A Vision of 1682 Review

Band	Emit
Album	A Vision of 1682
Type	Demo
Released	October 2007
Genres	Dark Ambient, Black Metal
Labels	Drakkar Productions

Reviewer :  KaroshiMetal         Rating :  100 / 100

While the one-man project Emit is mostly known for creating disgusting art known as black noise that blends black metal and noise together, he is also known for creating separate ambient work and this release is one of them. Even if a fan leans more towards Emit's black noise side for personal sake whether it be misanthropy or pure isolation, this release is something they wouldn't wanna shut off. After buying my own copy of this release, it did not disappoint me as it delivers a pure dark sense of loneliness, somber or even nostalgia with a variety of different atmospheres.

"A Vision of 1682" is a 5-track demo that is mostly dark ambient with the exception of at least one track, clocking over 23 minutes in total. While this release is classified as a demo, it's very easy to understand why as the sound has a strong static effect that is very easily identified although this doesn't take away the ambiance as the overall quality is very decent. The release pulls us into it's title-track with a slow but short somewhat clean guitar introduction with simple minor notes plucking away as the track is accompanied by a sound effect of birds chirping. This is very interesting to listen because despite it's simple melody and it's bird sound effect, it's overall tone makes me think of being alone in the middle of nowhere during a dark snowy night until the release introduces a different atmospheric mood with the next track "World to Come". This perhaps serves as a heads up for the listener of what they are getting themselves into as this second track delivers a very murky image, bringing along resonating keyboard effects with a slow guitar strum every few moments. The formula for this track's melody is also very simple, but effective as the two instruments blend together perfectly to create a somber mood that makes the listener picture themselves being stranded in nothing but literal blackness with nothing else around them until the track ends with an effect that resembles what sounds like a slow ringing bell while accompanied by the same resonating keyboard effect playing nothing but a single note that lasts for a very long time.

While these first two tracks deliver a gloomy feel of separation, the ambiance is temporarily halted as we enter the third track "Drunk on the Promise of the Ecstasy of Pre-Life's Death Post Life". This is perhaps the most very interesting track on the entire release as it's nothing but a classical piano tune. Clocking over a total of 3 minutes, this track plays a series of slow minor notes with brief short pauses for a couple moments. Due to the use of the instrument with it's baroque melody, this track's overall tone puts the listener in the olden years of the 17th century. But despite so, it maintains it's unique dark atmosphere almost as if the listener is having a "vision" of the 1600s just like the very title of this release.

Although the listener was pulled into such an image with the third track's classical tone, we are suddenly brought back into a whole different atmosphere with the last remaining tracks. We begin hearing a deep dark booming keyboard effect that literally sounds like something out of a horror movie/video game. The sound maintains this horror atmosphere as slow guitar pluck and strum effects come into play moments later, accompanied by gloomy vocals that makes the listener feel like they are being stalked by paranormal forces along with mysterious deep crash sound effects. This is maintained until much later on when we begin hearing nothing but the guitar cleanly strumming and plucking away the same melody formula on it's own, slowly fading away into silence to bring upon the final track which is nothing but a single loud yet slow resonating synth that can be very ear-piercing for some listeners. But of course, this can serve as a reminder that this is one of those releases that is not for everyone but rather for those who may either have somber mindsets or just have their minds running all over the place.

"A Vision of 1682" is a very unique ambient release that places the listeners in a variety of different atmospheres and settings. While some may wonder what was going on with Emit when he made this release, they shouldn't expect any kind of answers back as this release would be pleasing enough to soothe their souls.