I have to admit that the older I get the more I like
death metal musically but the more disappointed I
get with it lyrically. If you have nothing better
to say than “screw God,” “love the
devil,” hail satan” then you’re
wasting my time (and yours) no matter how good you
are. Such is the case with the Metal Blade Records
debut for Aeon, who is riding the critically acclaimed
wave that their debut album (on Unique Leader records)
created.
Musically this is one of the most technically proficient
bands to come along since Dimmu Borgir. These guys
are really excellent at what they do, and, better
yet, are excellent at keeping your attention throughout
a full length song. The riffs here on songs like “Living
in Sin,” “Spreading Their Disease,”
and “When the War Comes” are brutal and
impressive while even, dare I say, quite a bit catchy.
Opening with “Helel Ben-Shaghar” kicks
the album off right as well but by the end of “Living
in Sin” (track 3) you have heard more anti-Christian
rhetoric than most bands offer over the course of
their first half dozen albums and, even if you agree
with the lyrics, it gets massively redundant in short
order.
There’s no way to question how powerful this
album is. It’s big, it’s aggressive, and
it’s purposeful and I won’t take away
from such an obviously talented band. Personally I
think it needs a few more purposes (aren’t they
mad about anything else?!) before this band will ever
go anywhere short of the small niche of open minded
black metal fans that will embrace death metal if
it suits their worldview. Unless you count your self
among them this album will likely be lost on you and
that truly is a shame.
Key Tracks: “Living In Sin,” “When
the War Comes”
Reviewed by Mark Fisher |
