Aeon Temple - Resurfaced
Aeon Temple, a trio from the Ruhr area of Germany, is a true musical mosaic, impossible to box into any specific category. The band generates an eclectic sound that's influenced by stoner rock, psychedelic rock, doom, post metal, and prog, which infuses their tone with fuzzy groove, fluidity, darkness, drama, and timelessness respectively.
A decade ago in 2016, Aeon Temple released their self-titled debut EP. Today, the band is celebrating that anniversary in a big way by unveiling their first full-length album Resurfaced.
Aeon Temple - Resurfaced
1.) Grapes and Wine
Opening track Grapes and Wine really establishes a siren-like, theatrical female vocal that will make a recurring appearance throughout the album. Initially, you would never guess that this song signals heavier things to come, but it's ultimately the bud that blooms into several metal tempests throughout Resurfaced.
2.) Children of Dirt
Children of Dirt contains much more open but coarse stoner rock verses, some intricate, prog-esque guitar work dotted throughout, tireless and steady drums that sustain the energy, and a very punk-rock chorus that serves as a loud and proud vociferation - a rallying cry for the ultra-resilient children of the dirt.
3.) Tireless Machine
Here, a somber, delicate intro explodes into deliciously fuzzy, hypnotic, doomy riffage, its repetitive nature creating trance-inducing waves. Pockets of impassioned wails from the guitar break up the density and add a sense of vulnerability amid the heaviness. Much like in the previous track Children of the Dirt, expressive vocals deliver an account of enduring strength and inherent toughness.
4.) Blumulu
Blumulu is an ethereal reverie that circles back to the mellifluous vocals of Grapes and Wine. Although Blumulu has a dreamy, diaphanous framework, weight and darkness are slowly added as the song progresses - almost too gradually to notice at first. By its end, Blumulu has gathered an exponential amount of both passion and turbulence. This is propelled by an authentic emotive delivery from both vocals and instrumentals that's enough to make one's heart ache with empathy.
5.) Golden Veils
Golden Veils is another emotionally charged song, this time marked by melancholic, pensive verses and eruptive, unfettered choruses. This powerful, eleven-and-a-half-minute track has a way of pulling one in and out of reverie in the best way, making the listening experience nearly as physical as it is auditory.
Final Thoughts
Resurfaced is an album that checks all the boxes for fans of a more sophisticated style of heavy music. Beginning with stoner/doom grooves and cinematic imagery that could easily be the soundtrack to a post-apocalyptic thriller and gently morphing with chameleonlike skill into an emotionally raw, beautifully progressive work, this album has a bit of everything and then some. All the while, Aeon Temple expertly blends genres into vivid, cohesive oeuvres that bleed with uninhibited emotional expression from both vocals and instrumentals. While some of these combinations and atmospheres aren't what you'd expect from a metal-forward album, the creative intent and bigger picture always become crystal clear by each song's end. As such, Resurfaced is a release that requires a bit more from the listener, a quality that I thoroughly appreciate. While there are plenty of heavy riffs to rock out to and mesmeric interludes to get lost in, Resurfaced also commands and claims our attention, involvement, and emotional investment in a powerful way.
It a nutshell: With its thoughtful, intricate composition and moving, eloquent, almost theatrical expression, Resurfaced stands out as an album to be thoroughly savored and appreciated from start to finish, much like a good book.
More About Aeon Temple
Aeon Temple Is:
Claus - Vocals, Guitar
Filzi - Bass
Ruhrbert - Drums
You can follow Aeon Temple and listen to their music at the following links:
A massive thank you to Broken Music for the promo!
Check out Screaming from the Heavy Underground on YouTube!
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