#ataraxia — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #ataraxia, aggregated by home.social.
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CW: CW: a little philosophy, existential shrugging, and cats claiming divine authority.
I am an Epicurean agnostic deist.
Which sounds terribly complicated, but is actually quite simple.
I don't know whether there is a God, or several. Maybe there is. Maybe there isn't. I don't really know, and (this is the important bit) I don't particularly feel the need to know.
The universe is under no obligation to explain itself to me, and I am under no obligation to invent certainty where none is available.
But if there is a creator, I imagine them rather like an author who finished an enormous, complicated, occasionally beautiful manuscript, put down their pen, and walked away.
The work continues. The characters are on their own. The author is not popping back in every five minutes to rearrange the furniture, punish someone for wearing the wrong trousers, or decide which football team deserves divine favour.
And the Epicurean part?
That may be the most important bit of all.
I don't believe in living in fear. Not of gods. Not of death. Not of punishment. Not of some cosmic headteacher waiting to tell me I've been very naughty indeed. Been there, done that, minus the cosmic part. ;)
I believe in tranquillity. Friendship. Love. Thinking carefully. Being kind. Causing as little unnecessary suffering as possible.
And pleasure. Not endless excess, but the quiet, genuine pleasures of being alive.
Good food. Good coffee. Good conversation. People you love. A comfortable place to sit. A long walk. An afternoon in a park beneath old trees, watching the world happen around you.
And cats.
Obviously, cats are divine.
Perhaps Thor exists. Perhaps Bastet exists. Perhaps they are both busy. Perhaps neither exists in the way people imagine gods exist.
But when a cat climbs onto my lap, looks at me with ancient and absolute authority, and demands worship in the form of snacks, I feel that the theological evidence is at least worth considering.
So there you have it.
I don't know.
Maybe.
The creator, if there was one, has probably walked away from their work.
And in the meantime, I intend to love my friends, sit in parks, drink cocktails, pet cats, think deeply, be occasionally mischievous, and enjoy this strange little bit of existence while I've got it.
That seems quite enough theology for one lifetime. 💜🌳🐈✨
#Epicurean #Agnostic #Deist #Epicureanism #Philosophy #Ataraxia #SimplePleasures #CatsAreDivine #Bastet #Thor #Kindness
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CW: CW: a little philosophy, existential shrugging, and cats claiming divine authority.
I am an Epicurean agnostic deist.
Which sounds terribly complicated, but is actually quite simple.
I don't know whether there is a God, or several. Maybe there is. Maybe there isn't. I don't really know, and (this is the important bit) I don't particularly feel the need to know.
The universe is under no obligation to explain itself to me, and I am under no obligation to invent certainty where none is available.
But if there is a creator, I imagine them rather like an author who finished an enormous, complicated, occasionally beautiful manuscript, put down their pen, and walked away.
The work continues. The characters are on their own. The author is not popping back in every five minutes to rearrange the furniture, punish someone for wearing the wrong trousers, or decide which football team deserves divine favour.
And the Epicurean part?
That may be the most important bit of all.
I don't believe in living in fear. Not of gods. Not of death. Not of punishment. Not of some cosmic headteacher waiting to tell me I've been very naughty indeed. Been there, done that, minus the cosmic part. ;)
I believe in tranquillity. Friendship. Love. Thinking carefully. Being kind. Causing as little unnecessary suffering as possible.
And pleasure. Not endless excess, but the quiet, genuine pleasures of being alive.
Good food. Good coffee. Good conversation. People you love. A comfortable place to sit. A long walk. An afternoon in a park beneath old trees, watching the world happen around you.
And cats.
Obviously, cats are divine.
Perhaps Thor exists. Perhaps Bastet exists. Perhaps they are both busy. Perhaps neither exists in the way people imagine gods exist.
But when a cat climbs onto my lap, looks at me with ancient and absolute authority, and demands worship in the form of snacks, I feel that the theological evidence is at least worth considering.
So there you have it.
I don't know.
Maybe.
The creator, if there was one, has probably walked away from their work.
And in the meantime, I intend to love my friends, sit in parks, drink cocktails, pet cats, think deeply, be occasionally mischievous, and enjoy this strange little bit of existence while I've got it.
That seems quite enough theology for one lifetime. 💜🌳🐈✨
#Epicurean #Agnostic #Deist #Epicureanism #Philosophy #Ataraxia #SimplePleasures #CatsAreDivine #Bastet #Thor #Kindness
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CW: CW: a little philosophy, existential shrugging, and cats claiming divine authority.
I am an Epicurean agnostic deist.
Which sounds terribly complicated, but is actually quite simple.
I don't know whether there is a God, or several. Maybe there is. Maybe there isn't. I don't really know, and (this is the important bit) I don't particularly feel the need to know.
The universe is under no obligation to explain itself to me, and I am under no obligation to invent certainty where none is available.
But if there is a creator, I imagine them rather like an author who finished an enormous, complicated, occasionally beautiful manuscript, put down their pen, and walked away.
The work continues. The characters are on their own. The author is not popping back in every five minutes to rearrange the furniture, punish someone for wearing the wrong trousers, or decide which football team deserves divine favour.
And the Epicurean part?
That may be the most important bit of all.
I don't believe in living in fear. Not of gods. Not of death. Not of punishment. Not of some cosmic headteacher waiting to tell me I've been very naughty indeed. Been there, done that, minus the cosmic part. ;)
I believe in tranquillity. Friendship. Love. Thinking carefully. Being kind. Causing as little unnecessary suffering as possible.
And pleasure. Not endless excess, but the quiet, genuine pleasures of being alive.
Good food. Good coffee. Good conversation. People you love. A comfortable place to sit. A long walk. An afternoon in a park beneath old trees, watching the world happen around you.
And cats.
Obviously, cats are divine.
Perhaps Thor exists. Perhaps Bastet exists. Perhaps they are both busy. Perhaps neither exists in the way people imagine gods exist.
But when a cat climbs onto my lap, looks at me with ancient and absolute authority, and demands worship in the form of snacks, I feel that the theological evidence is at least worth considering.
So there you have it.
I don't know.
Maybe.
The creator, if there was one, has probably walked away from their work.
And in the meantime, I intend to love my friends, sit in parks, drink cocktails, pet cats, think deeply, be occasionally mischievous, and enjoy this strange little bit of existence while I've got it.
That seems quite enough theology for one lifetime. 💜🌳🐈✨
#Epicurean #Agnostic #Deist #Epicureanism #Philosophy #Ataraxia #SimplePleasures #CatsAreDivine #Bastet #Thor #Kindness
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CW: CW: a little philosophy, existential shrugging, and cats claiming divine authority.
I am an Epicurean agnostic deist.
Which sounds terribly complicated, but is actually quite simple.
