expressive melodies that warble and squirm amidst complex arrays of tripped out sounds. The sudden break and return is perfect, driving on with subtle tones that provide the most haunting sequences of the whole compilation. Brilliant!

Hammering the Gates of Soul is not a typical compilation. The diversity exhibited across this release is really quite commendable. There is considerable variability of style, approach, and production quality throughout the release. I can’t say I really connect with all of these songs, but they certainly are different. Had I been in charge of things I probably would have modified the track listing entirely to promote a better flow. I found it very difficult to get into this CD, and I think the order of songs has a lot to do with this as I cannot discern a sensible progression from track to track. At any rate, Terminator and Derango have some great material here, and Seroxat provides one of his best. Fans of Russian psytrance – especially old Parasense – are going to love this. I was never really into that stuff, so I find this compilation to be only slightly better than average. It’s worth a look for all fans of dark psychedelic music. If you manage to connect with the music, chances are it could become a favourite, as it is for many out there.

Release Data

Title: Hammering the Gates of Soul
Label: Inpsyde Media
Format: CD compilation
Released: 2005

Rastaliens made their first impact on the psytrance world by releasing a series of vinyls on DJ Yaniv’s Hadshot and Balloonia imprints prior to the release of their debut album Freestyle in 2002. There is a definate Infected Mushroom influence audible on the early efforts of this project. While Erez and Duvdev had just come out with B.P. Empire, Rastaliens took the sound of The Gathering and gave it a dose of funk.

Uncertain Range emphasizes the moody and mysterious character of the Rastaliens sound. There are wicked little riffs swirling around for most of the journey, illuminating a dark vision with transient flickers of spooky melody. For an early effort, the tension is built admirably, slowly teasing the energy levels up as the track progresses. Right after the sixth minute is where it gets really interesting. Here is where the big melodies finally spill out of the speakers, drifting back and forth with hypnotic oscillations. It was enough to get me hooked back in the day, but they don’t do all that much for me any more.

Hologram features a touch of breaks, thick slabs of bass, and twisted dark melodies. The early moments are as mysterious as the flipside, with scattered hints of future themes. In the traditional half-way break the atmospherics seem particularly detailed, thrusting back into the rhythm with a sample stating “you are now entering a safety zone – no unauthorized weapons allowed beyond this point”. Here is where the track starts to throw down layered Infected-style melodies with a groovy twist. It’s clearly an early effort from the group, as the production is very raw, and the arrangement isn’t tight. Interesting for the time but not worth seeking out nowadays.

In the end this is not really an EP worth holding on to. Rastaliens came out with much better material shortly after this, and while these tunes were refreshing for the time, the lasting value of this record isn’t very high. For collectors only.

Release Data

Artist: Rastaliens
Title: Uncertain Range
Label: Balloonia
Format: Vinyl EP
Released: 2001