Dark ambient is a genre that’s normally not in my wheelhouse, but it’s quite impactful if done correctly. Manasseh, a new dark ambient/folk project spearheaded by Patrick Brown (Herxheim, ex-Howls of Ebb), seeks to be a meditative piece that portrays a soundscape of someone digging down to paradise on their debut record Tunneling to Paradiso. One of the facets about this album I appreciate the most is the feeling of exploring a long forgotten underground civilization. Notably on songs such as “To Chthonian Gold” and “Rock of Condemnation, Bridge to Flagellation”, there is a foreboding atmosphere as the songs creep onward, with Brown’s mournful acoustic guitar playing serving as the only source of guidance in the proverbial ancient halls. Other elements are added in the mix as well, such as on “Last Bastion’s Keep”, where a chorus can be heard in the background of a church, creating a rather haunting visual. More unsettling scenes emerge on album highlight “Lair of Great Saboteur”, with a woman’s voice speaking a version of the famous line from The Divine Comedy: “Abandon all hope, ye who let us approach.”
While Tunneling to Paradiso brings the requisite ghostly atmosphere in spades throughout its runtime, the main problem is the lack of sticking power. This is excellent background music, but apart from the pretty acoustic guitar tones, there’s not a lot to latch onto. Production is very nice for this style of music, with each element of the soundscapes being given plenty of room to breathe and expand, and the record itself doesn’t wear out its welcome, given its relatively short runtime. The fact remains that even the more die-hard fans of dark ambient will find it hard to connect with this album. I think Manasseh shows promise, though, and going from the blackened death metal assault of Herxheim to Tunneling to Paradiso is a novel idea of companion albums. If more elements are introduced in the future to make the songs have a little extra something to make them stick, perhaps doubling down on the MENA parts, this project could be a real gem in the ambient/folk scene. I can’t recommend this album for more than one spin, however.
