EP Review: hororhaus "evocation" (transmigration records imprint) by Dave Wolff

Project: hororhaus

Location: Woodstock, New York

Country: USA

Genre: Blackened hauntwave

EP: evocation

Format: Digital album, compact disc (limited to 50 copies)

Label: transmigration records imprint

Release date: March 5, 2021

“evocation” is the second EP from this one-man project, now described as blackened hauntwave by founding member Scott Harris. Following his July 2020 debut “entrance”, it again evokes haunted attractions and horror classics with shades of supernatural horror movies like “The Exorcist” and “Suspiria” for additional effect. This EP is a seven-part Pink-Floyd-meets-King-Diamond tale of a nameless soul who feels compelled to contact entities on the other side through an Ouija board. She does this on her own, without a medium or other participants. Once whatever she contacts takes hold of her mind and soul, they tell her of a mysterious grimoire by which she will achieve power in this world and beyond, under the condition they take exclusive possession of her. Her desires become an obsession as she becomes increasingly isolated until… you’ll have to read the lyrics to find out what happens in the end. With the proper parties involved this would work as a horror film or miniseries, or at the least an internet horror movie or a DIY independent feature like those sold by local companies at fan run conventions. Any medium would work. and if this EP was added as a kind of soundtrack it would likely be a slick feature like “Friend Request” or “#Horror”. There is also the potential for original ideas to be shown in the scriptwriting and cinematography, and with more fan movies being made for Youtube and other networks this is a distinct possibility to launch a career if done the right way. The instrumentation and atmosphere Harris brings to the EP provides some chilling effects in this regard, especially the conclusion of the story which is more or less guaranteed to raise the hair on your arms even if you’ve listened to goth, darkwave, funeral doom or ambient for a long time. “evocation” brings back that old popcorn horror complete with slow build-up and penetrating scares that give you nightmares for days on end. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Scott Harris: Music, lyrics, vocals, programming

Track list:

1. Conjuring

2. Ouija

3. Grimoire

4. Possession

5. Trancendence

6. Deathhaunt

7. Aftermath