I don't know whether there is a God, or several. Maybe there is. Maybe there isn't. I don't really know, and (this is the important bit) I don't particularly feel the need to know.
The universe is under no obligation to explain itself to me, and I am under no obligation to invent certainty where none is available.
But if there is a creator, I imagine them rather like an author who finished an enormous, complicated, occasionally beautiful manuscript, put down their pen, and walked away.
The work continues. The characters are on their own. The author is not popping back in every five minutes to rearrange the furniture, punish someone for wearing the wrong trousers, or decide which football team deserves divine favour.
And the Epicurean part?
That may be the most important bit of all.
I don't believe in living in fear. Not of gods. Not of death. Not of punishment. Not of some cosmic headteacher waiting to tell me I've been very naughty indeed. Been there, done that, minus the cosmic part. ;)
I believe in tranquillity. Friendship. Love. Thinking carefully. Being kind. Causing as little unnecessary suffering as possible.
And pleasure. Not endless excess, but the quiet, genuine pleasures of being alive.
Good food. Good coffee. Good conversation. People you love. A comfortable place to sit. A long walk. An afternoon in a park beneath old trees, watching the world happen around you.
And cats.
Obviously, cats are divine.
Perhaps Thor exists. Perhaps Bastet exists. Perhaps they are both busy. Perhaps neither exists in the way people imagine gods exist.
But when a cat climbs onto my lap, looks at me with ancient and absolute authority, and demands worship in the form of snacks, I feel that the theological evidence is at least worth considering.
So there you have it.
I don't know.
Maybe.
The creator, if there was one, has probably walked away from their work.
And in the meantime, I intend to love my friends, sit in parks, drink cocktails, pet cats, think deeply, be occasionally mischievous, and enjoy this strange little bit of existence while I've got it.
That seems quite enough theology for one lifetime. 💜🌳🐈✨
#Epicurean #Agnostic #Deist #Epicureanism #Philosophy #Ataraxia #SimplePleasures #CatsAreDivine #Bastet #Thor #Kindness
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Abyss 🕳️ (Dark ambient, neofolk, shoegaze, immersive)
──────────────
🎵 Ataraxia - Astraea▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
https://discord.gg/d82hJZBeDE -
🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Abyss 🕳️ (Dark ambient, neofolk, shoegaze, immersive)
──────────────
🎵 Ataraxia - Astraea▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
https://discord.gg/d82hJZBeDE -
🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Abyss 🕳️ (Dark ambient, neofolk, shoegaze, immersive)
──────────────
🎵 Ataraxia - Hydra Hyali▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
https://discord.gg/d82hJZBeDE -
Epicurus: The Philosopher of Freedom and Friendship
Epicurus (341–270 BCE) offered a radical cure for the anxiety of his time—and ours. In an era of political fragmentation and religious fear, he founded “The Garden,” a community where ordinary people achieved tranquility through reason, friendship, and simple living. Misunderstood for 2,300 years as a hedonist, Epicurus actually taught that the highest pleasure is the absence of pain and anxiety—a state reachable by anyone through wise desire-management and deep bonds with others.
The Fourfold Cure (Tetrapharmakos)
Epicurus prescribed four philosophical medicines to liberate us from suffering:
Don’t fear the gods. The gods exist but are perfectly tranquil; they cannot be angered or disturbed by human affairs. Divine punishment is a myth.
Don’t fear death. Death is nothing to us. When we exist, death is absent; when death arrives, we do not exist. There is no afterlife to fear.
Goods are easy to obtain. Nature’s necessities—food, water, shelter, companionship—are simple and accessible. Luxuries are unnecessary for happiness.
Evils are easy to endure. Intense pain is brief; chronic pain is moderate. Even in suffering, mental cultivation and friendship can sustain joy.
Redefining Pleasure
Contrary to the caricature of “Epicurean” as indulgence, Epicurus distinguished between:
Kinetic pleasures: Fleeting sensory刺激 (wine, sex, entertainment).
Katastematic pleasures: Stable states of aponia (no bodily pain) and ataraxia (no mental disturbance).
True happiness comes not from accumulation but from eliminating desires for things beyond natural needs. He classified desires as:
Natural & necessary (hunger, shelter) → Satisfy simply.
Natural but unnecessary (gourmet food, sex) → Moderate.
Vain & empty (fame, wealth, power) → Eliminate entirely.
Friendship as the Supreme Good
Epicurus declared friendship the most important ingredient for happiness. The Garden was a revolutionary community where social hierarchies dissolved: slaves debated with citizens, women with men. Deep, philosophical friendship provides security, shared wisdom, and emotional support—the antidote to loneliness and anxiety.
A Life of Freedom
Epicurus advised “living unknown” (lathe biosas): avoid politics, fame, and public ambition. These create dependencies on external forces and fuel vain desires. Instead, cultivate a private life of philosophy, simple pleasures, and trusted friendships. This withdrawal isn’t isolation—it’s liberation from the turbulence of public life.
Legacy and Modern Relevance
Persecuted by early Christians as an atheist hedonist, Epicurus was nearly erased. Yet his ideas resurfaced in the Renaissance (via Lucretius’ De Rerum Natura) and inspired Enlightenment thinkers like Jefferson, Marx, and Mill. Today, his insights resonate in:
Psychology: Cognitive-behavioral therapy mirrors his “rehearsing arguments against fear.”
Minimalism: Countering consumerism with “enough is abundant.”
Friendship movements: Addressing the loneliness epidemic through intentional community.
Environmental ethics: Simple living as ecological necessity.
Practice Today
Epicurus offers a daily discipline:
Memorize core truths (e.g., “Death is nothing”) to counter anxiety.
Examine desires: Is this natural/necessary? Vanity?
Rehearse anti-fear arguments: Rationalize worries before they spiral.
Practice negative visualization: Imagine loss to deepen gratitude.
Invest in friends: Prioritize deep bonds over superficial networks.
In an age of burnout, digital overload, and existential dread, Epicurus invites us to a quieter, freer path: Stop fearing the gods. Stop fearing death. Simplify your desires. Cultivate friendship. Seek tranquility, not excitement.
Listen to the lecture here: https://tube.leshley.ca/w/qB4HrSdeEC3oMezVVRyQkx
The Garden is still open. Will you enter?
