Funerary Call — The Mirror Reversed - Part II

Two years ago, ritual dark ambient master Harlow MacFarlane released the first part of an ambitious interpretation of the Tree of Death. The second and final installment of this wonderfully dark and sparse production comes to us on a limited edition (500), 6 panel Digi Sleeve from 77th Cycle. While similar in tone to the opening piece, Part II takes a less familiar route to get its message across. Funerary Call is one of the most solid projects out there, so it's no surprise that, despite the near minimal, unorthodox approach, he manages to hammer another one out of the park.

Long, low, sweeping synthesizer drones fill the air as harbingers of the descent into the nether realm. Idly moving and decaying even more slowly, the long notes bring up a lugubrious vibe signifying an ethereal being that shook off its mortal form and makes the long trek through the dark unknown. These lows play together loosely and are punctuated by spaces that amplify their sparseness and desperation. Ours is a world of warmth and light, and the other regions of space and soul are cold and inky. Stretching and drifting without a destination while unknown terrors float past, the journey becomes more horrifying as the time passes. Otherworldly and evocative, without being over the top and goofy, The Mirror Reversed - Part II manages to capture both the vastness of time and space as well as a subterranean, chthonic feeling of falling forever inward. Taking the deep, dark, contemplative tone of the first piece and pulling it to expose the spaces in its matter, this album grabs the listener and forces him to question his beliefs.

 Slow, sparse, and deliberate, The Mirror Reversed - Part II takes its time and makes a point not to waste any tones. While not a full on skull rocker like Nightside Emanations or The Black Root, Funerary Call's sequel is a nice follow up and companion piece to the first. Taking a few listens to fully appreciate, this one will appeal to any FC fan and to dark ambient fans in general.