The Music of Erich Zahn

[filigree_shadow]

Louder and louder, wilder and wilder, mounted the shrieking and whining of that desperate viol. The player was dripping with an uncanny perspiration and twisted like a monkey, always looking frantically at the curtained window. In his frenzied strains I could almost see shadowy satyrs and bacchanals dancing and whirling insanely through seething abysses of clouds and smoke and lightning. And then I thought I heard a shriller, steadier note that was not from the viol; a calm, deliberate, purposeful, mocking note from far away in the West.

A ghoulish and tortured scent, suffused with the blackness of space illimitable: ajowan, vetiver, black musk, opoponax, mimosa, and tamarind.

I was really looking forward to this one because I love opoponax, vetiver, and black musk. (I'm not entirely sure was ajowan and tamarind smell like though. Truth be told, I'm not an expert on mimosa, either.)

At first it smells mostly dark and musky with a sweet resin scent. There's a little bit of some sort of spice that starts to come out on drying, but that doesn't make it smell hot or like there's something burning, which I was a little afraid might happen. I think these are the most understated spices I've ever smelled in a blend. Also the scent seems like it's on the verge of becoming powdery but it never actually gets there.

The spicy factor in this is very gentle, almost foody, and that's combined with the sweet and almost powdery resin over the dark and smoky vetiver. All that together equals EXACTLY the kind of scent that I love. This is really, really good. Just what I was hoping for. YAY! I love it!

[UltraViolet]

 

In the bottle

I smell what's almost a leather scent. A subtle mens cologne fragrance but medium-light in strength.

On

This smells like a bitter musk. Mimosa is one of my favorite flowers with their fuzzy purple blooms but I dont' smell Mimosa yet.

30 minutes

The mimosa floral is now subtle, underneath the smokiness and bitterness of the opoponax and vetiver.

Throw:

No

Scent category:

Incense/Floral

Summary

Even with the hated Vetiver, this is nice blend. It gets softer the more it dries. It's not my fave however.

Purchase again?

No

1-5 rating (5 being best)

3.5

[zenvodunista]

In the bottle this reminds me of some of the ambergris blends I've smelled. The black musk is very strong. I could not smell the vertiver.

 

On, sadly, my skin seems to revolt for a bit and it's all powerful musk that isn't happy with me -- but hten it settles down into a structured oriental/spice scent. The tamarind and mimosa sweeten up the blend, while soft and powdery resins come to the forefront, that are almost reminiscent of cocoa. Dark like cocoa, and a combination of bitter and sweet.

 

I'll be trying this again. It's very complex and mysterious.

 

n.

[t_for_tau]

Okay, unlike Azathoth, this *does* smell of saffron. *mystified* My girlfriend makes a thai prawn dish with lots of saffron, coconut milk and lemongrass, and it smells like this. I can't smell the vetiver, but maybe that's because I'm still reeling from Azathoth yelling VETIVER at me so very loudly. It's foody and spicy and warm, and with a sweet note that doesn't make it sugary or flowery or girly. I was worried about the mimosa & opoponax, but they're behaving themselves - beldning rather than going sickly. I'm wondering if the saffron smell is the tamarind?

 

I'm going to have to go and find somem food before I start eating my own shoulder, which is where I'm testing this.

 

This. Is. Awesome.

[themerrybaker]

There are a number of components (ajowan?) I'm not so familiar with in Erich Zahn.

 

Taken as a whole this composition is sweet, powdery, and dark with the sweetness playing off the non-existant saffron.

 

EZ is interesting and unusual - glad I got to try it.

[sarada]

Two ingredients in this jumped out at me as familiar from my Indian cookbooks and my own kitchen...ajowan (ajwain) and tamarind. I can't imagine them in concert with the other notes though -- my beloved vetiver (yes, I'm the one that loves it), gorgeous black musk and resiny opoponax. Mimosa really throws me off, I don't exactly know what it smells like.

 

Didn't sound like a definite bottle-candidate but I just got a sniff and this is one hell of a confusing scent. I like it though! At first it transports me into an Indian grocery store -- specifically the aisle with all the bags of herbs and spices. I get the strangely sweet-sour tamarind and the sharp spike of ajowan, which together I'd described as sort of "vaguely foody, but in a savory, Indian food sort of way". In the bottle, though, like many delicious things, a little goes a long way and I'm not sure I like it. On my skin it's immediately black musk...the kind in Haunted. That "Haunted" feeling sticks around for awhile. Instead of being backed by amber though, it's the vetiver/opoponax providing the warmth.

