Various Artists - Tarot Series IV: The Emperor Monday, June 01 2009 @ 02:00 AM PDT
Contributed by: TraXteR
Genre: Industrial/ Dark Ambient/ Experimental

Track Listing:

01 Mytrip - Reign Over the Headless
02 Sala Delle Colonne - Un impero Nel Deserto (slow)
03 Regosphere - To Lead Rather Than to be Led
 
 
The Father figure. In all our lives, this is the figure that has the most potential to elevate us to the greatest of heights, or throws us to the depths of hell on Earth. In my experience, I have seen few that are fairly indifferent to the presence of their own paternal influence, as most either love their fathers unconditionally as they have been loved by him, or absolutely despise them for making them victims of their ignorance and abuse. Whatever directions your relationship with Dad have taken, no one can deny that his power is among the most absolute while our heart continues to beat. This is The Emperor, the transcendental embodiment of paternity, discipline, achievement on a grand scale, and masculinity. This card is the one that means the most to me personally, and to elaborate why, I will take this chance to tell you about significators, the cards that parallel us and who we are.
 
Significators are very much an extension of our astrological and numerological associations. While an astrological sign is a general list of our characteristics and tendencies, a significator combines the numerological essence of the time of our birth with the energy of the sign we are born under. Combine all of the numbers in your birthday, month, day, and year, and should this number be greater than 21, combine those. Now look up the card that corresponds to that number. That card is not only a more concrete representation of who you are, but also tells you what you are on this planet to achieve, and what you are most capable of doing to enrich your own life and the lives of those around you. My significator is the card in question, and I could not be more proud to be a King among men...
 
The songs featured on this single are my favorite in the Serie so far, not because they are tributes to The Emperor, but because they are an exceptional accompaniment to an authoritative but just energy. They range from deep, determined and black, to feeling so much like the warmest embrace from Pater to child imaginable. The latter being the best way to describe "Reign Over the Headless" by Mytrip. A deeply comforting and ethereal piece, like the most perfect breeze blowing all over you as you stand before a shore, with sounds similar to the whisper of waves as they die upon the sands. With sands in mind, we are then transported beyond the proverbial shore and into a barren but magical place with "Un Impero Nel Deserto", the song I have come to favor the most from this series. Translating to "An Emperor In the Desert", this perfect combination of sounds like Middle Eastern flavored cello, hand-slapped Indo-Islamic percussion, as well as traditional lute and string drones instantly puts you next to a handsome figure as he makes his way across dunes that are made up of the sands of time themselves. Surprisingly (and thankfully), this is not the only version of this track, as Mehmet of Sala Delle Colonne has composed a more rhythmic version, yet unreleased at press time. The closing track is sure to please followers of a more Industrial style of Drone, Noise or Power Electronics. "To Lead Rather Than to be Led" is composed of a strangely ambient, seemingly undulating static and an almost arpegiated low-frequency. Very purist and to the point.
 
Though I did not receive word of this series soon enough to have been able to contribute to this particular single, I was able to submit a song for the card of wishes and cosmic unity, The Star, which will hopefully be released in October. I am not bitter whatsoever, but intensely greatful to all the artists on this single for they beauty they have wrought... The Rex is pleased.  http://www.heathenharvest.com/article.php?story=20090531150101414&query=tarot