Ars Onirica - 2.5 Nighttime EP [Melodic Doom Death on Ardua]
- EMSU Media
- Oct 14
- 2 min read
Ars Onirica - 2.5 Nighttime EP
Melodic Doom Death
ARS ONIRICA – 2.5 NIGHTTIME EP
LABEL: ARDUA MUSIC
RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 24th 2025
As the sky shifts through its kaleidoscope of colours, gradually slipping into darker hues and the stars emerge from hiding, a dusting of distant diamonds across the velvet canopy, I sink down into the welcoming arms of sleep. I cross the bridge of dreams beneath the watching eyes of the moon and a journey, forgotten in daylight hours, begins anew…
Briefly existing as a full band in the early 2000s, producing one demo, Utopia: A Winternight’s Traveller in 2004, Ars Onirica was reborn as the solo project of Alessandro Sforza in 2018. Two superbly crafted albums of melodic doom/death – I: Cold and II: Lost – have established Ars Onirica as a name synonymous with imaginative, enthralling music and now the next chapter in this story of enchantment and revelation is about to begin. Despite, as its title suggests, being an interlude between albums, 2.5 Nighttime is a sublime work, rich in wonders and overflowing with magic, that is destined to become a treasured part of Ars Onirica’s unfolding discography. Opening track, ‘Dusk (An Ode To The Stars)’ entwines gently emotive vocals and guitars like whispered incantations to transport the listener to the deeply dreaming world of Ars Onirica, opening the gateway to the remarkable three part title track which forms the heart of this EP. ‘Nighttime Part I’ blossoms around you, all enveloping and lifts you, weightless, to the stars before the momentous weight and power of ‘Nighttime Part II (Your Silence Around Me) is unveiled. With vast chords and cascading notes leading into fiercely emotive harsh vocals alongside quiet, yet equally compelling clean vocals, the dream walks the boundaries between light and dark. ‘…Part III’ brings a sense of urgency and an almost blackened aura, but always juxtaposed with the warmth and beauty that run through this EP like unifying threads of gold. The contrasts and dynamics are stunning, yet smoothly blended, the shifts of scene as perfect as the changing scenarios of a dream. And finally, ‘Dawn’ provides a sweetly languorous awakening, the experiences of the hours of darkness drifting apart like gossamer threads as the sun rises, delivering a perfectly formed sense of conclusion and completeness. 2.5 Nighttime is a remarkable, immersive creation to be savoured and experienced again and again.
Recorded, mixed and mastered at Blue Ocean Recording Studio by Alessandro Sforza in partnership with Lorenzo Carlini of Black Therapy and Invernoir, who also worked on I:Cold and II: Lost, every nuance of 2.5 Nighttime’s layered and textured compositions can be fully appreciated. And with Disturbing Grace Design supplying one of those rare pieces of cover art that perfectly captures the spirit and soul of the music within, every contributing element has combined to make this release something truly special. Ardua Music will unveil 2.5 Nighttime on October 24th and the dream will begin once more.
Line-up:
Alessandro Sforza – All music and vocals
Genre: Melodic Doom/Death Metal
For fans of: Anathema | The Gathering | Tiamat | Ghostheart Nebula
Further Information:
“...the kind of Doom that settles into your soul...”
– METAL TEMPLE
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