Source Code X- Primordial Lands Arise
(Private Release)
From Aural Innovations #38 (Jan 2008)
Deep, dark ambient soundscapes comprise this intriguing release by John W. Patterson,
otherwise known as SourceCodeX. To quote the composer himself, “Primordial
Lands Arise is linked to descriptions and/or visions of…Sheol, the Underworld,
Hell, Gehenna, outer darkness or the Abyss.” Patterson conjures some disturbing
sounds from his infernal machines—sounds that often border on the edge
of serenity but which always seem to be warped or mangled in such a way as to
produce strange resonances that evoke melancholia and a sense of lingering malaise.
Only occasionally is there any melodic center that the listener can grasp onto;
otherwise, Patterson revels in cavernous tones with no definite pitch or rhythm.
This approach is particularly effective on the longer, extended pieces (“Hidden
Things between Things” and “Vain Traditions Abyss”) where
snatches of Gregorian choirs and other ancient sound sources fight and flail
against the industrialized sounds of clanking machinery and jet airplanes. As
a consequence, primordial Lands Arise can be favorably compared with such ambient
industrial works as Jeff Greinke’s Cities in Fog and Lustmord’s
The Place Where the Black Stars Hang. If not blindingly original, Primordial
Lands Arise at least has the virtue of being well-conceived and carefully executed.
Aficionados of the darker side of ambient electronics will find primordial lands
Arise worth a listen.
Check out the band web site at: http://www.sourcecodex.com
Reviewed by Charles Van de Kree