Bestia Astrum — Fury 161

Fans of Alien or sci-fi horror will feel very familiar with Fury 161's grim, industrial approach and welcome it in with open arms. The eeriness emanating from the speakers is built around familiar cinematic tropes, but they're done expertly and with well thought out intent so that any creak or distant boiler room boom could still rattle even the most jaded horror fan. That's not say that this is just a grim, horror track, but merely one aspect. Outside of the dark, prison planet vibe that fans are familiar with, Abby also incorporates the script treatment by Vincent Ward which places the film on a wooden planet inhabited by space monks. With this in mind, one can venture further into the themes of Fury 161, the juxtaposition of industrialism and nature, imprisonment and freedom, as well as religion, hermeticism, and other varied philosophical beliefs. Musically, Bestia Astrum approaches this work slowly and directly, not wasting any time on unnecessary sounds or moods. The underlying darkness comes from reverb laden swells that speak to the vastness of space, and because of this, one's isolation if pointed inward. There is an industrial feel to many of the sounds, the sharp, metallic edge that glints slightly, sounds gilded in steel. Restrained and not an assault, Fury 161 leaves it to the listener to explore beyond what is presented, giving them a half drawn map, allowing them to let their minds look around and find whatever terrors await inside. Although the album is very purposeful and moves decidedly in a linear direction, there is a passivity to it which gives the listener a sense of power like being the story's creator. It's an intriguingly designed concept and skillfully executed; leaving it too passive and it would wander and flounder, never making it to the destination, and too direct and the listener feels like their hand is being held. 

 

Spacey, dark, and wonderfully enigmatic, Bestia Astrum's Fury 161 is an album with a purpose, however its construction and composition allows us all to share in its experience. Whether familiar with the source material or not, the album sets a grim mood and stays there, however, further spins provide further pathways through the darkness, with all versions melding together to build an ever changing, growing, vibrant experience. Inward, outward, or sometimes both, Fury 161 is an excellent work that only gets better with each successive listen.