Aura
Rain
6 Track E.P
Released 2013
Reviewed by: Pagan Hell
Aura – Malaga, Spain
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/Auraabm
Genre: Ambient, Depressive Black Metal
Trying to find out anything about Aura begs the old ‘needle in the proverbial haystack’ syndrome, so do forgive the lack of information, although it all adds to Aura’s intrigue and mystique.
Darkmoon
This is without a doubt drenched in ambience – the low rumbles distort sending chills down the spine and goose bumps will closely follow. The keyboard notes resonate powerfully, so powerfully in fact that they can be felt in your gut, spawning a sinister presence of dark devilish mystique. Although there are no vocals this does not need any words to portray what Aura have done with this track, the proof is in the listening – it is haunting and dark, giving way to corruptive frequencies that make their presence well and truly heartfelt. An out and out favorite track that has clocked up several listens already! Superb!
Into that Darkness
The fingers touch the keys with a simple run of sparse notes but behind it is a dark malevolent force that licks the ears, sparking a certain intrigue as the track climbs – eerily menacing it will creep you out make no mistake. There is no roaring or surging to be had here but it just breeds atmospheric plaguing and bewilderment that in turn holds a lot of passion deep inside its core.
Rain
Inventive and seductive this is one track that uses strange noises to accentuate its triumph. It is an emotional track that possesses quite a cordial atmosphere despite being labelled depressive, although I believe it is what the listener hears in each note that can turn this from depressive into something more comforting, or maybe I am depressed and not realise it?
Stardust
This track again holds a haunting ambiance. The notes prey literally on the aural with enveloping and caressing tendencies. It is dramatic without anything voracious being attached to it. I find this absolutely ingenious, no words no raucous rhythms it just provokes a certain feeling that lures you with a beckoning finger.
Tears
This is emotionally pressuring the title alone, may just in some cases in still a melancholy and the keyboards play out like tears, but I can imagine so much more to this than just tears of sadness – maybe tears of joy! Who knows? – Aura will keep you guessing, which is what makes this track such a personal journey. It is stunningly impressive as I have found all of Aura’s tracks – simple and yet so revealing, it speaks volumes.
Through the Unknown
Startling and intense another track that allows the listener breathing space to blossom and grow with it. It richly aspires and again provokes the thoughts and emotions that go with such a timepiece. The detail is so finely intricate it is like breathing in something fresh and new.
To Sum up:
This E.P is just as superb as Aura’s full length album Lake of Despair. Thought provoking, most definitely ambient and so much more besides. It is well-crafted and produced. Let’s say you could think up new colours then this E.P would be at the heart of them. There is heaps of promise with this band, steeped with constant mesmeric keyboard embrace, the rewards one gets from listening to this is endless.
It isn’t just the notes of passion that come into play here, but the way in which they are portrayed like when the music slightly fades or gets slightly louder, it simply removes the breath from ones lungs in a second.
Make no mistake it conjours up moods you never thought you could possess. It does at times pose darker moods and atmospherics, but it is written in such a way that you can fill in the gaps and make it what you will, which as I mentioned before is rather ingenious. One thing is for sure, you will feel the hair stand up on the back of your neck when listening – embrace it and make the most of it – this is music for the black metal connoisseur!
10/10
Track List:
Darkmoon
Into that Darkness
Rain
Stardust
Tears
Through the Unknown
Members:
Trollkopf, – Aura ABM, – Maximiliano Serratosa Obladen
N. Werewolf/ Tenebris Terra – Salvador Gómez
Fog/Necropolis – David Marcos
But still shrouded in mystery as to who really plays on this too!
Aura
Lake of Despair
7 Track Album
Released May 2012
Reviewed by: Pagan Hel
Written for Blackened Horde Zine
Aura – Malaga, Spain
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/Auraabm
https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150775996527700
Genre: Ambient Depressive Black Metal
If you search the web looking for ‘Aura’ you come across bands from all over the world who play anything from Danish Indie/Folk to Indonesian Jazz but nothing at all about Aura from Spain.
Intro
As you would expect slow and riddled with ambiance. The vocals rasping and demonic merge into one with a haunting and melodic compromise.
Lake of Despair
Some watery goings on surrounded by a Spanish guitar is quite poignant and quite literally sets a bleak backdrop especially when the demonic grouchiness comes into play.
Sin of Loneliness
The uplifting piano ensemble is euphoric as it glides into a swaying rhythm and takes you by surprise, as you don’t expect something so beautiful to be associated with depressive black metal, however the gargling, raspy vocal brings you down to earth with a bump. Definitely one intriguing track!
Nightfall
The shrill icy shards of synth notes and the haunting noises really cast a shadow over the intensity of this track. For me, it conjours up a moonlit forest that casts an eerie glow all around it – although I am listening in total darkness, which helps a lot!
Cry of the Shadow
This track breeds from within a low rumbling resonance and what is born sounds vaguely half human. The malevolent vocals are the pestilence that haunts the track with a dark solemn edge of sinister!
The Dark Forest
This is a full on powerful delivery that is soaked in dark venomous growls with disorientating energy. It isn’t rampaging or voracious at all which makes it one interesting track.
Outro – Crossed the Despair
The haunting piano keys and a stark drum beat work solidly together to dispel a constant seductiveness that simply grips the listener.
To Sum up:
In my humble opinion I did not find this album depressive at least not all the way through, granted it does possess solemn moments of despair but on the whole it attracts a lot of light that is woven deeply into its intricate fabric.
I do like gnarly vocals though, the gnarlier the better for me, but they work with the uplifting tempos and ambient rhythms. The haunting melodies were like plumes of smoke that all drifted well into the tracks and I really enjoyed listening to them surrounded in total blackness, although if it was meant to make me depressed it didn’t – it just threw me into a more thought provoking mood and made me focus in on it, maybe more thoroughly than I thought possible.
This however won’t be to everyone’s taste, but I feel it is an acquired one and one you really have to concentrate on rather than just shove in the CD player and press play whilst doing some mundane chores. So if you haven’t got the time to focus on it, then I suggest you don’t. If however you have got plenty of time to meander through its haunting embrace then do, as you will find it quite an unusual creation that constantly thrives on dark imagery and deep imagination.
9/10
Track List:
Intro
Lake of Despair
Sin of Loneliness
Nightfall
Cry of the Shadow
The Dark Forest
Outro – Crossed the Despair
Members:
Adding to the mystique – I truly have no idea who sings and plays on this album although the names:-
Trollkopf, – Aura ABM, – Maximiliano Serratosa Obladen
N. Werewolf/ Tenebris Terra – Salvador Gómez
Fog/Necropolis – David Marcos
Have all been mentioned however what they play still remains a mystery