Many metalheads will say that the golden age of heavy metal was the 80s.
It was the time of bay area thrash; death metal was starting to develop and the foundations of modern metal were starting to form. I don’t really identify with this well, because etched firmly in my psyche are the sounds of 90s death metal and no amount of scooped mids is going to change that. And the release, Pity Eloquence by Aeons Abyss, written in 1990 but released in 2019, has nestled itself firmly in my heart.
Given when it was written, this release has a surprising array of metal.
Clean interludes, very aggressive sections and even a police-esk sound in Discourse of the Dead. The elements are interesting and grab the listener.
Very diverse and heavily textured – something that only the giants of the 90s would have attempted. The performance is spot on. The guitar sound leaves enough room for the other instruments to breathe yet they still at times punch through the mix. The drums are clean and the voice isn’t too muffled that these guys could stand up to thrash-death bands.
It will be really interesting to see what else this studio band releases in the future, and what other gems they may have in the vault, but if this release is anything to go by, I’ll certainly be keeping my eye out. Suitable for those who would trade a Power-suit for baggy MC Hammer pants.
Release Year: 2019
Label: self-released
Category: EP
Country: Australia
Reviewer: Liam Frost-Camilleri
