Aonia
Following on from our review below, the guys in Aonia were good enough to get in touch with the rest of the tracks from their album so I could offer a full over view of what to expect. Read on to find out more! (Note – Gift of the Curse and City of Shadows are already covered below).
Continuing into Prophecy of the Fallen Kingdom, the tone continues along its dark and heavy journey, opening once again very much like Nightwish or similar, the vocals take the lead before leading into a lead filled section of bass and drums. Kicking into a galloping beat, once again this track is almost catchy and sure to have you moving along with it. The vocals once again resume their almost operatic stylings, adding further depth to the track and adding in that haunting edge once again. This is a track that I for one would love to see on the live scene as it has progression which is sure to please the live crowds! Offering up a hell of a solo underpinned by a rolling bass pedal, hammering bass guitars and that solid galloping beat, this track is a force to be reckoned with and one which I recommend you get out there and check out.
Liberate Mei follows on and seems to almost pick the pace up, opening faster and almost heavier than the tracks which have gone before it you’re immediately confronted by riffing guitars, soaring synth lines and hammering drums. Building up to the vocals in the truest sense of the word, the vocals kick in soon enough but not as you’d expect, this time they’re raw and almost spat out at the audience – contrasting against the once again almost operatic chorus sections. This track is once again kept dark through out, but look out for the section just after 2 minutes of hammering guitar solos and rolling drums – awesome stuff! As the track comes to a close and Rabbit Hole kicks in, once again you’re confronted by a soaring lead line to open proceedings before ushering in the synth and powering onwards. Catchy once again, this track is of particular note I think because of the changing time signatures through the track – it’s kept interesting and alive by different styles of playing, all of which combine to form a track which is not only well accomplished but also incredibly pleasurable to listen to!
Final track The Song closes proceedings in much the same way as they began, opening with a soaring lead line and powering into the track properly, using the drums to set a rolling pace, all the time keeping the vocals right there in the forefront to be considered. I’m not sure this one is as catchy as the ones before it but it holds all of the things which have made the tracks so successful so far and pushes the boundaries of the music even further, matching the guitar lines to the vocals at times to add even more depth to the track. Powerful, elegant and to the point throughout, this is probably my personal favourite track of the album and closes things perfectly, leaving you wanting more knowing what the band can achieve!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there’s so much here in this music to keep you interested and paying attention to what’s going on that you can’t help but make sure you listen to every single track of the album. Based on what I’ve heard I can’t wait to hear more from these guys and hope they stick to their tried and tested method which they have so far – bravo guys!
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Apparently, Aonia is the land held sacred to the muses of Greek mythology – so there! That said, the band Aonia openly say that their sound and history are the polar opposite of this serene sounding place – so I reckon it could be a winner!
Opening with City of Shadows I’m inclined to agree, opening with soft strings building into a clean and acoustic guitar line you’re drawn into this calm and relaxing place, your soul softly being soothed as the music progresses. A guitar line soon comes in which suggests a change could be afoot – then it happens! Kicking into a solid riff underpinned by a simple yet effective drum beat the track fully comes into being. Old Skool styled vocals take the lead here and pull you along through the track, there’s tinges of Nightwish or Within Temptation going on here, yet the sound is unique in its own right. Kicking into an almost operatic chorus section, the vocals soothe whilst the guitars and drums power on behind them creating contrasts within their own music. This track is evidence that these guys know what they’re doing, know how to play their instruments and can sure as hell play their instruments, but also have a lot of influences feeding into their music. Throwing a guitar solo into the mix for good measure, this a track which is going to make you sit back and listen rather than jump around like a loon!
Gift of the Curse is similar to an extent, opening heavier than the previous track through the guitar line but soon enough finding that haunting darkness through the synths and choral effects in the background. Launching into another guitar solo line before bringing in the vocals, this is another rolling track which won’t necessarily make you jump around, but is music you can sit back and enjoy without feeling any guilt. Once again telling a story throughout, the vocals continue their almost operatic approach to proceedings and carry you ever onwards towards the end. More frantic at times than before, this is the track I personally prefer from the two on the bands facebook page.
I have to admit I didn’t know what to expect from these guys when they got in touch, and the result caught me a little of guard as we’ve never had a band like this on the site. The music is melodic, the vocals clean and crisp and the result is music which I think could potentially be pretty big. They can obviously play their instruments and write tracks which are a story rather than a couple of lines thrown together. I’ll be interested to hear what comes from these guys next as I reckon it could well get even better from here in.
