AMPWALL
Ed Herbers
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Artwork by
Ed Herbers
Ed Herbers

Tartarus

Ed Herbers

October 1st, 2025
11 tracks
46:24
Tartarus
Tartarus
Final Approach
0:00
5:24
1
Final Approach
Ed Herbers
The scavenger crew slowly maneuvers their ship into position to dock with the abandoned freighter, Tartarus.
5:24
2
Promise & Peril
Ed Herbers
The crew enters the freighter, Tartarus, and begins to explore its darkened interior. There's a sense of excitement at the prospect of possible riches to be discovered, but also a sense of unease at the ship's mysterious condition. Why was it abandoned? Where is the crew?
4:26
3
Anomaly Detected
Ed Herbers
During their search, the scavengers suddenly discover the fate of the ship's crew: a pile of mangled remains strewn across a corridor, with clear signs of a struggle--panels have been torn from the walls and several crates of machine parts are spilled out onto the floor. Wretching at the sight, they decide it's not worth sticking around to find out what was responsible for this horror.
3:13
4
It Cannot Be Contained
Ed Herbers
Rushing back toward the ship's docking bay, they turn a corner and come face-to-face with an immense alien creature. It's not clear if it is organic or machine, but it's absolutely evident that this thing is going to tear them apart!
2:23
5
No One Is Going To Save Us
Ed Herbers
In a blind panic, the scavengers tear back through the ship with the creature in close pursuit. They manage to lose it in the maze of corridors and passages, but have also become disoriented as to where they are. Without weapons or a sense of direction, the Tartarus begins to feel like a tomb.
4:18
6
Distress Signal
Ed Herbers
They manage to find the ship's communications command center and activate its distress signal. The scavenger crew taps out a frantic call for assistance, pleading anyone who can hear it to come to their aid.
3:55
7
No Response
Ed Herbers
Considering the ship's remote location, no one responds to the distress signal. A feeling of despair begins to set in.
4:02
8
Insomnia
Ed Herbers
Hours pass. The crew remains sequestered in the communications room. It is dark. They have limited food and water (only the small amount they brought aboard), and those resources are starting to run out. Exhausted but too frightened to sleep, they try to come up with a plan to escape.
3:58
9
Calculated Risk
Ed Herbers
The crew devises a plan. They split into two parties (believing the creature can't possibly kill them all if they separate), and begin making their way silently through the ship. Unfortunately, things don't quite go as planned...
5:42
10
A Way Out
Ed Herbers
One party makes a wrong turn and is promptly eviscerated by the creature. The remaining crew can hear their screams, but doesn't look back--it's too late to help them. They make it to their ship and quickly prepare to depart, just as the creature bursts into the landing bay. Reverse thrusters! Let's get out of here!
5:08
11
Entropy
Ed Herbers
The surviving crew are grateful to have made it out alive. As they speed away from the freighter, they fail to take notice of the enormous fleet of alien craft closing in around them. The distress signal appears to have drawn some attention after all...
3:55

Videos

A group of space-faring scavengers are navigating a remote region of the galaxy when the ship’s sensors alert them to an unidentified object looming in the distance.

“Sensors detect a massive freighter up ahead. Looks like it was powered down and abandoned out here. Its callsign is coming through as “Tartarus,” but there’s no other data available (manifest, origin, destination). I’m sure we could salvage some useful scrap from it—let’s dock and check it out.

Although the ghost ship appears to be empty, the crew quickly discovers that they’re not alone…and a simple salvage mission becomes a desperate fight for survival.

Inspired by media like Dead Space and Alien, Tartarus is an atmospheric and immersive dark ambient, sci-fi horror/suspense experience. Downloads of the album include a PDF version of the story visuals.

Credits

All songs produced and mixed by Ed Herbers.

Mastered by Exit Chamber

Album artwork by Ed Herbers, adapted from a costume piece created by Sam Herbers.

Big thanks to Adventsong for suggesting the album title

Several pieces from this album previously appeared in other contexts:
- "Promise & Peril” and “Insomnia” were released as singles in early 2023. At the time, I had no plans to use them on anything else, but as Tartarus started to take shape, I realized both of these tracks were perfect for it.
- “No One Is Going To Save Us” previously appeared on the “Passed Away” compilation, from Passed Recordings, in 2022
- “Entropy” previously appeared on “Heavy for the Hollers” a compilation benefiting hurricane relief efforts in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.

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