Kairos Augur – Thorns

Band: Kairos Augur
Album: Thorns
Release date: November 12th, 2024
Label: Independent
Country: USA
Format reviewed: High-quality digital recording

Known for their specific branch of atmospheric black metal, Kairos Augur has presented yet another release, the “Thorns” EP. Not being very familiar with their sound, as one previous listen never paints a clear picture, I was pleasantly surprised by “Thorns”. Despite spanning only 17 minutes and including four songs, it is a fulfilling and enjoyable listen, riddled with a considerable number of riffs and details that give it a quite charming allure. I was particularly impressed by the songwriting, which tends to go into intricate patterns, that at times depart a little from the original melody, expanding on the themes and broadening the soundscape.

The first track on the album is “Thorn I” is a moody, experimental piece, that could either pick up your interest or leave you confused. The sudden alternations between traditional black metal and more progressive elements, make the composition feel fractured and disorganized, although they create interesting musical contrast. The vocal performance consists of high, expressive screeches that essentially keep the composition together, making the ensemble feel much more coherent. This is also helped by several repeating patterns, that are most commonly found in the experimental riffs. The drumming takes more of a background role, “Thorns I” being an overall guitar-driven composition, which may seem bizarre taking into account the number of rhythm changes contained within the song.

“Thorn II” is almost completely different from its predecessor, showcasing a classic melodic black metal soundscape, driven by galloping riffs, energetic drumming, and soaring vocals. If you found “Thorn I” to be overly intricate or disorganized, “Thorn II” may be the song that convinces you of the EP’s qualities. The emotional aspects of the songs are also nothing to sleep on, the music being infused with an interesting mix of sorrow and longing, that may leave you contemplating the song for a little while. Despite these aspects, its energy and catchy nature is undeniable, particularly during the high-speed moments, which are also further emphasized by the short duration of the song and the sense of urgency that it leaves behind.

Up next there is “Thorn III”, which goes even deeper into the sorrowful realms opened up previously. It is undeniably gloomier and slower, that sense of urgency and energy being replaced by an oppressive mood and a pace that bears resemblance to a song by Nocturnal Depression. The surprising part is that “Thorn III”, doesn’t shy away from adding intriguing touches to its soundscape, including riffs that bring short-term atmosphere and tempo changes. These can be viewed both in a positive and negative way, but I personally love these little inclusions, because they help connect all the songs together into one cohesive musical thread, that would otherwise be much more difficult to achieve.

The EP closes up with “Thorn IV”, another nostalgia-laced epic, and probably the least experimental out of everything else that came before it. The composition is fairly simple, being based around two main guitar riffs and their variation. Personally, this is the song that resonated with me the most, and the reason for that is that, essentially, what this song does is prove that this EP is not necessarily a departure from the standard traits of black metal, but merely the band adding their own personal touch to it.

In the end, I would say that “Thorns” by Kairos Augur, is a fairly ambitious release, and it certainly leaves space for the future to take its course. If you’re looking for a well-written, yet not-so-dense release to listen to, this one is the thing to go. 8.5/10 by Ionna

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