| All music was composed and arranged between 2005 and 2010, except Spiritual Coalescence (1999), and this edition includes a 22-page booklet and poster, as Merciless Records proudly presents the seventh opus from the unique and incomparable TRAUMATIC VOYAGE, inviting listeners to experience the full intensity of this extraordinary journey.
TRAUMATIC VOYAGE is the long-standing vision of Mark Edward Astorian, an artist who has spent decades shaping a world of dark experimental music. His latest double-album Traumaturgie captures that singular approach with a sound both unsettling and deeply atmospheric. What begins as progressive black and death metal quickly expands into something much stranger, full of textures that suggest both cosmic vastness and personal turmoil.
The guitars range from icy tremolo lines to slow, reflective passages that feel almost meditative, while the vocals alternate between desperate cries, ghostly whispers, and unexpected spoken word. Layered within are moments of melancholy beauty, with subtle female vocals and carefully placed clean melodies offering contrast to the harsher elements. This creates an emotional pull that feels less like chaos and more like an extended exploration of the mind’s darker corridors.
The two discs unfold like separate but connected journeys. Disc one is highlighted by The Other Way (Voluntary Outcast), a dramatic piece that pushes melodic death metal into strange new territory. Disc two contains the monumental Egregora (The Real Think!!!) and Spiritual Coalescence, which together form a breathtaking 26-minute descent into dreamlike soundscapes. Even the shorter Clairvoyage serves as a vital bridge, keeping the flow intact.
At nearly an hour and a half, Traumaturgie is not casual listening, but that is part of its strength. It rewards patience, drawing the listener into an otherworldly state where music becomes more like a psychological voyage than a collection of songs. Those already familiar with TRAUMATIC VOYAGE will recognize Astorian’s unique touch, while new listeners willing to embrace the unconventional will discover a fascinating and deeply personal work.
Traumaturgie stands as one of TRAUMATIC VOYAGE’s most ambitious statements, both challenging and rewarding, proving that truly visionary music still thrives outside the boundaries of genre.
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