In the blink of an eye 10 years passed by wondering if we would ever hear from this band again. 2003's wondrous "Soul Of The Universe" left a lasting impression. With 17 minutes of bliss and 10 years of absence I was both excited and dreading listening to their first full length. Time changes bands, but a decade without a whisper made me wonder if we would have anything left of the original sound. I'm happy to say they still have it, the astral "vibe" is there, but their sound has evolved, they have not been frozen on ice.
The symphonic component of Aeons's sound is the most reminiscent, still providing its subtle influences, acting as the backbone that adds distinguishable character to the rest of the sound. Theres no piano interludes or many leading moments, but they are not absent here. The sound is more oriented around the guitars providing classic thrashy, aggressive riffs that, in unison with the rhythm section, thump and pound crushing groove after groove. The songs are well developed, pretty typical for this era of Metal, but the quality of musicianship and presence of astral symphonics does set them above the bar.
On the vocal front Aeons's is a very different band, with obvious line up changes their new vocalists fit the mold well. Providing many guttural and screaming ranges, theres a much needed variety on display which also comes with some delightful clean leads, comparable to ICS Vortex, that steal the show on "Probe", a song that sounds like it could of been on there 2003 release. Overall its a well written and produced album, but its biggest flaw is its length. Clocking in at nearly 80 minutes the duller moments become more noticeable as the listen draws on. Its great that Aeons are back! I hope to catch them on the road soon.
Favorite Songs: ESP, Probe, Renaissance,
Rating: 6/10