Aurora - Dead Electric Nightmare


Year of Release: 2002
Label: Lucretia Records
Catalog Number: LU20012-2
Format: CD
Total Time: 47:17:00

My overall general opinion of Aurora's Dead Electric Nightmares is middling. I suppose if you listen to harsh metal just for the shear aggression ? pummeling percussion, throbbing bass, crunchy guitars and screamed "cookie monster" vocals ? then Aurora has the complete package. The music is done better than one realizes at first listen but even the clean vocals leave a lot to be desired... though these only appear briefly throughout the album. As an instrumental only band they'd be a bit more than mildly interesting.

Dead Electric Nightmares is the band's fourth album, their first for Lucretia Records. Aurora are Mr. [Claus] Frølund on vocals, Thomas Broberg and Anders Vestergaard on guitars, Carsten Terp on bass and Morten G. Sörensen on drums. The highlight instrument is the drums, which during the first track "Black Heavy Cat," are the most dynamic instrument - always doing something. And drums kick off "Causa Sui" in a pretty cool riff. In both cases, this is played against a wall of guitars sound that rarely varies, except for a guitar solo here and there. What's interesting to note, is that many of their rhythms are revved up rock rhythms. I mean, if played with less aggression, it'd be rock. In fact, "Jack" is a revved up new wave track? if it were less aggressive, you'd swear the 80s were back with guitars that jangle like Big Country. And Frølund sounds a bit like Icehouse's Ira Davies on a (very) off day (he's singing clean here) ? but maybe it's just because of the lyric "Hey little girl," that sounds the same. "Two Dice And A Silent Disguise" has a long outro that is rather nice ? kind of a harsher REM in a way, though not so "jangly." This is maybe the best moment here on the CD aside from that drum intro to "Causa Sui." The plodding, gloomy "Watching, Falling, Breathing" sounds like what The Wall-era Pink Floyd would sound like if the band were heavier and if David Gilmour and Roger Waters sang in this harsh, hell-winds manner. Basically this is in the heavy bass lines that come falling down like? erm, well, like huge hammers.

"Chains Of God," which closes the album, is a wavery, watery piece that, if it had stronger clean vocals, might be pretty good. That shimmery effect is right out of psychedelica, here giving one the feeling of moving in slow motion. This is very dark and gloomy? mournful. Ironically, the lyrics reference fast movement through the cosmos.

Well, I can't say that I hate it, because there are some musical moments that I like ? those mentioned above, others that are too brief to mention. But? I'm cooler towards it than even lukewarm. Of stuff I've heard, I'd direct you to Borknagar instead, as but one example.


Tracklisting:
Black Heavy Cat / Metaphysical Electric / New God Rising / Martyr Of Life / A Perfect Light / Watching, Falling, Breathing / Two Dice And A Silent Disquise / Causa Sui / Jack / Chains Of God

Musicians:
Mr. Frølund - vocals
Thomas Broberg - guitar
Anders Vestergaard - guitar
Carsten Terp - bass
Morten G. Sörensen - drums

Discography:
I'll Cry Alone (ep) (1997)
Eos (1998)
Sadiam (ep) (1999)
Devotion (2000)
Dead Electric Nightmares (2002)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin DK

Added: October 5th 2003
Reviewer: Stephanie Sollow
Score:
Artist website: www.aurora.dk
Hits: 2053
Language: english

  

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