review: Above Aurora

Above Aurora

The Shrine of Deterioration

Pagan Records

6 June 2020

Above Aurora's black metal is a monochromatic, monolithic, circular type of sound, as if the band seeks to impress upon the listener a sense of contemplative but spiraling simplicity. Although there are slow segments, this is not a slow-music band, and blasting/speed is found throughout. The music is not riff-based, not in the sense of power chord, hard-driving, metal/rock/thrashing guitars. It is a repetitive style of guitar that subtlety, almost unnoticeably changes as it goes along, often with tremolo picking, and that avoids outright melody while emphasizing a low-key, cold catchiness. The vocals are not aggressive, not angry nor screechy. Instead it is a low, gruff voice that is pushed back, so as not to become the centerpiece or not to steal the thunder of the music. The vocals are there, present and good, not distracting but proportionate to the overall goal of grey, foggy heaviness. Speaking of heaviness, you might be interested to know that the bass guitar is very audible and it gives the recording a big bottom end, a quiet, thumping, low rumbling, and soothing feeling, even though there is abundant extreme metal speed. This album is probably too aloof, too post-black metal or even too incomprehensible for some casual extreme metal audiences, but fans who do keep up with some of the most recent black metal may discover a gem in this band. On the other hand, if you are interested in not-so-linear forms of black metal, this album may be a good place for a more challenging listen. It is not experimental music, but it does require some patience.