 

After going through a strange, almost citrusy phase, it simmers down into yet another transformation. It definitely makes me think of cooking Indian food, I'd swear I smell cumin. Then it shifts back to the sweet Haunted-like sinuous musk and ambery resins with that residue of faintly foody (even grainy?) spicy-sweet herbs on top.

 

I have no idea what I think of this! I'm halfway between thinking that it doesn't really work, and thinking that it's a revelation. It's definitely unique in the BPALverse in my experience and I think it deserves to be tried and tried again until I figure out what I think of it!

[sookster]

straight sniff from the imp is super sweet, thick, dark incense...lots of vetiver

in this one...

 

once applied it gets very, very sweet...almost and orange and vanilla creamsicle

quality...

 

after 15 to 30 minutes it pretty much stays the same...very sweet; like violet incense...interesting indeed...i will cherish this imp and wear it when i am feeling in the darkest of moods

[aquazoo]

Dusty armpit. Nope, not pleasant in the least on me.

[Gale]

This so interesting!

 

Wet: Dark, bitter, and fruity--if that makes sense.

 

Dry: There's still the darkness, bitterness, and frutiness, but rounded out--almost creamy, foody but not so--and there was a scent that, after reading the previous reviews I realized was indeed saffron. Now saffron usually hijacks anything I'm wearing, but here it behaves. I really like it! A mix of bitter and sweet, dark and light. I can't describe it except in contradictions.

 

I could definitely see getting a bottle in the future!

 

ETA: The future being today...

Edited October 24, 2006 by Gale

[The_Witching_Hour]

This is indeed interesting....

 

In the bottle: A bitter note I'm not sure what it is though, is at the top of the blend

 

Initial 30 minutes: If bitterness could somehow be described as 'creamy' that's how I would describe this scent. It has a very strong presence and as much as I like scents that stand up for themselves I'm not sure I can reasonably pull this one off!

 

Drydown: There has been something in this blend that has had me from the get-go wondering, "What is that note or fragrance blend that I keep smelling that's familiar?!" Indeed....someone made a connection earlier on in the thread about an Indian recipe book and it finally donned on me that this reminds me of being at one of the best Indian restuarants in town when they have the best spread put out for buffet selection. There's always a mingling of notes that together draws me to a certain part of the table but I never can put my finger on WHICH dish is appealing to my nose!! Needless to say, I usually walk away frustrated.

 

A very intriquing blend. I'm not sure I like smelling like the 'dish' I can never find at that fabulous restuarant but it sure was an appealing idea!!

[Heavenlyrabbit]

An exotic sweet/sour tamarind perfume. The vetiver is very well behaved and does keep this in the unisex/slightly masculine range. Mimosa can be a tricky, overwhelming floral but here it also restrains itself.

 

The musk and resins work well with my chemistry and make for a deep, long lasting scent.

 

Just between us, tamarind is one of my "secret ingredients" in cooking.

 

Layer this with something like Creepy and you have heaven.

Edited October 25, 2006 by Heavenlyrabbit

[slave1]

THE MUSIC OF ERICH ZAHN

 

In Bottle: Vetiver and dirt

 

On Skin: Eeek! This scent is very earthy and dirty on me, I blame the vetiver since it stands out right away. I also smell the black musk which I like, but it really is overshadowed by the vetiver. This scent is very powdery and has a very spicy… from the tamarind I think… and dark feel. The ajowan is very herbal and the mimosa adds to the planty earthy notes. The opoponax starts to come out, yay! Sweet and resinous it’s helps balance the scent. All in all, a very dark smoky, earthy and spicy scent. Sadly, not really my thing. Average to strong throw, avergae wearlength.

[Little Bird]

This is like a cross between Oblivion and Hurricane (two of my favorites). This is earthy, but without smelling like dirt. The vetiver goes sweet and just a tad powdery on me. And there's a fruity sort of sweetness that reminds me of berries and lime.

 

The Music is earthy, but more of a powdery-sweet incense way than a soil smell. Sweet and pleasant. I dunno if I'll ever end up with a full size of this one, because I already have big bottles of Oblivion and Hurricane... but I like these sort of blends.

[Emma2403]

Okay, I have no idea what ajowan and tamarind smell like. And to be honest, I'm not all too familiar with opoponax either.

 

In the bottle: lots of musk, something a little bit sweet that could be mimosa and a hint of dirt.

 

On my skin: sweet incense and still musk. It's much more complicated than this... at times, I get pencil shavings, at times I get... mmm... something that makes me think of a sweaty armpit.

And for any reason, I still don't get the urge to wash it off.