#Epicurus #Tetrapharmakos #Philosophy #Hedonism #Ataraxia #Friendship #SimpleLiving #AncientWisdom #MentalHealth #ModernRelevance #Liberation #Tranquility #Counterculture #FreedominThought #Pleroma #Fediverse #PhilosophyLecture #NoFear #DesireManagement #Community -
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🎵 Ataraxia - Hydra Hyali▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
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📻 Vortex Abyss 🕳️ (Dark ambient, neofolk, shoegaze, immersive)
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Ataraxia interview: ‘We don’t set ourselves against something; we act creatively to create something’ #Ataraxia
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Ataraxia interview: ‘We don’t set ourselves against something; we act creatively to create something’ #Ataraxia
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Ataraxia interview: ‘We don’t set ourselves against something; we act creatively to create something’ #Ataraxia
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📻 Vortex Abyss 🕳️ (Dark ambient, neofolk, shoegaze, immersive)
──────────────
🎵 Ataraxia - Astraea▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Abyss 🕳️ (Dark ambient, neofolk, shoegaze, immersive)
──────────────
🎵 Ataraxia - Hydra Hyali▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
https://discord.gg/d82hJZBeDE -
🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Abyss 🕳️ (Dark ambient, neofolk, shoegaze, immersive)
──────────────
🎵 Ataraxia - Hydra Hyali▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
https://discord.gg/d82hJZBeDE -
🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Abyss 🕳️ (Dark ambient, neofolk, shoegaze, immersive)
──────────────
🎵 Ataraxia - Astraea▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
https://discord.gg/d82hJZBeDE -
🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Abyss 🕳️ (Dark ambient, neofolk, shoegaze, immersive)
──────────────
🎵 Ataraxia - Hydra Hyali▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
https://discord.gg/d82hJZBeDE -
🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Abyss 🕳️ (Dark ambient, neofolk, shoegaze, immersive)
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🎵 Ataraxia - Astraea▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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Ataraxia release 'Alabaster' ahead of 'Sylfaera the Fair' album #Ataraxia
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Ataraxia release 'Alabaster' ahead of 'Sylfaera the Fair' album #Ataraxia
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Ataraxia release 'Alabaster' ahead of 'Sylfaera the Fair' album #Ataraxia
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Abyss 🕳️ (Dark ambient, neofolk, shoegaze, immersive)
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🎵 Ataraxia - Astraea▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Abyss 🕳️ (Dark ambient, neofolk, shoegaze, immersive)
──────────────
🎵 Ataraxia - Astraea▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
https://discord.gg/d82hJZBeDE -
🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Abyss 🕳️ (Dark ambient, neofolk, shoegaze, immersive)
──────────────
🎵 Ataraxia - Hydra Hyali▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Abyss 🕳️ (Dark ambient, neofolk, shoegaze, immersive)
──────────────
🎵 Ataraxia - Hydra Hyali▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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📻 Vortex Dawn 🌅 (Neoclassical, ambient, soft post-rock)
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🎵 Ataraxia - Astraea▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Abyss 🕳️ (Dark ambient, neofolk, shoegaze, immersive)
──────────────
🎵 Ataraxia - Hydra Hyali▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Abyss 🕳️ (Dark ambient, neofolk, shoegaze, immersive)
──────────────
🎵 Ataraxia - Hydra Hyali▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
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ATARAXIA (Suècia) presenta nou àlbum: "Dance by the Storm" #Ataraxia #HeavyMetal #ThrashMetal #Març2026 #Suècia #NouÀlbum #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic
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ATARAXIA (Suècia) presenta nou àlbum: "Dance by the Storm" #Ataraxia #HeavyMetal #ThrashMetal #Març2026 #Suècia #NouÀlbum #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic
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Ataraxia drop second single 'Llawarra' from new album 'Sylfaera the Fair' #Ataraxia
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Ataraxia drop second single 'Llawarra' from new album 'Sylfaera the Fair' #Ataraxia
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Stef de Haan debuts on the label SEVEN with the Ataraxia EP alongside remixes from Perra Inmunda and Danny Wabbit. #music #stefdehaan #Ataraxia #seven #perrainmunda #DannyWabbit #remix
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Stef de Haan debuts on the label SEVEN with the Ataraxia EP alongside remixes from Perra Inmunda and Danny Wabbit. #music #stefdehaan #Ataraxia #seven #perrainmunda #DannyWabbit #remix
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ATARAXIA (Suècia) presenta nou single: "The Night of Frozen Tears" #Ataraxia #HeavyMetal #ThrashMetal #Febrer2026 #Suècia #NouSingle #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic
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ATARAXIA (Suècia) presenta nou single: "The Night of Frozen Tears" #Ataraxia #HeavyMetal #ThrashMetal #Febrer2026 #Suècia #NouSingle #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic
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Ataraxia details 30th studio album 'Sylfaera the Fair' and reveals title track video #Ataraxia
https://www.side-line.com/ataraxia-sylfaera-the-fair-album-2026/
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Ataraxia details 30th studio album 'Sylfaera the Fair' and reveals title track video #Ataraxia
https://www.side-line.com/ataraxia-sylfaera-the-fair-album-2026/
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Ja, genau:
"Für diejenigen, denen die #Kultivierung der stoischen #Gelassenheit zu anstrengend ist, gibt es sogar eine Liste mit 7 Prompts für #ChatGPT, die eine #Abkürzung zur #Ataraxía verspricht."
https://54books.de/die-roemischen-kaiser-von-linkedin-das-elend-der-zeitgenoessischen-begeisterung-fuer-die-stoa/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-de-de -
Autumn Tears – Crown of the Clairvoyant Review
One of the interesting things about writing for a heavy metal blog is the quantity—and quality—of non-metal recommendations…
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Music #2025 #3.0 #Ataraxia #AutumnTears #BlindGuardianTwilightOrchestra #CrownoftheClairvoyant #Darkwave #Entertainment #InternationalMetal #Neoclassical #Nightwish #review #reviews #Sep25 #TheCircleMusic
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/174176/ -
Autumn Tears – Crown of the Clairvoyant Review
One of the interesting things about writing for a heavy metal blog is the quantity—and quality—of non-metal recommendations…
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Music #2025 #3.0 #Ataraxia #AutumnTears #BlindGuardianTwilightOrchestra #CrownoftheClairvoyant #Darkwave #Entertainment #InternationalMetal #Neoclassical #Nightwish #review #reviews #Sep25 #TheCircleMusic
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/174176/ -
Autumn Tears – Crown of the Clairvoyant Review
By Twelve
One of the interesting things about writing for a heavy metal blog is the quantity—and quality—of non-metal recommendations that show up. I’ve already gone out of my way to review many a (dark/neo) folk album that’s wandered through; the conscious decision to send these our way suggests there is something here for the metal fan. But an almost fully neo-classical album is, I think, a new one,1 and its mere presence was enough to intrigue me. Autumn Tears is an international act headed by lyricist, pianist, and composer Ted Tringo that has historically ventured through gothix, classical, and darkwave waters. Since 1996, the project has ventured through many forms, but Crown of the Clairvoyant promises something new for the Tringo’s tenth full-length: an ambitious, fully neoclassical journey featuring no fewer than forty-three musicians. Metal or no metal, how do you pass that up?
