Witness the Genesis of Randal Collier-Ford with Thaumaturgy

Just in time for the October season, Randal Collier-Ford is back with a collection of remastered ambience celebrating ten years in the cinematic soundscapes. These assembled tracks have been curated by the composer himself and presented in full ephemeral radiance, showcasing Ford’s artistry and the evolution of his style and thought processes. 

RCF’s previous album, Advent, still stands as one of my personal favorite releases on the Cryo Chamber label - a perfect example of aesthetic and mood, and Thaumaturgy has the same energy, albeit with seemingly more cosmic feel and flourish. Not based on any one single story idea, the tracks on this album are a grand gesture, a sweeping of the arm to draw attention to a vast universe of dark wonders and of dread miracles. Chill winds and resonant low end drones permeate this album; tracks such as the second, Citizens, calls forth familiarity with compositions in the Alien franchise, woodwind pipe motifs reminiscent of the film Prometheus, the mood then transitioning to a more subdued ambience, while a chorus of monks invoke a dire mystique in the following track, The Ninth Plague of Exodus, their singing permeating the darkness of the plague from it garners its name.

As mentioned before, this is a showcase of the many faces and styles of Ford, evidenced by the song, Trionfo Della Morte, which introduces an unsettling atmosphere of grinding metal, a percussive rhythm hearkening to a more industrial style of composition. 

Fans of Randal Collier-Ford will no doubt appreciate this album as a showcase and celebration of the man’s art, and newcomers to his compositions will find plenty to whet their appetites while they continue to delve into the depths of this soundscape genre. You can purchase Thaumaturgy, as well as other albums by Randal Collier-Ford in CD Digipak and digital format on the Cryo Chamber Bandcamp page.