I am not exactly the most adventurous person of all time, and my participation in events that could be termed dangerous is almost, but not quite, zero. I went white water rating once. Hated it. Never doing it again. So, when I hear about people mountain climbing, it baffles me that someone would try something so ridiculous. I’m fine with cowardice.
“Eiger” is the new record from Swiss black metal force Aara, who recently completed a trilogy of albums based on Charles Robert Maturin’s Melmoth. Here, the band—vocalist Fluss, multi-instrumentalist Berg, drummer J.—turns toward the mountain of the same name as the record in the Bernese Alps that has an ice-covered North side called “Mordwand” or MURDER WALL(!). In July 1936, four climbers tried to conquer said murder wall, and guess how that ended? It’s highly unlikely a melodic black metal band that often sounds like a phantom shriek come to life would dedicate an entire record to something that ended happily, so you should know you’re in for utter peril.
“Die das wilde Wetter fängt” opens with frigidity filling your bones, moodiness spreading as a melodic gush takes over, shrieks peeling flesh from bone. The playing remains raucous for the most part, sometimes pulling back on the reins to let the gravity set in. The vibe gets a little filthier as the screams mangle, your blood rushing as we mix into acoustics, the volcanic elements cooling ever so slightly. “Senkrechte Welten” gusts, fires crying, fluid guitars working into a lather, the vocals pulling at the tension. Quiet guitars layer as steps crunch, and then the playing gets delirious again, flowing gloriously to its resting point. “Felsensang” has guitars chiming before the pace takes off, the vocals crushing while riffs dive into embankments. Once again, there is a push and pull of heaviness and delicacy, the calmer strains allowing breathing room before the next attack of ferocity, shrieks raining down into a hypnotic dirge. “Todesbiwak” enters in a halo of riffs, acoustics dripping as the power surges. Guitars divebomb as screams blister, sweeping through the thickening air, working into another gust of calm that is a bridge for the next wave of effusive fire that burns off into ash.
“Der Wahnsinn dort im Abgrund” is like an avalanche, screams mauling as the playing gets more volatile, burly abandon heading full force until a quick pause that resets the emotion. Out of that comes a rush, tornadic power that aims to consume fully, power blasting through your chest and leaving you heaving. “Zurück zur roten Fluh” batters right away, the screams rippling, the tempo rampaging colors and warped reality, daring speed threatening to burst at the seams. The playing is drubbing and dark, brief respites for acoustic winds giving hints of solace, a melodic crush bringing tumult to a temporary end. “Grausig ist der Blick” brings howling winds and guitars that aim to create a signal in flames, the pace bludgeoning, shrieks killing amid a panicked attack. A new eruption compromises your footing as the assault spirals and blurs, ending in a blast of charred remnants. Closer “Alptraum” opens with acoustics and winds whipping, the playing growing more volatile, a melodic charge loosening rock beneath it. Guitars coat with a metallic surface, the pace injecting more energy into the journey, stretching before the playing combusts. Screams plaster as guitars rampage, the finality settling into your bones as the cold winds squeeze tight, blackening forever.
“Eiger” shows its force once again, though this time in a metallic ode to trying to conquer nature by Aara that at least leaves you breathing at the end. The pain and trauma of the adventure contained within were real, a peril that ultimately proved insurmountable and deadly. This record pays that off with every freezing step, your body and mind pushed to their limits, the music acting as a harbinger to an early grave.
For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100051054499947
To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://debemurmorti.aisamerch.com/
Or here (Europe): https://www.debemur-morti.com/en/12-eshop
For more on the label, go here: https://www.debemur-morti.com/en/
Meat Mead Metal 