The 90's brought some innovations into Metal musical formats, and success to younger Metal subgenres that arose in the last years of the 80's as well. On one hand, Industrial Rock finally took shape and arose in the end of the 80's, based on the efforts of acts as MINISTRY, NINE INCH NAILS, KILLING JOKE (the pioneer of Industrial Rock), GODFLESH and others; on other hand, Dark Ambient Music is a label created by Roger Karmanik (the owner of the long gone Swedish label Cold Meat Industry Record) to describe bands that created a somber set of darker musical ambiences as AGHAST, RAISON D'ÊTRE, MORTIIS, PAZUZU and many others. Obviously the mix between the two genres was a matter of time, as it happened in the 90's, and one pioneer of it is the Swedish trio ARDITI, as can be heard on their 8^th album, "Emblem of Victory".

The band's music is based on a set of darker and oppressive Industrial/Dark Ambient atmospheric contrasts, and it's not easy to hear the traditional musical instruments of Metal (namely, guitars and bass guitars) on this album, for the songs are based on keyboards, synths and programmed effects, creating a war/martial feeling on the ones who hear to it. Of course it's not an easy album to be swallowed by the non-used fans, but for those into acts as the ones named above, it'll be a very good experience. As expected, an album of such genre demands a defined sonority, because the elements need to be heard clearly to create the right hypnotic feeling, And the band got it in a very good form, as no one will have difficulties to understand what's being expressed. But be prepared: the sound quality reinforces the dark and oppressive appeal of the trio's music.

Again: for the ones that aren't experienced on such form of music, "Emblem of Victory" isn't an easy album to be heard and understood at the first hearing, and it can take a time for it. But for the ones that are into such musical genre, and for the band's fans, no one can deny the appeal shown on songs as "Emblem of Victory", "Gloria Victis" (this one really evokes a war/martial feeling, especially due the war drums and vocals), the nightmare made music called "Words Made of Stone" (a maelstrom of Industrial/Darkwave ambiences), "60 Thousand Dreams" (fine contrasts of ambiences can be heard on this one), "Wreath of Oak Leaves" (this one has a set of deep and melancholic hooks on its orchestrations and effects), and "Ausmarsch".

It's obvious that extreme Metal fans and others that are used to traditional forms must keep distance of "Emblem of Victory". But for all those that aren't so radical, the work of ARDITI can be a fine chance of trying their musical tastes.