Ain Soph
III

The Ain Soph have, over time, managed to carve out a small cult following, especially in Europe in the dark-industrial and neo-folk areas. Their first phase, which led to the release of a weighty “magical” trilogy of which I have reviewed “I” and “II”, was characterized by an amateur and naive approach. In reality, these records were not intended for publication but were merely experiments in “ritual magic” to be shared by word of mouth. The undeniable evocative power of the first tapes, however, aroused the interest first of Misty Circle and then of Old Europa Café, which fortunately made the aforementioned trilogy available first on cassette and then in CD format. After the first 2 chapters, it is now time to talk about the concluding act, “III”.

In this record, Ain Soph consisted solely of Crucifige to the extent that it would be more correct to speak of a solo album. The work is divided into 2 CDs featuring different material. The first CD consists of the long track “Rituale OO”. As it is stated in the booklet, the composition is conceived solely as a “base for a Bhakti Yoga ritual and can also be used as a basis for ritual concentration”. Clearly, the formal and aesthetic aspects are set aside in favor of the substantial and esoteric ones. Unfortunately, this is the limit of these experiments, which ultimately turn out to be prolix and boring to the ears of those who do not have a particular interest in these themes. One should never sacrifice and set aside form for their “ethical” purposes, but in all fairness, one must remember how Ain Soph was, especially in the beginning, an entity aimed at achieving an initiatory and “magical” path.

Part B – on the second CD – includes 3 chapters that more closely resemble what was already heard in “I” and “II”. The first movement, evocatively titled “The Failure of Jesus”, is an ambitious experiment by Crucifige in the vein of Current 93’s “Nature Unveiled”. Crucifige does everything on his own and manages to create a genuine esoteric and quasi-religious atmosphere. However, we are very far from the levels of the Current, also due to a poor recording, even worse than the first recordings of Ain Soph. Nevertheless, there is a dark and apocalyptic tension that is not to be underestimated.

The second movement “Visible Darkness” is characterized by the minimal sounds of the keyboards on which the deep voice of Crucifige is superimposed. The track turns out to be lacking in depth and, honestly, ends up being self-serving. The album concludes with the last movement, “Trash, the City, and Death”: it is an endless loop of electronic manipulations overlaid with a voice reciting incomprehensible litanies. Here, Crucifige connects back to the material of “I” and “II” but with less effectiveness.

Substantially, “III” proves to be the least successful chapter of the Ain Soph trilogy and, honestly, I feel inclined to recommend it only to collectors and those who idolize the Roman group. It contains some interesting and noteworthy moments, but unfortunately, it is overall weak and hampered by an unworthy recording.