Aeon Winds "Stormveiled" Cassette

50 copies on black cassette
50 copies on green cassette

Slovakia has become a major force in the metal scene over the past few years and Aeon Wind is another proof of this fact. Having been formed in 2007 they have so far released a bunch of stuff, including one full length titled “Those Who Will Remain Silent Forever”. I am not familiar with any of their older releases, but their second album “Stormveiled” from 2019 is a real belter. All band members are also active in other projects, so the level of maturity presented here should not come as real surprise. Aeon Winds managed to deliver a very frosty and classic vibe and mood, thanks to the atmospheric guitar riffs. The feel inside is rather hostile and misanthropic, which is well compensated by the melancholy emitted from the other side. Tempo variations are thrown in for good measure, and you can expect anything varying from blasting furies, to groovier parts, to some slower patterns. There are any number of factors that could be listed to describe why this album is so excellent, but the most immediate is the record’s sheer listenability. Black metal isn’t what I would typically describe as an inviting style of music, but Aeon Winds have here created a sound that is both extremely hard-hitting but still melodic. The band takes care that their tracks never lose their sense of atmosphere, intensity, and aggression. From the desolate spell woven by “A Cosmic Sky Ablaze”, with its whirling tremolo harmonies, symphonic elements and subtle threads of glimmering lead guitar, until the straight groove and epic grandeur of the last song’s deluge of rippling blast-beats and outstanding black metal harmonies Aeon Winds take you on a heavy ride. The drumming of here is also top, always providing a perfect platform for the symphonic parts and the glorious lead guitar work. Thanks to a flawless production job – clear, powerful and diversified - the rhythm section and the guitar perfectly complement each other, and also the howling vocals have their place in the mix. The songwriting show the experience of the musicians involved, with the music always packed with a fiery ferocity, stringent structures and real power the likes of which only quality black metal can deliver so well. It’s the execution factor that shows us really what a band is made of, no matter how experienced they are, and Aeon Winds have delivered all the goods the make up a great black metal recording. The drumming switches between high speed battering and a steady groove, with the patterns well planned and executed, depending what certain sections ask for. So all in all “Stormveiled” is a pretty safe bet for fans of atmospheric and melodic black metal. These lads are great at crafting emotional songs and do not shy away from implementing several interesting details. It will be interesting to see where they are going next, but I am pretty sure we are going to hear a lot more from them in the future.

Sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...