"quiet and pulsing, mara’s torment lays out soundscapes perfect for a dream. nearly minimal in nature, these dreamscapes tinkle with subtle brilliance much stars in the night sky. when you lie down on the ground at night, out in the country and away from city lights and sounds, you can see an infinite number of stars if the night is clear enough. there’s something about lying there like that, feeling so small and alone in the vast darkness above. but there remains a sense of wonder, of how big it all is. put on some headphones, close your eyes, and listen to the barrier of skin, it will inspire those same sensations." - Laura B./Sublevel 203 "pleasing soundscapes aren't absent from this release. They just find themselves tucked in between songs with a fuller structure, which really stand out as the highlights of the album. Songs like "The Last Veil" have a dreamlike atmosphere, with no rhythm or melody restricting them. Flowing, symphonic/electronic sounds trickle through the air, hypnotically embracing the listener." - Scott Mallonee/ Revolt "the latest release from Toronto’s Rik MacLean is a decided move out of the chilled blackness of Across For Show into warmer, enveloping realms of sound. The Barrier Of Skin is almost sensual in it’s textures; from the unfolding delicacy of Dreams Of Insects and the lovingly caressing Maybe Not, the album moves through different realms of encompassing emotions. Dreamlike flickering scatters across The Eyes Of Fairuza Balk, murmuring peril infuses An Unfortunate Error and heavenward movements swirl within Andromeda. There is a fabulously spectral aspect to the title track, giving the name The Barrier Of Skin an inference of the spirit, or a ghost, being irreversibly separated from the body; a marked sadness and sense of loss pervades throughout the piece." - Phosphor/ Electroage "this ambient project goes well beyond the scope of many out there. As many dark themed ambient artists can tend to be dull and boring, Rik strays away by creating an album of tranquil beauty that a lot of the big name ambient artists out there are still trying to grasp." - Sparrow/ The Seventh Circle "his latest release is another step into the soundscape of Rik's brain. Electronic ambience pulled off with a more minimalist style, the music of Mara's Torment will sit just behind your field of vision and wrap its emotional strains around you from there. It will never shake you and provide a billowy environment for your psyche to come out and play. And how often does that happen? When was the last time you've sat back and peeled back the bricks and mortar of your defenses and let your soul skip around in its birthday suit, eh?" - Marcus Pan/ Legends Magazine "have you ever been overwhelmed by subtlety? The Barrier of Skin has that effect; (for the most part) its strength lies in its restraint, presenting delicate yet powerful electronic movements." - David J Opdyke/ The AmbiEntrance "the artistry that is most evident with this release is all the characters who come to life just from the creation of melody and harmony. Maras Torment continues to challenge the listener to view their mental landscapes to find that total essence of their soul while providing a whole new approach to the sound spectrum." - Mike Ventarola/ Starvox