Darsombra is the solo, experimental guitar project of Baltimore based musician Brian Daniloski (Suckpig & Meatjack). Eternal Jewel, his second full length album under the Darsombra moniker, is five stunningly bold compositions which push the limits of the guitar, or more specifically the baritone guitar which is primarily what Daniloski plays on. Every track is absolutely awash in warm blankets of reverb, and the glistening aggressive rhythm's and overall foreboding sentiment, coupled with the more ambient, experimental sections, actually has quite a bit in common with some of Robert Fripp's mid 70's sonic explorations with ambient pioneer Brian Eno, as well as Black Sabbath's doom and gloom.
The massive build up of tension in arguably what is the crown jewel here, the seventeen and half minute "Night's Black Agents" is beautifully unbearable. The layered guitars create an immense felling of pressure, buzzing like thousands of bees swarming a hive that has just been unwisely disturbed. The track concludes with a surprising amount of minimalist, yet perfectly placed atmospherics and a brief, almost symphonic like send off. The next track "Drops Of Sorrow" commences, again with many layered guitars, and Daniloski strums so aggressively and in such a way that it actually sounds like a string section. Daniloski employs this technique elsewhere throughout Eternal Jewel as well, to great effect. After "Drops Of Sorrow" ends abruptly, the next track "Lamentings / Auguries begins immediately with an oveewhelming feeling of foreboding. The distorted orgy of guitars just builds and builds before finally climaxing in one sudden sonic spasm. The final composition "Incarnadine" consists of further sting section strumming with minimalist, electronic dabbling.
Eternal Jewel is definitely one of the finest discs I've ever heard in this genre of music. Brian Daniloski has pieced together one hell of a shimmering gem of improvised guitar atmospherics, and one which will absolutely captivate the listener. This disc still reverberates long into the night and well after the music is over.
Track Listing
1) Auguries
2) Night's Black Agents
3) Drops of Sorrow
4) Lamentings / Auguries
5) Incarnadine
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