I mean, if you’re a heavy metal fan who likes heavy metal, I suppose you might pass it up—though Crown of the Clairvoyant shares a grandiose and somewhat mournful theme with gothic and symphonic metal, Autumn Tears are far from a heavy group. The aforementioned forty-three musicians include a fairly light strings section, a well-stacked horns group, some woodwinds, and a few standard miscellaneous instruments—harp, oud, and piano, for example—but nearly half of the listed musicians in Crown of the Clairvoyant’s extensive credits are singers, most of them part of the Autumn Tears choir. Indeed, choral vocals are dominant throughout Crown of the Clairvoyant, a nice counterbalance to the lead singing, which is typically female soprano. This all gives Crown of the Clairvoyant a strongly organic feel; its instrumentation feels like a deliberate step away from darkwave—though the influence is still felt—and towards something altogether fresher, cleaner, and lighter.
Unlike metal-inspired orchestral projects like Blind Guardian’s Twilight Orchestra, Autumn Tears do not reach for mighty crescendos; instead, they write songs that are more like movements, guiding the listener through moments that come about organically. “The Knell of my Birth-Hymn” opens with a flurry of cello before rising and swelling to joyful heights, choirs and singers layering atop each other, swept along by a beautiful string performance. There is no particular structure for the verses, nor chorus, nor interlude; the song simply goes where it needs to, and this is a recurring idea throughout Crown of the Clairvoyant. Not that there’s no repetition or structure; most songs work within a particular theme. “Martyrdom – Catharsis (Where Gods Go to Die)” is a grandiose song dominated by the increasingly powerful verses between its refrain (not to mention a powerful organ performance). Similarly, “The Light That Shapes Us” allows the horns and woodwinds to act in tandem with the choirs to create a “chorus,” even as the lead vocals follow new and interesting paths.2 Over a mere thirty-eight minutes, Autumn Tears cover a lot of ground by allowing each song to walk its own general path.
If there’s a drawback to Crown of the Clairvoyant, it’s the other side of that coin: Crown of the Clairvoyant covers a lot of ground across a lot of songs that are written very organically. This means that some tracks are prone to wandering, and some feel like they just pass by, with no idea strong enough to make an impression. “Ancestral Premonition” is one such song, with many, many extended passages and vocal arrangements that linger too long on the same idea. Francesca Nicoli’s (Ataraxia) dramatic guest vocals3 add much to the song thematically, but her immediate, intense approach feels mismatched to the quiet wandering instrumentation. “Lunar Coronation” is the longest song at six minutes, but it feels like it never quite decides on a clear theme or idea. While the entirety of Crown of the Clairvoyant is intricate, clever, and, at minimum, pretty, its memorability feels a bit hit-or-miss as a result.
The first time I listened to Crown of the Clairvoyant, I was on an airplane over the Atlantic Ocean, half-awake and seated between two infants who evidently liked flying even less than me.4 This is not the right way to experience it. You can immerse yourself in Autumn Tears, even if you do prefer your music heavier. Some moments are stronger than others—but the whole is beautiful, and I would recommend trying Crown of the Clairvoyant and seeing how it feels. I’m not in love, but I am absolutely impressed.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: The Circle Music
Websites: autumntears.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/TheTrueAutumnTears
Releases Worldwide: September 22nd, 2025#2025 #30 #Ataraxia #AutumnTears #BlindGuardianTwilightOrchestra #CrownOfTheClairvoyant #Darkwave #InternationalMetal #Neoclassical #Nightwish #Review #Reviews #Sep25 #TheCircleMusic
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Autumn Tears – Crown of the Clairvoyant Review
By Twelve
One of the interesting things about writing for a heavy metal blog is the quantity—and quality—of non-metal recommendations that show up. I’ve already gone out of my way to review many a (dark/neo) folk album that’s wandered through; the conscious decision to send these our way suggests there is something here for the metal fan. But an almost fully neo-classical album is, I think, a new one,1 and its mere presence was enough to intrigue me. Autumn Tears is an international act headed by lyricist, pianist, and composer Ted Tringo that has historically ventured through gothix, classical, and darkwave waters. Since 1996, the project has ventured through many forms, but Crown of the Clairvoyant promises something new for the Tringo’s tenth full-length: an ambitious, fully neoclassical journey featuring no fewer than forty-three musicians. Metal or no metal, how do you pass that up?
I mean, if you’re a heavy metal fan who likes heavy metal, I suppose you might pass it up—though Crown of the Clairvoyant shares a grandiose and somewhat mournful theme with gothic and symphonic metal, Autumn Tears are far from a heavy group. The aforementioned forty-three musicians include a fairly light strings section, a well-stacked horns group, some woodwinds, and a few standard miscellaneous instruments—harp, oud, and piano, for example—but nearly half of the listed musicians in Crown of the Clairvoyant’s extensive credits are singers, most of them part of the Autumn Tears choir. Indeed, choral vocals are dominant throughout Crown of the Clairvoyant, a nice counterbalance to the lead singing, which is typically female soprano. This all gives Crown of the Clairvoyant a strongly organic feel; its instrumentation feels like a deliberate step away from darkwave—though the influence is still felt—and towards something altogether fresher, cleaner, and lighter.
Unlike metal-inspired orchestral projects like Blind Guardian’s Twilight Orchestra, Autumn Tears do not reach for mighty crescendos; instead, they write songs that are more like movements, guiding the listener through moments that come about organically. “The Knell of my Birth-Hymn” opens with a flurry of cello before rising and swelling to joyful heights, choirs and singers layering atop each other, swept along by a beautiful string performance. There is no particular structure for the verses, nor chorus, nor interlude; the song simply goes where it needs to, and this is a recurring idea throughout Crown of the Clairvoyant. Not that there’s no repetition or structure; most songs work within a particular theme. “Martyrdom – Catharsis (Where Gods Go to Die)” is a grandiose song dominated by the increasingly powerful verses between its refrain (not to mention a powerful organ performance). Similarly, “The Light That Shapes Us” allows the horns and woodwinds to act in tandem with the choirs to create a “chorus,” even as the lead vocals follow new and interesting paths.2 Over a mere thirty-eight minutes, Autumn Tears cover a lot of ground by allowing each song to walk its own general path.
If there’s a drawback to Crown of the Clairvoyant, it’s the other side of that coin: Crown of the Clairvoyant covers a lot of ground across a lot of songs that are written very organically. This means that some tracks are prone to wandering, and some feel like they just pass by, with no idea strong enough to make an impression. “Ancestral Premonition” is one such song, with many, many extended passages and vocal arrangements that linger too long on the same idea. Francesca Nicoli’s (Ataraxia) dramatic guest vocals3 add much to the song thematically, but her immediate, intense approach feels mismatched to the quiet wandering instrumentation. “Lunar Coronation” is the longest song at six minutes, but it feels like it never quite decides on a clear theme or idea. While the entirety of Crown of the Clairvoyant is intricate, clever, and, at minimum, pretty, its memorability feels a bit hit-or-miss as a result.
