•
Rating: «Anti Human
Anti Life
Anti Christ»
With the phrases you see at the beginning of this review, the Norwegian duo Khaos Aura introduces their third full-length work, "Thorn Bringer", released at the end of June 2025 through the little-known label Sonorous Night.
As you can easily guess from the opening three lines, this is a band delivering an extremely traditional form of Black metal, both stylistically and in terms of (lo-fi) production, where the drive for innovation is basically zero, and imagination doesn't exactly reach its peak. Nevertheless, I chose to support them anyway: partly because I am an incorrigible blackster and could never abandon a certain kind of sound; and partly because the heart of Khaos Aura beats with black blood, pulsing with such vehemence and nostalgia for a glorious past – with roots sinking into the early albums of Gorgoroth and Burzum – that I simply couldn't remain indifferent.
The two Norwegians manage to keep the tension high, and with minimal tremolos, atmospheric sections where you can feel a delicate use of synths among the reverbs, and some other effects lending a touch of Nordic mysticism, together with rough melodic inlays, they warm the soul and envelop you in all the elitist charm of the old black flame...
There, where detachment reigns, where alienation borders on the psychotic... Where the epic and melancholic wind of Norse tradition blows strong... Where, among the dark vortices, the myth materializes... There, you find Khaos Aura at home.
Undoubtedly, "Thorn Bringer" is not a masterpiece, and it would be hard to give it more than a 7.5... Yet, within these walls, the passion burns bright.
Loading comments slowly
