Review by Felix on November 4, 2021.

Aura Noir - isn't that the band where the members look ugly even when they smile because their gap-toothed teeth are crooked to top it all off? Not to mention that when they call it smiling, their whole face contorts into a grimace? Well, their music certainly suggests that, and the 2008 album is no exception. The defenders of horridness Apollyon and Aggressor present ten pieces that have absolutely nothing to do with the beautiful things in life. Their black thrash sounds less angry than that of Condor and comparable fellows. Their piss-off attitude shows itself less in hateful outbursts, but in the nearly disinterested presentation of emphatically casual, routinely performed pieces of medium tempo. With this approach the band dances on the knife's edge, because if the riffs, which are essential in this sound picture, don't sit perfectly, everything remains rather unspectacular. All those who have heard 'Gaping Grave Awaits' know what I'm talking about. But there are also pieces like 'Unleash The Demon'. A minimalist riff carries the piece together with the driving rhythm and an eerie guitar in the middle part safely to the finish, not to mention the surprisingly catchy chorus.

The production stands shoulder to shoulder with the music. It is dirty without denying the professional level of the protagonists. It offers neither a high level of clarity nor technical details in abundance. Instead, it comes across as compact and muscular even without highly styled technology. The always nasty, slightly hoarse vocals and the puristic instrumentation are also in good proportion to one another and do not crowd each other out. In this respect, it's a bit of a shame that the band's compositional class only partially flashes here and a track like 'Shadows Of Death' remains relatively ineffective despite a good start.

Perhaps the duo themselves noticed during the recordings that they still have some room for improvement. In any case, the two worshippers of the unclean try to regain ground at the end of the track list. 'The Stalker', the final song of the disc, is driven by a restless riff, the speed picks up and the two-word chorus, as primitive as it is short, immediately sticks in the ear. But also 'Iron Night / Torment Storm' leaves the previously chosen paths and focuses more on speed - and as you might expect from a track with a double name, it has the most surprising break of the whole album up its sleeve. The rapid guitar lines here captivate with the somnambulist certainty of a sleepwalker on the roof gable, so that the long instrumental parts give the song a special charm. In between the two aforementioned tracks, there is still the rumbling 'South American Death', which, however, doesn't seem to be a homage to the South American extreme metal scene. In any case, Aura Noir sound here as Aura Noir always sound: poisonous, devious and dirty. Anyway. The main thing is that they try not to smile.

Rating: 7.4 out of 10

Review by Felix on November 4, 2021.

Aura Noir possesses a special charm. The band members seem to be dour old men that despise the world and every human creature. But at the same time, they surprise with liveliness, determination and energy. With the appropriate amount of dirt under their fingernails, unwashed, unshaven and stinking, the Norwegians fire in every direction, no matter who the random victims are. However, there are a lot of people falling down.

The most deadly weapon of the album is the second tune called 'Condor'. Its targeted and raw riffing stands out, the tempo variations are brilliantly executed and the edgy chorus adds the finishing touch in a remarkable manner. Needless to say that the song is characterised by its aggressive overall picture. Long story short, this piece constitutes a prime example of black thrash metal. This is not least thanks to the hoarse yet powerful voice of lead singer Apollyon who emphasizes the filthy attitude of the three-piece. By the way, Aggressor is responsible for the lead vocals on three tracks, but there are no significant differences between his performance and that of Apollyon. However, the main reason for the high quality of 'Condor' is the guitar work. It delivers the perfect mix of harshness and melodies while avoiding any kind of superfluous elements.

Without losing sight of the dogma that their kind of black thrash thrives on nastiness and narrow-mindedness, the Norwegians perform eight songs which are closely related. The unwillingness to compromise prevents a high degree of variety. But I am sure that this fact does not represent a disadvantage. That would surely be different if Aura Noir had not been able to keep up the tension during the whole playtime. But with the exception of the slightly unimposing 'Black Metal Jaw', each and every song proves its qualities. In view of the band´s songwriting skills, it is too bad that the album clocks in at 28 minutes. The short playtime goes hand in hand with the production which is also reduced to the essentials. The bone dry sound leaves no room for any kind of playful airiness.

Despite its unfriendliness, the band has a special sense for humour. The title of the album's opener salutes Fenriz and Nocturno Culto, the owner of Tyrant Syndicate, a sublabel of Peaceville. Furthermore, 'Sordid' picks up the riffing of Possessed's "March To Die". Without being a cover version in the narrow sense, it builds a bridge from Norway's black scene to the American role models. The band itself describes the song as a tribute and that's a very suitable wording. Superfluous to mention that they enrich the fantastic main riff of Possessed's classic tune with an appropriate quantum of putrefaction. Finally, the straightforward and strong title track completes an album that fulfills its purpose. Black thrash supporters will be smiling from ear to ear while listening to The Merciless.

Rating: 8.4 out of 10