The first time I listened to Crown of the Clairvoyant, I was on an airplane over the Atlantic Ocean, half-awake and seated between two infants who evidently liked flying even less than me.4 This is not the right way to experience it. You can immerse yourself in Autumn Tears, even if you do prefer your music heavier. Some moments are stronger than others—but the whole is beautiful, and I would recommend trying Crown of the Clairvoyant and seeing how it feels. I’m not in love, but I am absolutely impressed.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: The Circle Music
Websites: autumntears.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/TheTrueAutumnTears
Releases Worldwide: September 22nd, 2025#2025 #30 #Ataraxia #AutumnTears #BlindGuardianTwilightOrchestra #CrownOfTheClairvoyant #Darkwave #InternationalMetal #Neoclassical #Nightwish #Review #Reviews #Sep25 #TheCircleMusic
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Autumn Tears – Crown of the Clairvoyant Review
By Twelve
One of the interesting things about writing for a heavy metal blog is the quantity—and quality—of non-metal recommendations that show up. I’ve already gone out of my way to review many a (dark/neo) folk album that’s wandered through; the conscious decision to send these our way suggests there is something here for the metal fan. But an almost fully neo-classical album is, I think, a new one,1 and its mere presence was enough to intrigue me. Autumn Tears is an international act headed by lyricist, pianist, and composer Ted Tringo that has historically ventured through gothix, classical, and darkwave waters. Since 1996, the project has ventured through many forms, but Crown of the Clairvoyant promises something new for the Tringo’s tenth full-length: an ambitious, fully neoclassical journey featuring no fewer than forty-three musicians. Metal or no metal, how do you pass that up?
I mean, if you’re a heavy metal fan who likes heavy metal, I suppose you might pass it up—though Crown of the Clairvoyant shares a grandiose and somewhat mournful theme with gothic and symphonic metal, Autumn Tears are far from a heavy group. The aforementioned forty-three musicians include a fairly light strings section, a well-stacked horns group, some woodwinds, and a few standard miscellaneous instruments—harp, oud, and piano, for example—but nearly half of the listed musicians in Crown of the Clairvoyant’s extensive credits are singers, most of them part of the Autumn Tears choir. Indeed, choral vocals are dominant throughout Crown of the Clairvoyant, a nice counterbalance to the lead singing, which is typically female soprano. This all gives Crown of the Clairvoyant a strongly organic feel; its instrumentation feels like a deliberate step away from darkwave—though the influence is still felt—and towards something altogether fresher, cleaner, and lighter.
Unlike metal-inspired orchestral projects like Blind Guardian’s Twilight Orchestra, Autumn Tears do not reach for mighty crescendos; instead, they write songs that are more like movements, guiding the listener through moments that come about organically. “The Knell of my Birth-Hymn” opens with a flurry of cello before rising and swelling to joyful heights, choirs and singers layering atop each other, swept along by a beautiful string performance. There is no particular structure for the verses, nor chorus, nor interlude; the song simply goes where it needs to, and this is a recurring idea throughout Crown of the Clairvoyant. Not that there’s no repetition or structure; most songs work within a particular theme. “Martyrdom – Catharsis (Where Gods Go to Die)” is a grandiose song dominated by the increasingly powerful verses between its refrain (not to mention a powerful organ performance). Similarly, “The Light That Shapes Us” allows the horns and woodwinds to act in tandem with the choirs to create a “chorus,” even as the lead vocals follow new and interesting paths.2 Over a mere thirty-eight minutes, Autumn Tears cover a lot of ground by allowing each song to walk its own general path.
If there’s a drawback to Crown of the Clairvoyant, it’s the other side of that coin: Crown of the Clairvoyant covers a lot of ground across a lot of songs that are written very organically. This means that some tracks are prone to wandering, and some feel like they just pass by, with no idea strong enough to make an impression. “Ancestral Premonition” is one such song, with many, many extended passages and vocal arrangements that linger too long on the same idea. Francesca Nicoli’s (Ataraxia) dramatic guest vocals3 add much to the song thematically, but her immediate, intense approach feels mismatched to the quiet wandering instrumentation. “Lunar Coronation” is the longest song at six minutes, but it feels like it never quite decides on a clear theme or idea. While the entirety of Crown of the Clairvoyant is intricate, clever, and, at minimum, pretty, its memorability feels a bit hit-or-miss as a result.
The first time I listened to Crown of the Clairvoyant, I was on an airplane over the Atlantic Ocean, half-awake and seated between two infants who evidently liked flying even less than me.4 This is not the right way to experience it. You can immerse yourself in Autumn Tears, even if you do prefer your music heavier. Some moments are stronger than others—but the whole is beautiful, and I would recommend trying Crown of the Clairvoyant and seeing how it feels. I’m not in love, but I am absolutely impressed.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: The Circle Music
Websites: autumntears.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/TheTrueAutumnTears
Releases Worldwide: September 22nd, 2025#2025 #30 #Ataraxia #AutumnTears #BlindGuardianTwilightOrchestra #CrownOfTheClairvoyant #Darkwave #InternationalMetal #Neoclassical #Nightwish #Review #Reviews #Sep25 #TheCircleMusic
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Autumn Tears – Crown of the Clairvoyant Review
By Twelve
One of the interesting things about writing for a heavy metal blog is the quantity—and quality—of non-metal recommendations that show up. I’ve already gone out of my way to review many a (dark/neo) folk album that’s wandered through; the conscious decision to send these our way suggests there is something here for the metal fan. But an almost fully neo-classical album is, I think, a new one,1 and its mere presence was enough to intrigue me. Autumn Tears is an international act headed by lyricist, pianist, and composer Ted Tringo that has historically ventured through gothix, classical, and darkwave waters. Since 1996, the project has ventured through many forms, but Crown of the Clairvoyant promises something new for the Tringo’s tenth full-length: an ambitious, fully neoclassical journey featuring no fewer than forty-three musicians. Metal or no metal, how do you pass that up?
I mean, if you’re a heavy metal fan who likes heavy metal, I suppose you might pass it up—though Crown of the Clairvoyant shares a grandiose and somewhat mournful theme with gothic and symphonic metal, Autumn Tears are far from a heavy group. The aforementioned forty-three musicians include a fairly light strings section, a well-stacked horns group, some woodwinds, and a few standard miscellaneous instruments—harp, oud, and piano, for example—but nearly half of the listed musicians in Crown of the Clairvoyant’s extensive credits are singers, most of them part of the Autumn Tears choir. Indeed, choral vocals are dominant throughout Crown of the Clairvoyant, a nice counterbalance to the lead singing, which is typically female soprano. This all gives Crown of the Clairvoyant a strongly organic feel; its instrumentation feels like a deliberate step away from darkwave—though the influence is still felt—and towards something altogether fresher, cleaner, and lighter.
