Aetherium Mors
We were recently put onto Aetherium Mors (which translates to Ethereal Death), a Plymouth based extreme metal band who first got together back in 2004. Drawing inspriration from the likes of Death, Carcass, At The Gates and Dissection, the band are setting out with an emphasis on strong, melodic riffs, harmonised guitar work, and rapid tempos, aiming for an EP release later this year, and a continued push on the live scene – so I thought it was about time I checked out ‘Drenched In Victorious Blood’ from these South West heroes to see what I thought of things!
Opening with Sons Of Men we’re immediately thrown into an all-out melee of hammering guitars, drums and roaring vocals, setting the tone on heavy from the word go and not relenting until the end of the track arrives. Full on from the word go, there’s a definite leaning towards the more extreme side of metal, yet with a serious dose of melody thrown into the mix just to make sure it’s still accessible to those who hear it. From soaring guitar lines through to rolling double bass, this is a track which ticks all of the right boxes, immediately setting up the record as one to check out. The same sort of approach continues into Luciferian March, once again leaning on the guitars to lead the way whilst the rest of the elements come in bit by bit to bolster the mix on offer. Chunky guitars add in a serious sense of distortion here whilst the fast paced drumming (particularly in the middle section of the track) adds in a sense of movement, power and all out aggression – a serious high point on the record and a track which stands out as one of my personal favourites.
Continuing to progress at break neck speed, Dreadlord soon comes in to take the lead, once again launching us full tilt into a melee of hammering guitar work, drums which are sure to ignite the pit from the word go, and bass rhythms designed to shake you apart at the seams. Once again balancing out the power with a sense of melody, there’s a surprising result here which shows just how well these guys understand their music. Hard and heavy yet relatively easy to listen to, this is another track which sets them apart from the crowd, securing them as a band who are quite simply refusing to settle for simplicity. Moving onto the pumping Kingdom Of Shadows, the feeling seems to shift slightly from the all out in your face and extreme approach, to a more easy going style, almost harking towards the likes of Killswitch Engage at first before launching us into a more In Flames style – it’s a mix which a lot of people are going to connect with for sure. Raw vocals, hammering guitar work and bass heavy rhythms – this track has it all, and stands out as another serious high point on the record here.
Progressing through The Fall Of God and Order Of The Talion, both tracks not only reveal the musical understanding that the guys have, but also their ability to write songs which are clearly influenced by the heavy-weights of the extreme metal genre, but is also clearly their own unique take on it. It’s only then left to Annihilating Fire to close the record, finishing on a track designed to get pits moving, people baying for blood, and venues shaking down to their foundations. Fast and raw from the off, the closing moments here don’t hold back, don’t mess around, and instead simply grab you by your face and throw you straight into a pit of all out distortion and power – a fitting finish to a damned fine record.
I’m always wary of bands who have logos that suggest they’re heavy, as all too often, images can be deceiving! What you’ve got here though is a band who can play their instruments, a band who understand their genre, and a band who aren’t going to take any prisoners. From start to finish this is a record which is heavy, melodic, powerful and firmly rooted in the distorted world of metal – definitely one to make sure you check out if you get a chance.
To find out more about Aetherium Mors, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Opening with Sons Of Men we’re immediately thrown into an all-out melee of hammering guitars, drums and roaring vocals, setting the tone on heavy from the word go and not relenting until the end of the track arrives. Full on from the word go, there’s a definite leaning towards the more extreme side of metal, yet with a serious dose of melody thrown into the mix just to make sure it’s still accessible to those who hear it. From soaring guitar lines through to rolling double bass, this is a track which ticks all of the right boxes, immediately setting up the record as one to check out. The same sort of approach continues into Luciferian March, once again leaning on the guitars to lead the way whilst the rest of the elements come in bit by bit to bolster the mix on offer. Chunky guitars add in a serious sense of distortion here whilst the fast paced drumming (particularly in the middle section of the track) adds in a sense of movement, power and all out aggression – a serious high point on the record and a track which stands out as one of my personal favourites.
Continuing to progress at break neck speed, Dreadlord soon comes in to take the lead, once again launching us full tilt into a melee of hammering guitar work, drums which are sure to ignite the pit from the word go, and bass rhythms designed to shake you apart at the seams. Once again balancing out the power with a sense of melody, there’s a surprising result here which shows just how well these guys understand their music. Hard and heavy yet relatively easy to listen to, this is another track which sets them apart from the crowd, securing them as a band who are quite simply refusing to settle for simplicity. Moving onto the pumping Kingdom Of Shadows, the feeling seems to shift slightly from the all out in your face and extreme approach, to a more easy going style, almost harking towards the likes of Killswitch Engage at first before launching us into a more In Flames style – it’s a mix which a lot of people are going to connect with for sure. Raw vocals, hammering guitar work and bass heavy rhythms – this track has it all, and stands out as another serious high point on the record here.
Progressing through The Fall Of God and Order Of The Talion, both tracks not only reveal the musical understanding that the guys have, but also their ability to write songs which are clearly influenced by the heavy-weights of the extreme metal genre, but is also clearly their own unique take on it. It’s only then left to Annihilating Fire to close the record, finishing on a track designed to get pits moving, people baying for blood, and venues shaking down to their foundations. Fast and raw from the off, the closing moments here don’t hold back, don’t mess around, and instead simply grab you by your face and throw you straight into a pit of all out distortion and power – a fitting finish to a damned fine record.
I’m always wary of bands who have logos that suggest they’re heavy, as all too often, images can be deceiving! What you’ve got here though is a band who can play their instruments, a band who understand their genre, and a band who aren’t going to take any prisoners. From start to finish this is a record which is heavy, melodic, powerful and firmly rooted in the distorted world of metal – definitely one to make sure you check out if you get a chance.
To find out more about Aetherium Mors, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls