The coming of the Second Wave of Black Metal between the late years of the 80s and the early days of the 90s on Norway was full of polemics, but the music itself shown a new step ahead, a format that became the ‘standard model’ for the Norwegian trench of the genre. Some evolved and left it behind; other stayed true to it; and some evolved, but staying true to its roots. The third case is what depicted by “Philosopher”, the latest full length of the ancient band AETERNUS.

Arising from Bergen in 1993, sharing the same space and time of famous acts, this quartet evolved from a Black Metal band to a model of Blackened Death Metal that bears elements of Death Metal (as the guttural vocals and some guitar riffs) and Black Metal (as the eerie melodies and bleak ambiences), in a similar way to DISSECTION and THULCANDRA, but focused on a more morbid and eerie form of musical expression. It’s bitter and sinister, darkened and filled with somber melodies, so what are you expecting?

Herbrand Larsen (producer, recording, mixing) and Lawrence Mackrory (mastering) are the ones who gave a technical hand to the quartet to create such album. The main idea: to have that classic filth and crude outfit of the 90s, that sound quality that has an organic and simple appeal, but being defined for the sake of the understanding of what’s being expressed on the songs. And the artwork of Mar.A for the cover states clearly what the album musically bears.

Too much can be expected of a band that has members who played with acts as GORGOROTH, IMMORTAL, GAAHLS WYRD, TAAKE and others, and the expectations are fulfilled as songs as “Existentialist Hunter” (a slower and abrasive song filled with sinister and funereal melodic ambiences that bears the right feeling for the vocals), “World Bleak Nepotism” (a bit more aggressive in a Blackened Death Metal sense, with excellent guitar riffs, solos and arrangements), “Void of Venom” (again the band uses elements of early days of Second Wave of Black Metal on the song’s intro, and the maelstrom of chaos and darkness is unleashed by the guitars, with an oppressive heavy rhythmic support of bass guitar and drums), “Wresting Worm” (the eerie melodic side of the band’s music becomes evident on the guitar arrangements), and “The Luciferian Architect” play by. But don’t dare to leave “The Intentionality of Unitigated Evil” (very good vocals once more) and “Carving the Pristine Anomie” (the contrasts of clean and distorted chords is amazing) out of your first audition. In other words, hear all the songs.

“Philosopher” is a surprising album, indeed, and AETERNUS is here to keep the old flame burning!