Unlike metal-inspired orchestral projects like Blind Guardian’s Twilight Orchestra, Autumn Tears do not reach for mighty crescendos; instead, they write songs that are more like movements, guiding the listener through moments that come about organically. “The Knell of my Birth-Hymn” opens with a flurry of cello before rising and swelling to joyful heights, choirs and singers layering atop each other, swept along by a beautiful string performance. There is no particular structure for the verses, nor chorus, nor interlude; the song simply goes where it needs to, and this is a recurring idea throughout Crown of the Clairvoyant. Not that there’s no repetition or structure; most songs work within a particular theme. “Martyrdom – Catharsis (Where Gods Go to Die)” is a grandiose song dominated by the increasingly powerful verses between its refrain (not to mention a powerful organ performance). Similarly, “The Light That Shapes Us” allows the horns and woodwinds to act in tandem with the choirs to create a “chorus,” even as the lead vocals follow new and interesting paths.2 Over a mere thirty-eight minutes, Autumn Tears cover a lot of ground by allowing each song to walk its own general path.
If there’s a drawback to Crown of the Clairvoyant, it’s the other side of that coin: Crown of the Clairvoyant covers a lot of ground across a lot of songs that are written very organically. This means that some tracks are prone to wandering, and some feel like they just pass by, with no idea strong enough to make an impression. “Ancestral Premonition” is one such song, with many, many extended passages and vocal arrangements that linger too long on the same idea. Francesca Nicoli’s (Ataraxia) dramatic guest vocals3 add much to the song thematically, but her immediate, intense approach feels mismatched to the quiet wandering instrumentation. “Lunar Coronation” is the longest song at six minutes, but it feels like it never quite decides on a clear theme or idea. While the entirety of Crown of the Clairvoyant is intricate, clever, and, at minimum, pretty, its memorability feels a bit hit-or-miss as a result.
The first time I listened to Crown of the Clairvoyant, I was on an airplane over the Atlantic Ocean, half-awake and seated between two infants who evidently liked flying even less than me.4 This is not the right way to experience it. You can immerse yourself in Autumn Tears, even if you do prefer your music heavier. Some moments are stronger than others—but the whole is beautiful, and I would recommend trying Crown of the Clairvoyant and seeing how it feels. I’m not in love, but I am absolutely impressed.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: The Circle Music
Websites: autumntears.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/TheTrueAutumnTears
Releases Worldwide: September 22nd, 2025#2025 #30 #Ataraxia #AutumnTears #BlindGuardianTwilightOrchestra #CrownOfTheClairvoyant #Darkwave #InternationalMetal #Neoclassical #Nightwish #Review #Reviews #Sep25 #TheCircleMusic
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Autumn Tears – Crown of the Clairvoyant Review
By Twelve
One of the interesting things about writing for a heavy metal blog is the quantity—and quality—of non-metal recommendations that show up. I’ve already gone out of my way to review many a (dark/neo) folk album that’s wandered through; the conscious decision to send these our way suggests there is something here for the metal fan. But an almost fully neo-classical album is, I think, a new one,1 and its mere presence was enough to intrigue me. Autumn Tears is an international act headed by lyricist, pianist, and composer Ted Tringo that has historically ventured through gothix, classical, and darkwave waters. Since 1996, the project has ventured through many forms, but Crown of the Clairvoyant promises something new for the Tringo’s tenth full-length: an ambitious, fully neoclassical journey featuring no fewer than forty-three musicians. Metal or no metal, how do you pass that up?
I mean, if you’re a heavy metal fan who likes heavy metal, I suppose you might pass it up—though Crown of the Clairvoyant shares a grandiose and somewhat mournful theme with gothic and symphonic metal, Autumn Tears are far from a heavy group. The aforementioned forty-three musicians include a fairly light strings section, a well-stacked horns group, some woodwinds, and a few standard miscellaneous instruments—harp, oud, and piano, for example—but nearly half of the listed musicians in Crown of the Clairvoyant’s extensive credits are singers, most of them part of the Autumn Tears choir. Indeed, choral vocals are dominant throughout Crown of the Clairvoyant, a nice counterbalance to the lead singing, which is typically female soprano. This all gives Crown of the Clairvoyant a strongly organic feel; its instrumentation feels like a deliberate step away from darkwave—though the influence is still felt—and towards something altogether fresher, cleaner, and lighter.
Unlike metal-inspired orchestral projects like Blind Guardian’s Twilight Orchestra, Autumn Tears do not reach for mighty crescendos; instead, they write songs that are more like movements, guiding the listener through moments that come about organically. “The Knell of my Birth-Hymn” opens with a flurry of cello before rising and swelling to joyful heights, choirs and singers layering atop each other, swept along by a beautiful string performance. There is no particular structure for the verses, nor chorus, nor interlude; the song simply goes where it needs to, and this is a recurring idea throughout Crown of the Clairvoyant. Not that there’s no repetition or structure; most songs work within a particular theme. “Martyrdom – Catharsis (Where Gods Go to Die)” is a grandiose song dominated by the increasingly powerful verses between its refrain (not to mention a powerful organ performance). Similarly, “The Light That Shapes Us” allows the horns and woodwinds to act in tandem with the choirs to create a “chorus,” even as the lead vocals follow new and interesting paths.2 Over a mere thirty-eight minutes, Autumn Tears cover a lot of ground by allowing each song to walk its own general path.
If there’s a drawback to Crown of the Clairvoyant, it’s the other side of that coin: Crown of the Clairvoyant covers a lot of ground across a lot of songs that are written very organically. This means that some tracks are prone to wandering, and some feel like they just pass by, with no idea strong enough to make an impression. “Ancestral Premonition” is one such song, with many, many extended passages and vocal arrangements that linger too long on the same idea. Francesca Nicoli’s (Ataraxia) dramatic guest vocals3 add much to the song thematically, but her immediate, intense approach feels mismatched to the quiet wandering instrumentation. “Lunar Coronation” is the longest song at six minutes, but it feels like it never quite decides on a clear theme or idea. While the entirety of Crown of the Clairvoyant is intricate, clever, and, at minimum, pretty, its memorability feels a bit hit-or-miss as a result.
