Back with their second album for current label home Profound Lore, Amber Asylum delivers more of their atmospheric dark chamber music that I've been
infatuated with since first hearing The Natural Philosophy of Love. Band leader and multi-instrumentalist Kris Force has led her group through
several label changes and lineup fluctuations over the past decade, but that's never diminished the beautiful power of Amber Asylum's music, which is still
some of the most haunting and moving chamber-ensemble music being made right now. Combining gothic atmosphere and neo-classical arrangements, the group is
able to weave sounds that are as dark and grim as anything from Neurosis (a band that AA's Kris Force has collaborated with in the past), while possessing
all of the fragile introspective beauty as the later Swans material. Bitter River features another ten tracks of moody chamber-rock formed with layers of piano, guitar, violins, synthesizers, cello, viola, flute and percussion, with Kris Force lending her haunting voice to a couple of songs. Their gothic chamber sound is infused with dark melodies that feel like they were culled from ancient folk songs, and elsewhere the band weaves a hazy veil of electronics and strings that creates a heavy psychedelic effect as Amber ASylum's music seems to waver like a heat mirage in the air. The album also features some cool guest appareances: Eric Wood from Bastard Noise/Man Is The Bastard contributes bass and oscillator to several songs on Bitter River, Chiyo from Noothgrush performs percussion on "Twilight" and "Auger Of Thrall", Sigridd Sheie (Hammers Of Misfortune) plays flute, and legendary Swans chantreuse Jarboe contributes some spoken word narration on the eerie fifteen-minute epic "Nocturne". As with every new album that Amber Asylum puts out, this is absolutely gorgeous, moody and cinematic and highly recommended. The beautiful six-panel digipack features artwork from David D'andrea and includes a foldout instert.