Alora Crucible
Thymiamatascension


4.2
excellent

Review

by Benjamin Kuettel EMERITUS
September 1st, 2021 | 93 replies


Release Date: 2021 | Tracklist

Review Summary: The whisperer in darkness...

While under a new moniker, Thymiamatascension from a certain point of view could be seen as solo album number 2.5 from prolific avant-garde songwriter Toby Driver. Channeling his recent and strongest solo album They Are the Shield, he takes on another new identity with Alora Crucible for a truly engrossing work that emphasizes space, silence, texture, and nocturnal atmospheres. As opposed to being traditionally song-oriented, each piece is more unpredictable and open-ended with very few vocals. As an experiment, Alora Crucible could be viewed as an excuse for Driver to indulge in beautiful sounding instrumental wandering without the usual anticipation of a new release from Kayo Dot, or now his solo career. The elements of his solo releases are largely carried over however, with weeping violins harmonizing alongside moody guitar lines. "Livonomancy in Jasper" is a particularly stunning piece. Whether this haunting and occult sounding at times musical direction is indicative of where his meditative solo career will go, or simply a blissful diversion under a new name, Thymiamatascension avoids the loudness of his main bands and exists in an abstract space of otherworldly beauty.




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user ratings (90)
3.9
excellent

Comments:Add a Comment 
TalonsOfFire
Emeritus
September 1st 2021


21001 Comments

Album Rating: 4.2 | Sound Off

Of course a new Toby Driver release would bring me out of my reviewing break. This is a special one, a 2021 favorite.



Entire album is streaming on the bandcamp page: https://aloracruciblehom.bandcamp.com/

FadedSun
September 1st 2021


3196 Comments


I had no clue about this haha, but I'll be listening for sure.

Jasdevi087
September 1st 2021


8164 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Surprised by how good this ended up being



the vocals on Barriers Hymn sound like someone trying to do their best Nick Cave though

porcupinetheater
September 1st 2021


11054 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Lmao these are the most "Toby Driver" song titles he's ever done

JohnnyoftheWell
Staff Reviewer
September 1st 2021


62343 Comments

Album Rating: 3.7

lol and there was I thinking he peaked with Scaffold of Digital Snow



forgot to hear this on like 3 separate occasions, will fix and read imminently NICE

porcupinetheater
September 1st 2021


11054 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Synaxarian of John Abject jfc



what's the tl;dr on this honker of a rev?

Veldin
September 1st 2021


5408 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Hell yeah, glad this got a write-up. Didn’t want it to get lost in obscurity. Such a tranquil, meditative piece. Has been my go-to album after getting off work.

JohnnyoftheWell
Staff Reviewer
September 1st 2021


62343 Comments

Album Rating: 3.7

oh wow i thought i had got good at scrolling down pages v quickly post-DJ Sabrina but no no, it is just a smol boi



it is also an intrigue boi, looking forward to this but



"another new identity"



what is dis identity

parksungjoon
September 1st 2021


47231 Comments


i den titty

AnimalsAsSummit
September 1st 2021


6180 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Amazing stuff

Gnocchi
Staff Reviewer
September 1st 2021


18262 Comments


Onto the steadily getting away from me to check 2021 list.

GhandhiLion
September 1st 2021


17677 Comments


Ooh

BeeRyan
September 1st 2021


1799 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

So stoked to see this on the front page, really awesome album

rellik009
September 1st 2021


2077 Comments


love how chaotic the album sounds despite how tranquil it is

baldymort
September 1st 2021


939 Comments


new chris pine sounds great

TalonsOfFire
Emeritus
September 1st 2021


21001 Comments

Album Rating: 4.2 | Sound Off

Yes the album name and song titles are very much him, haha

Alora Crucible is the new "identity," that's all I meant. I'm happy to be bringing this to people's attention, almost wish he just put it under his own name.

Also little piece of trivia, this was released on House of Mythology, Ulver's label.

JohnnyoftheWell
Staff Reviewer
September 1st 2021


62343 Comments

Album Rating: 3.7

Who is on strings here?

Josh D.
September 1st 2021


17849 Comments


What a surprise, this is gorgeous

Veldin
September 1st 2021


5408 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I believe it’s Massimo Pupillo on strings.

BigPleb
September 2nd 2021


65799 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Need to check this, enjoyed Driver's last solo effort.



Great review as usual, Talons.



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