AURA NOIR's steady value cannot be impugned. One of the very few real Metal bands in today's scene. Their recordings can justify this. Being one of the first bands that entered into the old and filthy sound as it might be resurrected by some others in the middle of nineties they differ not only because they look as pioneers in this but also because they don't work as a common tribute band.
The unique personality of albums like Black Thrash Attack and Deep Tracks Of Hell not only raise the flags of their identity with an psychotic and weird guitar riffing but also manage to sound absolutely black, evil and complete Metal. Besides, their sound is so intensive and ball breaking that makes me believe that can win any real head - banger.
The year 2004 brought a change into more trashy and to the point music being more deadly than ever before. The Merciless was the best album for that year and one of the best releases for this decade. The rage and the metal lust that comprise this almighty album take no prisoners. Apart from that, and being the label debut of the Nocturno Culto's Tyrant Syndicate the songs were so necro and morbid that was like you were hearing albums of 80ies era, when there was no difference between Death, Thrash and Black Metal. Just like bands as the German POISON, you cannot put them in a genre, they just fuck assholes and rape dead bodies. Things were more simple back then and more authentic and that is exactly what is going on here with AURA NOIR and some others like DARKTHRONE's latest albums or NIFELHEIM to name a few.
The same paths they are following now, four years after The Merciless. Many years away, mainly 'cause of Aggressor's accident (he fell from a fourth floor building). The only presence was the Sulfur Void song in the second part of the Uberthrash compilation together with NOCTURNAL BREED, AUDIOPAIN, and INFERNO but it couldn't satisfy our thirst. The wait hopefully is over.
The intro riff of the self - titled song will explode your head and then you will dive into the Killing Technology era. VOIVOD is a very big influence for AURA NOIR and especially the first three albums specify their sound. Sometimes I feel I'm listening lost tracks from War And Pain, you know with the same apocalyptic madness in guitars and amplifiers. If I would tell you that Danny Coralles gave a special solo in one of the new tracks who would it be? Yeah, Gaping Grave Awaits has an AUTOPSY aura in its title and except this after the 2:30 becomes fast and so bone breaking that will nail you down. The other guest in this Metal madness is their friend and live guitarist Blasphemer that put some paintings in Death Mask, Unleashed The Demon (with a perfect tempo) and in Iron Night / Torment Storm. The last one looks like noise filler that fits so perfect that it cannot be described. The strange re - circling guitar ideas are present in songs like Pestilent Streams, not with the distorted and wiggly acidity that their previous albums had but good enough as rusty blades enters your naked body, like you facing attack by the pentagram that once again embellish the cover.
Apart from VOIVOD you can include the old days of SODOM, VENOM, the dirt and filthy production of MOTORHEAD together with POSSESSED. Basically Iron Night/ Torment Storm's structure and some riffs will bring you forward an attack like songs as The Exorcist. Influences are influences but I'll make again clear that here we don't have to do with a rip - off band; they know what to do, and when they are coming to the verge of similarity this is made with so much lust and passion that it cannot be ignored. The mainly mid - tempo speed of their songs makes them more compulsive and paradoxically more adrenaline excrete. The drumming that has been done by Apollyon is gratifying enough although I really reminisced sometimes the unique and clever playing of Aggressor. The vocals are once again divided and both of them have done perfect job.
It's unnecessary to write anything else, Hades Rise is must and it couldn't be different. It's up to you, if you want something evil, and crushing here is your chance. Special band for pure maniacs. They don't oppose evil they are, the merciless AURA NOIR. Fuck, I'm more than happy that they're back. This is Metal motherfuckers.