RYN (or R.Y.N.) — Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy

"The English based R.Y.N. were initially formed a couple of years ago as Goathanger. Realising that this acronym probably wasn't going to make them famous plus the fact that original member Mendez left, the remaining members Burn and Glaister re-christened themselves R.Y.N. in 2003. Over the next couple of years they worked on their debut CD Cosmic Birth (for Turgid Animal records). Their second album Astral Death was released early 2008 (for Unrest records) and these titles should give you some indication of their music. Manipulating sound (often guitars and bass) into an unrecognizable sonic texture is what R.Y.N. are good at. This new album is no exception, but sounds considerably bleaker than their earlier efforts. Two side-long tracks (Provisional Sketch of Mind and the title track) sound like a death carriage rattling through medieval streets. There are echoes of industrial ambience with dark drones that sound like processed field recordings, there is clanging of objects that made me remember to play my Metgumbnerbone album later that evening. The music leaves no room to breathe, which makes for uneasy listening, but then again, that is the whole purpose of this album. Packed in a silk-screened card sleeve with lots of inserts (which, unfortunately, shine little light on this already dark album), this is grim music. Good music, but grim all the same. Great for lonely, depressed late-night listening. In the dark of course." [FK / Vital Weekly]

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