Aver
Aver

December 2011
Released: 2011, Self Released
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Aaron Yurkiewicz

From the murky depths of Sydney, Australia rises Aver, a relatively new band that blends an intriguing mix of stoner metal, shoe gaze indie rock and early Seattle grunge influences. Their self-titled debut is 8 tracks of heavy mellow that sounds somewhere between Kyuss,Nebula,Nirvana, and a peyote fueled drive through the Nevada desert.



Most of the tracks have a very laid back feel to them and are driven by echoed guitar strains, jangly melodies and fuzzy power chords. But there's a degree of solid "umph" in each of the tunes that gives them a welcomed edginess. Though it's far from the heaviest thing you'll hear this week, it's still a powerful batch of diverse compositions. "Acid Rain" is probably the angriest among the set, incorporating a didgeridoo introduction, "Anti-Matter" is a heavy space jam, and tunes like "Stoneage Wasteland" and "Retreat to Space" are best experienced with some magic mushrooms, a lava lamp, and a black light poster of a naked chick riding a leopard. The band meanders a bit towards the last few tracks on the album and get a bit lost in their own psychedelia, but overall, AVER is a pretty good time.



And the best part about it is that it's free. Check out the band's Facebook page for the download link, or you can shell out a few bucks for a physical copy if you're inclined to do so. AVER is an easy and enjoyable listen that's broad enough to appeal to different ends of the heavy music spectrum. It's free, and you're looking for something new to listen to - what's not to like?