The first time I listened to Crown of the Clairvoyant, I was on an airplane over the Atlantic Ocean, half-awake and seated between two infants who evidently liked flying even less than me.4 This is not the right way to experience it. You can immerse yourself in Autumn Tears, even if you do prefer your music heavier. Some moments are stronger than others—but the whole is beautiful, and I would recommend trying Crown of the Clairvoyant and seeing how it feels. I’m not in love, but I am absolutely impressed.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: The Circle Music
Websites: autumntears.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/TheTrueAutumnTears
Releases Worldwide: September 22nd, 2025Show 4 footnotes
- Almost new, anyway—this is the fourth time the tag has been used. Interestingly, all three prior reviews are by Dear Hollow. ↩
- Speaking of which, the lyrics to Crown of the Clairvoyant are both interesting and well-written, enough to add depth and layer to an already complex album. ↩
- I’m mostly sure Nicoli is the lead vocalist in “Ancestral Premonition,” but it is hard to discern the individual singers at times, so I apologize if I have this wrong. ↩
- A very high bar! ↩
#2025 #30 #Ataraxia #AutumnTears #BlindGuardianTwilightOrchestra #CrownOfTheClairvoyant #Darkwave #InternationalMetal #Neoclassical #Nightwish #Review #Reviews #Sep25 #TheCircleMusic
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Ataraxia unveil new single 'Breath of Soundrops' for Saturno Butto tribute compilation #Ataraxia #SaturnoButto
https://www.side-line.com/ataraxia-breath-of-soundrops-saturno-butto/
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Ataraxia unveil new single 'Breath of Soundrops' for Saturno Butto tribute compilation #Ataraxia #SaturnoButto
https://www.side-line.com/ataraxia-breath-of-soundrops-saturno-butto/
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The Infinity Ring – Ataraxia Review
By Dolphin Whisperer
The heart of heavy metal music lives in attitude, one of extreme emotions—sadness, anger, exuberance, catharsis. And in increasing trend, modern practitioners often conjure that spirit through atmosphere, which allows metal-adjacent spaces like goth rock and darkwave to strike a chord with those who typically fall for weepy music of crying guitars and mournful vocals. New England-based The Infinity Ring harbors some of these dark sounds that attract lovers of the downtrodden—twangy and folky guitar refrains, post-rock-like swells in intensity and volume—all wrapped up in a smoky and gravel-filled vocal delivery. So even though Ataraxia isn’t metal,1 despite finding home in oft-metal label Profound Lore, its sorrowful swagger threatens to stimulate the same shout and simmer all the same.
With a gothic allure and a somber, neofolk-y expression, Ataraxia carves a path down weeping corridors with a stinging chamber folk ambience and swelling post-rock trajectory. Most importantly, though, The Infinity Ring’s narrative finds the comfort of low, crackling fire on a chilly night in the gravely mic antics of band leader and guitarist Cameron Moretti. His gruff croon and low distortion twang bring to mind the noir character of Nick Cave with the patience and weathered exhale of late Leonard Cohen works. And a sense of intimacy pervades his brooding incantations, with high gain recordings providing a crackle and tickle—a comfort similar to what some find in ASMR recordings. But though the timbre and dripping legato of Moretti’s poetry may wrap like a scratchy blanket on a cold night, its words often ring more harrowing and downcast.
Whether you fall prey to Moretti’s somber lull will still fall in line with whether the stripped and screaming chamber instrumentation provides an interesting enough base. From Ataraxia’s wistful introduction of violin swirling in post-crescendo denouement (“Obsidian”) to its close through the understated swell of fragile piano guidance and drowning string ambience (“The Archway”), the focus of hazy backings and hypnotic refrains drives the primary tether. It takes until the first drum rolls of “Elysium,” about ten minutes into the album, before a sense of classic swinging movement takes hold, and even the lilting rhythmic framework sways against a post-rock guitar gathering, distant clanging bells, and bowed crescendo. And while The Infinity Ring again finds this kind of tempo-pushing jog in “The Drum,” a majority of Ataraxia exists in a chamber-adjacent space that prizes the exploration of atmosphere and texture.
Yet, for an album that exists in this compositionally softer realm, Ataraxia plays less with intense dynamics and more with a focused loudness. As a vocal-forward affair, Moretti’s reverberating croons and scowls take center stage, their higher presence sitting above the fog of acoustic plonks and muted chamber underlays. Whether it’s against the plonky lead of piano (“Nightingale,” “The Archway”), across a Wovenhand-esque strum and kick and rim clack strut (“Hymn,” “The Drum”), or amidst a looping fuzz and minimalist progression (“Revenge,” “The Window”), bassy, breath-heavy murmurings ripple and pulse and pull along these distant soundscapes. Silence as a setup, like an inhale, still finds a place in the quiet-to-calamitous post-rock aura that The Infinity Ring wears at base. But also, like breath, a natural rise and fall defines Ataraxia’s pace, its closing message of “The Archway” embodying that swift, tidal tempo.
As a journey of serene discomfort, Ataraxia walks softly bug neglects to carry that big, bombastic stick. The Infinity Ring, sticking to a diverse sonic palette to achieve its moody goals, functions as a hard-to-quantify collective of unique and thought-out sounds. Walking in a long line of attitude-based artists like Lou Reed and Tom Waits, the path that The Infinity Ring has chosen is weird, entrancing, and, above all, rich with sonic delight. So with Ataraxia, the journey is the destination. And when the mood strikes, The Infinity Ring proves a hard act to ignore.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Profound Lore Records | Bandcamp
Websites: theinfinityring.bandcamp.com | instagram.com/theinfinityring
Releases Worldwide: March 21st, 2025#2025 #35 #Ataraxia #ChamberMusic #Darkwave #GothicRock #LeonardCohen #LouReed #Mar25 #NickCave #PostRock #ProfoundLoreRecords #Review #Reviews #TheInfinityRing #Wovenhand
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The Infinity Ring – Ataraxia Review
By Dolphin Whisperer
The heart of heavy metal music lives in attitude, one of extreme emotions—sadness, anger, exuberance, catharsis. And in increasing trend, modern practitioners often conjure that spirit through atmosphere, which allows metal-adjacent spaces like goth rock and darkwave to strike a chord with those who typically fall for weepy music of crying guitars and mournful vocals. New England-based The Infinity Ring harbors some of these dark sounds that attract lovers of the downtrodden—twangy and folky guitar refrains, post-rock-like swells in intensity and volume—all wrapped up in a smoky and gravel-filled vocal delivery. So even though Ataraxia isn’t metal,1 despite finding home in oft-metal label Profound Lore, its sorrowful swagger threatens to stimulate the same shout and simmer all the same.
With a gothic allure and a somber, neofolk-y expression, Ataraxia carves a path down weeping corridors with a stinging chamber folk ambience and swelling post-rock trajectory. Most importantly, though, The Infinity Ring’s narrative finds the comfort of low, crackling fire on a chilly night in the gravely mic antics of band leader and guitarist Cameron Moretti. His gruff croon and low distortion twang bring to mind the noir character of Nick Cave with the patience and weathered exhale of late Leonard Cohen works. And a sense of intimacy pervades his brooding incantations, with high gain recordings providing a crackle and tickle—a comfort similar to what some find in ASMR recordings. But though the timbre and dripping legato of Moretti’s poetry may wrap like a scratchy blanket on a cold night, its words often ring more harrowing and downcast.
