Aeon Winds – Stormveiled
Band: Aeon Winds
Title: Stormveiled
Label: Avantgarde Music
Release date:12 July 2019
Country: Slovakia
Format reviewed: High Quality Digital Promo
Slovakia is not the usual place where I find music to listen to. So I was intrigued when I understood AEON WINDS come from there. Moreover I found out they have longer musical history and their first full length was released in 2012. Since then, the band released only EPs and splits. Until now, when their second full-length album “Stormveiled” appears for the world.
I’m very picky and pretentious when it comes to black metal with symphonic orchestrations. That’s why when the album kicked with “Of Times Forgotten” symphonic introduction, I was sceptical and thought it was another sympho soaked BM record… Then it continued with the very convincing “A Cosmic Sky Ablaze” my ears quickly woke up and I begin to listen carefully and to feel there was something special in this record.
With the awesome melodies and change in tempo, and that small part with clean vocals, on “Beyond Empty Spaces” I was very much stoked. “Stormveiled” is more into the pure atmospheric black metal rather than any sympho- stuff! Hell yeah! Featuring guest vocals by Mortiis, actually just “Beyond Empty Spaces” got me into the album and turned to be my favourite track from the record with time. So If you like “Enthrone Darkness Triumphant” era by DIMMU BORGIR, you will find a lot of good time while listening to AEON WINDS new record. “Dawn of Untamed Moon” convinced me even more on this conclusion especially in its pure black metal parts. The small atmo/ambient breakdown with acoustic guitars added great flavour to the track too.
“It Is Beneath Where The Mountains Sing” is pure ambient track, and it is like bridge for the record in its middle. “Legacy of the Unconquered Sun” is more epic, more heroic, with good Bm pickings but it is a bit longer though. “Stormveiled” is just another track to take you away with the eerie atmo feel. It has few tiny waltz elements hidden in the blasting and blazing main line of the song.
“Dying Star Remembrance” is a short instrumental – a sad acoustic track, before “To Embrace the Void” – aggressive, grim and hateful track with keys always comes in and go out to add the lunatic atmosphere. “…And Woods Forlorn” is the last track in the record, another sad outro in a dream.
AEON WINDS recorded 50 minutes of great black metal experience to be honest. 50 minutes that brought me some 22 years back in time too with the links to Dimmu Borgir’s “Stormblast” and “Enthrone Darkness Triumphant” albums. (probably small parts could refer to “Spiritual Black Dimensions” and “Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia”?). However the fans of WARMOON LORD may also like the record. You got my point. However the Slovakian quartet put lots from themselves and at the end of the day “Stormveiled” is a fantastic record. You got this point of mine too, right? It is intense. It doesn’t drown in the potential boredom of atmo-, or moreover – sympho- bullshit. It keeps you alive all the time, it moves you. I found great variety and so much heart. I recommend strongly the album. 8.5/10 Count Vlad
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8.5/10 To Greatness and Glory
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