Described as a ‘tribal trance electro outfit’, iVardensphere mark a strong correspondence with the vein of 90s techno-industrial crossover acts that populated the Wax Trax! roster. But while they’re very much about the mechanised beats, processed guitar sounds and thumping basslines, ‘Fable’ proves itself to be more interesting than the works of many of their peers. With a sense of bombast and theatre reminiscent of Pig – surely one of the most innovative acts aligned to the ‘industrial’ tag after Foetus (who were never really industrial anyway), they incorporate the power-trudge of Rammestein and grating, serrated edges of Skinny Puppy.
Tracks like the hard-edged dancefloor-orientated cybergoth of ‘The Woodsman and the Serpent’ and the hardfloor stomp of ‘A Tale of Two Wolves’ are likely to have substantial appeal to many, but it’s tracks like the more experimental ‘Tribes of Moth’, acapplla choral work of ‘Disir’ and the stark percussion-led drone of ‘Black Lodge’, which are ultimately more interesting. Elsewhere, the percussive ‘Terra Sapian’ evokes early Test Department, and the sultry Eastern motifs of ‘Messiah’ bring another dimension to the album’s eclectic sound, again revealing an ability to move beyond the established genre trappings into unexpected and rarely chartered territories. And because ‘Fable’ does stretch – in some parts, far - beyond the well-worn templates, it makes for a much more rewarding listen.
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iVardensphere – Fable Online
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