Aeternum
Through Death We Ascend

April 2013
Released: 2012, Self Released
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Metal-Rules.com UK Team

Aeternum are a London based quartet whose influences span from Emperor, Behemoth and Dissection, to name a few. This self produced EP is the fruits of their labour and bring to light the band’s passion for song writing and focus upon Blackened Death Metal.



Opening with the orchestral layering of ‘Beyond The Valley’, an instrumental, which corrodes into the death fueled savagery of ‘As The Last Kingdom Burns’. The track is propelled forward with raspy shrieks, eccentric drumming and filth ridden guitar riffs and solo wizardry thrown in for good measure.



‘Non Serviam’ plays out with an infernal narrative of high pitched screams and deep throated growls amidst its axe grinding guitars and rapid fire drum work. Carving a desolate landscape, the double kick pedals and guitar melodies conjure up an dark painted back drop within the music.



Meanwhile, ‘The Light Bearer’ comes fully loaded with an adrenaline induced riffs and drums, which brings us into the acoustic delicacy of ‘Sons of The Fading Dusk’. This brief offering of tranquility is broken by many of the aforementioned qualities found in previous songs.

The thunderous pace subsides however with a further utilization of melody that is both unexpected and well timed.



Finally, ‘Invocation’ has a strongly prominent bass driven intro and technically proficient drumming. The gliding guitars coarse with energy and desperation as the husky growls sway back and forth through out.



In a nutshell, quite a good offering for fans of the darker/ more heavier sub genres of metal to sink their teeth into. The record harks back to the fundamentals of both Death/ Black Metal and although it offers little in the way of experimentation or diversity, it does deliver one hard hitting package of bleak sounding noise that is both exhilarating as it is enticing.



Review by Ben Spencer