 

After a while: okay, it really gets more and more nauseating by the minute. It's still muskey but there are loads of other things I cannot recognize... something a bit almondish. Plus the dreaded vetiver is finally back with a vengeance.

 

Verdict: obviously not for me, but still an interesting scent. Very earthy, so if it's your style, go ahead!

[Athena's Owl]

I'm on a regular reviewing spree tonight....

 

imp:

 

oh, THERE we go. that's beautiful. fresh and clear undercut with the earthy beauty of vetiver. a thin note of greenery, a touch of spice, something reminding me of salt-lick skin.

 

wet:

 

funny I should mention salt. because this is vetiver and the sea, and it's making my toes curl. and skin scent, oh my yes. I'm swooning. it's gorgeous. it totally hits my weird taste in perfume buttons. a few minutes later it's all that and a sweetness I can't describe. I just want to lick myself. I want to brace me against the wall and shag myself silly, if that were possible. I could bathe in it. I want a vat. this has been the BIG WINNER of my bpal haul so far. and my personal taste in perfume is so alien and so un-girl.

 

This is a catalogue scent. I weep for joy.

 

dry:

 

I can't tell you about what it smells like 20 minutes later. I can't stop sniffing myself. zowie. I love this a lot and so much.

 

I got some on my lip when it was still in the wet stage, and it tastes awful.

[theseagrows]

hm this is interesting...i'm not even sure how i feel about it. it's warm and smoky and a bit earthy. it smells dark and really familiar to me. i can't really pick out scents, but this is the second scent containing vetiver to work on me, in a week! all previous scents i tried with it, (which wasn't many admittedly) did not do well at all.

[supremegoddessofall]

Really strange. It smells kind of moldy and definitely musky. There's a bit of an anise feel here as well, which I think is the tamarind. Not really for me.

[Miss Lynx]

Hmm, this is really interesting and evocative. It's definitely got some intriguingly clashing, chaotic notes, but in a (mostly) good way. There's a fruity sweetness in it that I guess must be the tamarind. The black musk is definitely there, but as a subtle underlying warmth and darkness the way it is in Bewitched and Lampades. The earthiness of the vetiver helps ground it, but doesn't dominate it the way it sometimes can. And there's a sort of herbal sharpness to it, and an incensey element that I suppose must be the opoponax.

 

As it develops, there's an almost floral sweetness that comes up -- mimosa maybe? -- which gives it an interesting gender-bending quality. It's got a heaviness that's suggestive of men's scents, but with this soaring sweetness overtop of it that's much more feminine. It's not even exactly gender-neutral in the usual sense - it's more like it's shouting masculine and feminine at the same time. And shouting it is -0 this is quite a strong scent, with a lot of throw. I found myself wishing I'd applied it a bit more sparingly...

 

Over time, it morphs and shifts all kinds of different ways -- it's kind of liking riding an olfactory roller coaster. And that seems highly appropriate for the music it's named for. The eventual drydown is earthy, musky and heavy, but not as loud or obtrusive as its earlier stages, or too conventionally masculine for me to want it on my skin.

 

Ultimately, I don't think it's something I'll wear much, but I'm glad to have tried it -- it's definitely an adventure in a bottle.

 

Grade: B

[birdiefu]

When I first tried this on, I had forgotten what the listed notes were. Initially it was sweet yet musty at the same time, and an odd familiar scent predominated. It made me think of almonds, but not as marzipany, but has a distinct nuttiness to it- hazelnut? Sniffing deeply, there are some light oriental spices in the background and I get that saffron flavor, too. The opoponax is barely noticeable, and the vetiver just gives that touch of mustyness. The bulk of the scent is still nutty/musty, not quite what I was expecting but I'll probably keep the imp.

[The_Merf]

In the imp: I don't know what ajowan smells like, but I can pick up on the vetiver and the black musk. I have to hope that the black musk isn't really strong in this one.

 

Wet: I smell the dirt of the vetiver, but none of the oppoponax. It's a very earthy blend, none of the mimosa or anything like that.

 

Drydown and wear: This ends up being a meh black musk and vetiver mix on my skin. I know all the notes except ajowan, and there's nothing that smells too weird here, so I guess it is not strong on my skin.

[1demondog]

Dusty armpit. Nope, not pleasant in the least on me.

 

 

My sense of smell is generally not good enough to detect subtle nuances in scent so I don't generally post reviews but I must agree with aquazoo on this one except I am getting "sweaty armpit" instead of dusty.

 

I am not sure what the note is that smell like this but I wish I did so I could avoid it at all costs.

[euterpe414]

oh yes yes yes yes YES!

 

er, excuse me. I am a little more than overjoyed with this scent.

