There’s something so special about bringing the past into the light, like discovering an old letter, a cherished, but temporarily forgotten object, or (as it would happen in this case) a buried recording. Hailing from Detmold, Germany, Ian Leding has resurfaced his track ‘Leviathan’, originally written in 1991 during a time of immense sonic transitions in the music world. As you’ll discover, the track is like a snapshot of the early days of German gothic rock in all its instinctive and raw beauty.
From the very start, ‘Leviathan’ breathes with waves of atmospheric reverb, echoing a spectral memory of time long gone. Leding‘s voice flows into the dirge, his tones are low and languid, adding to the desolate soundscape. The song steadily progresses; every beat like a tolling bell; every chord a distant groan.
Although a remnant of the ’90s, we can’t help but draw parallels to modern Belarusian trio Molchat Doma known for conjuring up their own Soviet-esque gloom. While ‘Leviathan’ has an element of coldwave minimalism, there’s a looser, more organic thread that gives Leding‘s sound a certain malleability.
Ultimately, this track is a bridge between 1991’s romantic decay and today’s brooding introspection. A dark hymn that’ll work your way into your mind first, and then your soul.
You can listen to ‘Leviathan’ in our Indie Rockers playlist.
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