Review: Ethnea Nekron - Exo-Metempsychosis

Artist: Ethnea Nekron

Album: Exo-Metempsychosis

Label: Winter-Light

Release date: September 2025

Maurizio Landini of Onasander is no stranger to collaborations (in fact, most of his discography consists of them), but this time around he didn't merely team up Daniel Ferreira of Kloob for a joint release; rather, the duo decided that the fruit of their joint work deserves a separate entity in its own right. Thus was spawned Ethnea Nekron, whose cryptic Ancient Greek name, which approximately translates to nations of the dead, might mislead someone into expecting a ritual ambient, cavernous album exploring the netherworld. A quick glance at the amazing cover art, courtesy of Abby Helasdottir, depicting deconstruction (or reconstruction?) of entire worlds on a massive cosmic scale, reveals a rather opposite direction. So which is it?

Well, the easiest way to put it is - both. The conceptual background behind the album, as its title (roughly translating to external reincarnation) suggests, revolves around the idea of souls being reborn in distant galaxies after death, like a cosmic transmigration between worlds. Curiously enough, the music manages to unite these two seemingly disparate approaches rather well by combining both space-inspired electronica and highly processed mechanical sounds with colossally oppressive drones that remind of death, decomposition and decay. I don't think I've ever used the words ritual space ambient together in my life, but this might be a fitting opportunity to do so, especially for tracks such as Algid Synapses, which manage to unite hypnotic mortuary rhythms with twisting metal, static discharges and other sonic arsenal typical of space-inspired dark ambient with a remarkable degree of cohesion. Even the spacey parts are no mere sci-fi, cinematic dark ambient which is a dime a dozen nowadays; there is a strong feeling of that mix between fascination and brooding unease that is the hallmark of classic Lustmord albums and gives the sound exactly the kind of metaphysical aspect that the concept seems to be aiming for. As the album progresses, the mood slowly shifts from fascination and awe into more threatening waters, making it clear that the storyline is not just about the journey of the soul, but also about what awaits it on the other side. Perhaps, as the last track seems to suggest, Rejection?

Exo-Metempsychosis is a surprisingly refreshing take on two relatively well-established subgenres of dark ambient, and its multiple layers and unexpected twists and turns make for very rewarding repeated listens. While I wouldn't go as far as calling it revolutionary, it represents exactly the kind of innovation that is sorely needed in this somewhat - let's be honest - stale genre. The fact that the duo behind decided to spin it off into a separate project makes me hopeful that this is just the first of many releases, and I'm very eager to hear which direction they'll take the project in going forward.

Rating: 8/10