Published by Alessandro Violante on June 17, 2018
Having gained in few years very good feedbacks in the techno-industrial scene (and not only there), thanks to plenty of releases on several formats and on several labels, Serbian duo Ontal, Boris Brenecki and Darko Kolar, are today one of the most interesting recent projects emerged during the last years. As said, they have been strongly acclaimed by a homogeneous public.
Few have years passed since they made a very good remix for Fausten‘s first and only album, released by German label Ad Noiseam. In the meanwhile, they’ve released two good albums, one by the aforementioned label, and the sophomore effort, entitled Amass, by HANDS. This, whitout considering their infinite series of EP, not released on CD format.
It seems that HANDS has enjoyed a lot their telluric approach, because only some time after the release of their last album Afflux 2014-2018 is born. It was premiered during last FORMS OF HANDS, during which they played a strong live set: the album is nothing more but a reasoned selection of tracks previously released on other EP’s, plus some remixes made by HANDS’ artists (New Frames, Geistform) and Unhuman, a well-acclaimed project active with various labels, among which Berlin-based Instruments of Discipline, which is gaining enthusiastic feedbacks itself.
Differently from Amass and their debut Entropia, Afflux 2014 – 2018 is a compilation of songs conceived for the alternative club, renouncing to any kind of embellishment to focus on a never boring straight 4 / 4 formula, full of harsh metallurgic industrial sounds which are some of the trademarks of the project and which will make you dance. Ontal are a war machine, both when playing their live performance and both when playing their dj sets, like the ones played in Italy.
Whereas other techno-industrial projects put the industrial element in the background, being a sort of “decorative” tool, in Ontal’s music it has a strong role and gives power and energy to the songs. This happens also thanks to heavy distortions, giving them a rhythmic noise imprint.
Afflux 2014 – 2018 sounds pretty vary, although the album is focused on one direction, and this happens because the duo, during those years, never stopped exploring different music. Taphonomy and Lesion have interesting acid synth lines, paying their tribute to techno music masters, while Critical path method and Combat engineering are unstoppable powerful tanks. Shock, which features 2nd Gen, as well as Mehanizam, have some EBM elements, in particular the first one thanks to a martial and heavy rhythm, as well as the use of vocals. Ontal had already collaborated with this artist in their debut Entropia with their power electronics song Steel forms, but it was something totally different from what has been made here.
The most convincing songs are the opener Function and the ending tracks Chaos theory, which take a pause from the techno formula to make something less danceable and more cryptic. The second one is atmospheric, distorted, rough, and minimal, while the first one is rather various, having frequent rhythm and sounds changes, we could say a maximalist electronic song.
Ontal hit again with their abrasive approach to techno industrial music also, as in Afflux 2014-2018, when they take a break from syncopated rhythms and noise elements. As far as the remix are concerned, in that of Function, made by Geistform, the influence of the Spanish musician is clear, while Unhuman transforms Shock in something different yet powerful, and New Frames break the rigid structure of Mehanizam, transforming it into a more syncopated track. Afflux 2014 – 2018 is an album that goes straight to the point and that succeeds in its aim. Not a fundamental release for their fans who have all their EPs, a must buy for the others.
Label: HANDS
Rating: 8