To find out more about Aonia, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Continuing into Prophecy of the Fallen Kingdom, the tone continues along its dark and heavy journey, opening once again very much like Nightwish or similar, the vocals take the lead before leading into a lead filled section of bass and drums. Kicking into a galloping beat, once again this track is almost catchy and sure to have you moving along with it. The vocals once again resume their almost operatic stylings, adding further depth to the track and adding in that haunting edge once again. This is a track that I for one would love to see on the live scene as it has progression which is sure to please the live crowds! Offering up a hell of a solo underpinned by a rolling bass pedal, hammering bass guitars and that solid galloping beat, this track is a force to be reckoned with and one which I recommend you get out there and check out.
Liberate Mei follows on and seems to almost pick the pace up, opening faster and almost heavier than the tracks which have gone before it you’re immediately confronted by riffing guitars, soaring synth lines and hammering drums. Building up to the vocals in the truest sense of the word, the vocals kick in soon enough but not as you’d expect, this time they’re raw and almost spat out at the audience – contrasting against the once again almost operatic chorus sections. This track is once again kept dark through out, but look out for the section just after 2 minutes of hammering guitar solos and rolling drums – awesome stuff! As the track comes to a close and Rabbit Hole kicks in, once again you’re confronted by a soaring lead line to open proceedings before ushering in the synth and powering onwards. Catchy once again, this track is of particular note I think because of the changing time signatures through the track – it’s kept interesting and alive by different styles of playing, all of which combine to form a track which is not only well accomplished but also incredibly pleasurable to listen to!
Final track The Song closes proceedings in much the same way as they began, opening with a soaring lead line and powering into the track properly, using the drums to set a rolling pace, all the time keeping the vocals right there in the forefront to be considered. I’m not sure this one is as catchy as the ones before it but it holds all of the things which have made the tracks so successful so far and pushes the boundaries of the music even further, matching the guitar lines to the vocals at times to add even more depth to the track. Powerful, elegant and to the point throughout, this is probably my personal favourite track of the album and closes things perfectly, leaving you wanting more knowing what the band can achieve!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there’s so much here in this music to keep you interested and paying attention to what’s going on that you can’t help but make sure you listen to every single track of the album. Based on what I’ve heard I can’t wait to hear more from these guys and hope they stick to their tried and tested method which they have so far – bravo guys!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Apparently, Aonia is the land held sacred to the muses of Greek mythology – so there! That said, the band Aonia openly say that their sound and history are the polar opposite of this serene sounding place – so I reckon it could be a winner!
Opening with City of Shadows I’m inclined to agree, opening with soft strings building into a clean and acoustic guitar line you’re drawn into this calm and relaxing place, your soul softly being soothed as the music progresses. A guitar line soon comes in which suggests a change could be afoot – then it happens! Kicking into a solid riff underpinned by a simple yet effective drum beat the track fully comes into being. Old Skool styled vocals take the lead here and pull you along through the track, there’s tinges of Nightwish or Within Temptation going on here, yet the sound is unique in its own right. Kicking into an almost operatic chorus section, the vocals soothe whilst the guitars and drums power on behind them creating contrasts within their own music. This track is evidence that these guys know what they’re doing, know how to play their instruments and can sure as hell play their instruments, but also have a lot of influences feeding into their music. Throwing a guitar solo into the mix for good measure, this a track which is going to make you sit back and listen rather than jump around like a loon!
Gift of the Curse is similar to an extent, opening heavier than the previous track through the guitar line but soon enough finding that haunting darkness through the synths and choral effects in the background. Launching into another guitar solo line before bringing in the vocals, this is another rolling track which won’t necessarily make you jump around, but is music you can sit back and enjoy without feeling any guilt. Once again telling a story throughout, the vocals continue their almost operatic approach to proceedings and carry you ever onwards towards the end. More frantic at times than before, this is the track I personally prefer from the two on the bands facebook page.
I have to admit I didn’t know what to expect from these guys when they got in touch, and the result caught me a little of guard as we’ve never had a band like this on the site. The music is melodic, the vocals clean and crisp and the result is music which I think could potentially be pretty big. They can obviously play their instruments and write tracks which are a story rather than a couple of lines thrown together. I’ll be interested to hear what comes from these guys next as I reckon it could well get even better from here in.
To find out more about Aonia, check out their Facebook page HERE.