 

Being the vetiver fan that I am, I find this to be a very unique vetiver scent. I attribute this to the presence of the tamarind, which i can very much detect (it's all those tamarind drinks that I consumed at taco stands in LA, I think). The combionation of the two along with the other resins gives this scent a sweet and sour sort of 'tang'. Don't worry, though; to me it is not a sour like sour milk, it's more of just a slight bite, or something.

 

Overall, the Music of Erich Zahn is a golden, luminous earthy blend. Unique and compelling, and one I will treasure. I am so glad I snagged a bottle unsniffed!

 

Thank you Beth, for such a great blend!!!

[edenssixthday]

The Music of Erich Zahn - I was really excited to try this one because it has tamarind in it, and I love tamarind, but don’t think I’ve ever smelled it in a perfume. When I apply it, the very first note I detect is the ajowan – very pungent and herbal, blended with the opoponax, a heavy and bitter scent. Almost immediately, I note the vetiver, but rather than being dark and gritty as it usually is, it is sweetened by something warm and almost honey-like, although not as uber-sweet as honey. Looking at the ingredient list, I think that may be the tamarind, because I can’t figure out what else it would be – perhaps the tamarind and black musk working together to warm and soften the vetiver. As this blend warms up on my skin, the soft, sweet scent of mimosa blossoms lifts the scent, giving it an almost creamy and feminine quality that it didn’t have before. The vetiver and tamarind remain the most dominant notes in this blend with the opoponax, mimosa and black musk as supporting notes. After the initial opening blast of the thyme-like ajowan scent, it completely disappears. I think this would be a great scent for vetiver lovers. It’s gorgeous, very unique, and distinct. It’s not what I’d call a pretty scent – it’s more raw and earthy, yet it has a feminine sexiness about it that I just adore. The sillage is moderate, but the staying power is very, very strong.

[PurringPulsar]

The Music of Erich Zahn

 

In the imp: dark, pungent vetiver and tamarind, like Nephilim, but with sweetness and spice.

Wet on skin: this smells like a kind of sweet chocolate-nutty thing! I know, that’s crazy but that’s what I’m smelling here!

Dry: chocolate nougat! I’m very puzzled but pleasantly surprised. This smells like an exotic yet sinister version of nougat. It smells like nuts (pistachios and almonds especially, though this smells nothing like bitter almond) mixed with dried fruits, chocolate, sugar and vanilla and topped with spices, This has the ‘nutty’ vetiver which tends to have sweet, chocolate like nuances to it, with the darkly sweet black musk and the gorgeous opoponax it makes it even more like some kind of dark, chewy, edible concoction. There’s a touch of spice, thanks to what could be ajowan, a hint of pale mimosa, and the tamarind isn’t going odd on me.

After a while: the dark, nutty, smoky vetiver (it’s one of the vets that sticks for ages but it’s sweet incense-chocolate scent is very nice!) and the wonderful combination of sweet black musk and opoponax are now the dominant notes. The ajowan is still going strong-it smells like a cross between saffron and cardamom.

The drydown is predominantly black musk and vetiver, a deep, dark, swirling mix with deceptive sweetness to it and a hint of tamarind.

Verdict: this smells like evil dessert. And I mean that in a good way. The best way I can describe it is almost like baklava and other Middle Eastern and Indian sweets meets nougat meets Italian panforte meets Christmas cake with a hint of cocoa and vanilla. This is then set at the altar of some underworld deity in an underground temple, and you can smell the remains of the dark, earthy incense lingering from past macabre rituals. The musk and vetiver are the stars of the scent, with opoponax and newcomer ajowan playing fantastic supporting roles. The vetiver is strong but has a nutty, sweetly dark scent to it which I really like, and ajowan and tamarind add a lovely, exotic spiciness to it. The scent moves between sweet, spicy, dark, earthy and musky phases continuously. I like this so much more than I expected I would-it’s not one I’d get a bottle of but I’m keeping the imp.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? Yes, for the imp.

If you like this, try: Nephilim, Satan and Death with Sin Intervening, Typhon, Djinn, Czernobog, Oblivion

Edited December 13, 2006 by yeahbutnobut

[Voleuse]

On first sniff, the vetiver is obvious on this, mixing with the musk to create a dark and thick cloud. It's sweet and earthy and almost overwhelming. After a while, the murk clears a little, allowing the sweeter notes to sing. There's an incense note to this, but it's more smoke than resin. There's a bit of spice as well, but it's never a lot, and it's overshadowed by an odd papery note. I wasn't sure what to expect of this blend, but I like it.