Originally starting as a collaborative project between Ben Vanvollenhoven and Catherine Guirguis, the Australians of RISE OF AVERNUS released an EP last year that was well received by the critics and now in 2013 that have released their debut album.

Titled L'appel du vide, or "Call of the Void", this release has been well received and has even been called one of the best metal albums to have come from Australia. If you haven't noticed from the title, RISE OF AVERNUS sing of the emptiness and misery of life the way all fans of Doom Metal can relate to, musically wise they have huge progressive influences and use elements of classical music, like violin and saxophone, on some of their songs, this have got to be their strongest feature, however not everything is perfect, RISE OF AVERNUS uses the old cliché of two vocalists, one male singing guttural style, like a demon, and one female singing angelically, this formula has been so often used that it has become annoying as hell (although in all honesty it was just as annoying when it was first used). In RISE OF AVERNUS case, however, due to the quality of the music, this can be forgiven.

In conclusion this album is highly recommended and, although I wouldn't call it one of the best albums of 2013, it is certainly a high quality debut and a very impressive release for a very promising band.