Metal Underground.com

Aeon does not like the idea of religion, and the group uses this new album “Aeons Black” to make sure that you won’t either. I advise you not to listen to this album if you are offended by extreme examples of killing religious figures to prove that there is no god.

You’ll immediately hear in the opening song the amount of religious influence in the lyrics and, of course, song titles, and Aeon clearly isn’t in favor of it. The music is definitely influenced by old school metal, like in the instances of dueling high-pitched thrash riffs, but the sound absolutely its own thing. Tommy Dahlström growls deeply and fiercely, but his words are still clear enough to make out. “The Glowing Hate” plays at a mid-tempo and is very aggressive, while Tommy’s words are emphasized with a demonic high squeal harmony. The song breaks in the middle so the guitarists Zeb Nilsson and Daniel Dlimi can practice their fast fury and have some fun with pinch harmonics. Drummer Arttu Malkki meanwhile has spurts of break-neck speed. They slow their pace down when Tommy wants to sing again, as he yells in disgust then picks up his blacksmith hammering pace.

As “The Voice of the Accuser” begins, a sad piano slowly rises, with stringed instruments softly behind it for just a few seconds, and the piano fades away quickly. This is a short interlude to clean your palette for the fury of “I Wish You Death” where the band speaks to hypocritical and phony religious authorities. Tommy growls, “Preacher, fake healer, false prophet, you must die,” and continues that he’d like to crucify the preacher. The chorus is very strong in this track, unlike most metal songs. The solos during the bridge are fantastic; scaling and masterful, but without too much intricate technicality.

“Passage to Hell” is also an interlude, but is not so delicate as the first. It’s definitely more of a horror film opening with spooky sounds and atmosphere, then a dramatic chorus rises with the beat of a marching drum, sending you to the frontlines of a hellish war about to unfold. The title track is born of this song, and the first line of the track that is repeated for a minute is “Where’s your savior, where’s your god?” It’s as though he’s asking why someone would fight for something that he doesn’t believe exists.

Aeon’s album is not an easy album to listen to; you’ll be hearing every word of the blasphemous songs that berate religion, blast the religious, and it will break you down until there is no shred of hope left.