Band:	Harvestman
Album:	Triptych: Part Three
Style:	Space ambient, Psychedelic rock
Release date:	October 17, 2024
A review by:	F3ynman

01. Clouds Are Relatives
02. Snow Spirits
03. Eye The Unconquered Flame
04. Clouds Are Relatives (The Bug - 'Amtrak Dub Mix')
05. The Absolute Nature Of Light
06. Herne's Oak
07. Cumha Uisdein (Lament For Hugh)

These ruins are getting real old real fast.

The minimalistic nature of ambient music naturally provides a limited amount of material to describe as a reviewer. However, the sensations and emotions associated with or evoked by the aural atmosphere can still offer lots to talk about, as I hopefully managed to demonstrate in my review of Harvestman’s Triptych: Part One. The sequel, Triptych: Part Two, enabled direct comparisons to Part One, and, indeed, there turned out to be far more similarities than differences. Part Three continues this trend in a rather unfortunate manner.

Ideally, a trilogy should present some notable, identifiable cohesion, showing that all three elements are part of a greater whole. The Triptych trilogy succeeds in this, showcasing recurring musical themes such as beginning with bass-work from Om’s Al Cisneros and ending with John Goff's traditional bagpipe playing on every album. Yet, a trilogy should also demonstrate some significant progression that distinguishes each part from the other and creates a meaningful journey overall. The Triptych trilogy fails utterly in this regard.

When judging Part Three separately as a standalone release, I'd say that Harvestman successfully crafts a very enjoyable, soothing ambience that is characterized by the subtle bass playing, mezmerizing synths, and ominous, echoing narration. However, in the context of a trilogy of albums, it is very disappointing that Steve Von Till decided not to explore any new avenues or develop the trajectory of his music on this concluding installment in some way. Instead, like the similar cover artworks and titles suggest, the music on Part Three sounds like a shameless and lazy copy-and-paste of Part One and Part Two.

The question arises, why did Harvestman choose to make a trilogy in the first place, if they had no evolution or differentiation in mind? What is the point in releasing three minimum variations of the same thing?

Listening to the trilogy in chronological order, I'm naturally biased in saying that Part One is the best version by far. After all, if I had started with Part Three or Part Two, I might have a different preference, as the albums are practically interchangeable. As a result, there's nothing for me to recommend on Part Three that wasn't already achieved on Part One.

Harvestman’s Triptych should be experienced by every ambient metal fan. But there is no point in experiencing the same thing multiple times by listening to, let alone purchasing, three separate parts. One album suffices. For those listeners who haven't heard the previous two Triptych albums and enjoy the ambient genre, Part Three will certainly offer a pleasant experience. But, those familiar with Harvestman’s previous works should definitely skip this one and listen to Part One instead.