Aura Noir
Deep Tracts Of Hell
[Hammerheart]
1. Deep Tracts Of Hell
2. Released Damnation
3. Swarm Of Vultures
4. Blood Unity
5. Slasher
6. Purification Of Hell
7. The Spiral Sear
8. The Beautiful Darkest Path
9. Broth Of Obliveon
10. To Wear The Mark.
Quite simply, Aura Noir are one of, if not THE finest of
these so-called "black-thrash" bands around. They did it
first, and more importantly, they're not in the business
of making clone/tribute albums, as many "revivalists" are.
When riffs are stolen, its with the best/worst intentions.
This album is *mean*. Honestly, it is FUCKING MEAN. Aside from
the cooler-than-cool "Purification Of Hell" (one of those albums
you cannot resist air-drumming along to), everything is played
at breakneck speed; the snare is right up in the mix, for that
"in-yer-face" sound, the riffs are twisted and black enough to
appease the crustiest speedfreak, and the vocals, well...they
fit the music well : ugly, and fucking brutal.
Even the title track kicks off the disc, opening with a monumental
ripoff of the first bit of Bathory's "Total Destruction". What insolence!!
Its far
beyond anything done in the 80's, though. Its speed/thrash, played by
hardened
blackmetal fiends. And that shows...profoundly. Ugly, ugly, ugly.
Grab yourself a carton of XXXX (beer, you gimps), put on your
denim/leather+spikes, and congregate in unruly/unholy masses, because
"Deep Tracts Of Hell" is the metal party album of the year. Absolutely
irresistible.
© 1999 brett