Whether you fall prey to Moretti’s somber lull will still fall in line with whether the stripped and screaming chamber instrumentation provides an interesting enough base. From Ataraxia’s wistful introduction of violin swirling in post-crescendo denouement (“Obsidian”) to its close through the understated swell of fragile piano guidance and drowning string ambience (“The Archway”), the focus of hazy backings and hypnotic refrains drives the primary tether. It takes until the first drum rolls of “Elysium,” about ten minutes into the album, before a sense of classic swinging movement takes hold, and even the lilting rhythmic framework sways against a post-rock guitar gathering, distant clanging bells, and bowed crescendo. And while The Infinity Ring again finds this kind of tempo-pushing jog in “The Drum,” a majority of Ataraxia exists in a chamber-adjacent space that prizes the exploration of atmosphere and texture.
Yet, for an album that exists in this compositionally softer realm, Ataraxia plays less with intense dynamics and more with a focused loudness. As a vocal-forward affair, Moretti’s reverberating croons and scowls take center stage, their higher presence sitting above the fog of acoustic plonks and muted chamber underlays. Whether it’s against the plonky lead of piano (“Nightingale,” “The Archway”), across a Wovenhand-esque strum and kick and rim clack strut (“Hymn,” “The Drum”), or amidst a looping fuzz and minimalist progression (“Revenge,” “The Window”), bassy, breath-heavy murmurings ripple and pulse and pull along these distant soundscapes. Silence as a setup, like an inhale, still finds a place in the quiet-to-calamitous post-rock aura that The Infinity Ring wears at base. But also, like breath, a natural rise and fall defines Ataraxia’s pace, its closing message of “The Archway” embodying that swift, tidal tempo.
As a journey of serene discomfort, Ataraxia walks softly bug neglects to carry that big, bombastic stick. The Infinity Ring, sticking to a diverse sonic palette to achieve its moody goals, functions as a hard-to-quantify collective of unique and thought-out sounds. Walking in a long line of attitude-based artists like Lou Reed and Tom Waits, the path that The Infinity Ring has chosen is weird, entrancing, and, above all, rich with sonic delight. So with Ataraxia, the journey is the destination. And when the mood strikes, The Infinity Ring proves a hard act to ignore.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Profound Lore Records | Bandcamp
Websites: theinfinityring.bandcamp.com | instagram.com/theinfinityring
Releases Worldwide: March 21st, 2025#2025 #35 #Ataraxia #ChamberMusic #Darkwave #GothicRock #LeonardCohen #LouReed #Mar25 #NickCave #PostRock #ProfoundLoreRecords #Review #Reviews #TheInfinityRing #Wovenhand
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The Infinity Ring – Ataraxia Review
By Dolphin Whisperer
The heart of heavy metal music lives in attitude, one of extreme emotions—sadness, anger, exuberance, catharsis. And in increasing trend, modern practitioners often conjure that spirit through atmosphere, which allows metal-adjacent spaces like goth rock and darkwave to strike a chord with those who typically fall for weepy music of crying guitars and mournful vocals. New England-based The Infinity Ring harbors some of these dark sounds that attract lovers of the downtrodden—twangy and folky guitar refrains, post-rock-like swells in intensity and volume—all wrapped up in a smoky and gravel-filled vocal delivery. So even though Ataraxia isn’t metal,1 despite finding home in oft-metal label Profound Lore, its sorrowful swagger threatens to stimulate the same shout and simmer all the same.
With a gothic allure and a somber, neofolk-y expression, Ataraxia carves a path down weeping corridors with a stinging chamber folk ambience and swelling post-rock trajectory. Most importantly, though, The Infinity Ring’s narrative finds the comfort of low, crackling fire on a chilly night in the gravely mic antics of band leader and guitarist Cameron Moretti. His gruff croon and low distortion twang bring to mind the noir character of Nick Cave with the patience and weathered exhale of late Leonard Cohen works. And a sense of intimacy pervades his brooding incantations, with high gain recordings providing a crackle and tickle—a comfort similar to what some find in ASMR recordings. But though the timbre and dripping legato of Moretti’s poetry may wrap like a scratchy blanket on a cold night, its words often ring more harrowing and downcast.
Whether you fall prey to Moretti’s somber lull will still fall in line with whether the stripped and screaming chamber instrumentation provides an interesting enough base. From Ataraxia’s wistful introduction of violin swirling in post-crescendo denouement (“Obsidian”) to its close through the understated swell of fragile piano guidance and drowning string ambience (“The Archway”), the focus of hazy backings and hypnotic refrains drives the primary tether. It takes until the first drum rolls of “Elysium,” about ten minutes into the album, before a sense of classic swinging movement takes hold, and even the lilting rhythmic framework sways against a post-rock guitar gathering, distant clanging bells, and bowed crescendo. And while The Infinity Ring again finds this kind of tempo-pushing jog in “The Drum,” a majority of Ataraxia exists in a chamber-adjacent space that prizes the exploration of atmosphere and texture.
Yet, for an album that exists in this compositionally softer realm, Ataraxia plays less with intense dynamics and more with a focused loudness. As a vocal-forward affair, Moretti’s reverberating croons and scowls take center stage, their higher presence sitting above the fog of acoustic plonks and muted chamber underlays. Whether it’s against the plonky lead of piano (“Nightingale,” “The Archway”), across a Wovenhand-esque strum and kick and rim clack strut (“Hymn,” “The Drum”), or amidst a looping fuzz and minimalist progression (“Revenge,” “The Window”), bassy, breath-heavy murmurings ripple and pulse and pull along these distant soundscapes. Silence as a setup, like an inhale, still finds a place in the quiet-to-calamitous post-rock aura that The Infinity Ring wears at base. But also, like breath, a natural rise and fall defines Ataraxia’s pace, its closing message of “The Archway” embodying that swift, tidal tempo.
As a journey of serene discomfort, Ataraxia walks softly bug neglects to carry that big, bombastic stick. The Infinity Ring, sticking to a diverse sonic palette to achieve its moody goals, functions as a hard-to-quantify collective of unique and thought-out sounds. Walking in a long line of attitude-based artists like Lou Reed and Tom Waits, the path that The Infinity Ring has chosen is weird, entrancing, and, above all, rich with sonic delight. So with Ataraxia, the journey is the destination. And when the mood strikes, The Infinity Ring proves a hard act to ignore.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Profound Lore Records | Bandcamp
Websites: theinfinityring.bandcamp.com | instagram.com/theinfinityring
Releases Worldwide: March 21st, 2025#2025 #35 #Ataraxia #ChamberMusic #Darkwave #GothicRock #LeonardCohen #LouReed #Mar25 #NickCave #PostRock #ProfoundLoreRecords #Review #Reviews #TheInfinityRing #Wovenhand
