Dawn of a New Aeon

Fun fact: In Aeternum was once almost sued by Mel Gibson. The cover art of one of their EPs was taken from The Passion of the Christ, and the former Mr. Rockatansky wasn't too thrilled. Other than facing the might of a Hollywood juggernaut, In Aeternum's outputs are an onslaught of razing death/black metal. Their penchant is for the relentless and the violent; their first two records are ruthless and devastating. They do not write the most compelling stuff in the world, but In Aeternum does not need to fix what isn't broken. "Dawn of a New Aeon" holds true to the In Aeternum offensive and delivers the expected artillery strike, although it lurks toward the tail of their consistent discography.

In Aeternum is not a band of incredible nuance. They make due with blast-heavy, go-for-the-throat death/black metal—Necrophobic and God Dethroned come to mind as potential roommates. Whereas those groups might have a moment that shows another layer of depth, In Aeternum barks up the same tree. Their tracks stick to a constant shelling of scorching tremolo riffs, blast beats, up-tempo paces, diabolical shrieks, and never allowing the listener to catch their breath. They are exceptionally well-suited for this brand of attack, and although things run together, there is still plenty to enjoy. In Aeternum refuses to quit, and they have stellar riffs and such, added for your pleasure.

This is exactly how "Dawn of a New Aeon" sounds. Few tricks of the trade are at play, but again, the point is pure carnage. It reminds me overall of a God Dethroned album—"Ravenous" mixed with the blackened approach of "Bloody Blasphemy," perhaps. I would consider it on par with other In Aeternum records if it had been better produced; the production bites down on the album's substance a bit. The raw, organic sound qualities of their older records are given a layer of polish. This provides a more compressed ambiance, and likewise affects the intensity. An album like this needs to be soaked in blood, and it can't go the whole nine yards when its teeth are chipped.

Can't be too caught up in the recording quality, though. "Dawn of a New Aeon" is a solid release from these bloodthirsty marauders, its love for violence profound and better executed than most attempting this direction. Mike Wead of Mercyful Fate chips in on "Pactum Diaboli," providing a guest solo boasting some Middle Eastern-ish flares, I believe. Nice little touch like that adds flavor, especially when the focus is predominantly set on one course of action. Barring the production, "Dawn of a New Aeon" works out just fine. "Forever Blasphemy" and "The Pestilent Plague" are the band's best works, but this is acceptable, too. One quick tip: Just ask Mel next time.