AENAON - "Cendres et Sang" - REVIEWS

http://www.metallus.it/recensioni/cendres-et-sang/

7.5/10

Sangue e cenere, due sostanze dalla profonda simbologia danno il titolo a questo debutto degli ellenici Aenaon, combo black metal piuttosto anomalo e sui generis, in virtù dell’apparente naturalezza con cui riesce a far convivere vari elementi sonori, senza risultare forzato, pretenzioso o intellettualoide.
L’idea dalla quale muove il quartetto è visiva/visionaria, nella misura in cui la comune materia black (riferimenti possibili i Satyricon di “Rebel Extravaganza”, Todtgelichter dell’ultimo “Angst”, Ihsahn) è piegata ad esigenze espressive quasi filmiche, come dimostra il riuscito raccordo tra il sax notturno di “Kafkaesque” e la piéce quasi Arcturus di “Suncord”.
Senza dubbio la band non indulge troppo in manierismi, tastiere e melodie, ma tiene sempre alto il livello di aggressione sonora (“Grand Narcotic Harvest”, ospite V’gandr degli Helheim), tramite il lavoro continuo delle due asce di Dagwn e Achilles.
Astrous, da par suo, si dimostra uno screamer molto quadrato, con un’impostazione death-oriented che non guasta affatto l’atmosfera densa e cupa dell’album.
Il bello è che “Cendres Et Sang” riesce a suonare piuttosto fresco e moderno senza sacrificare troppo il suo originario spirito black metal (“Carnivora’s Lair”, “Necroscope”). Personalmente trovo comunque più riuscite le sezioni in cui il gruppo alza un po’ il piede dall’acceleratore, producendo mid-tempo evocativi e dalle atmosfere psicotiche e inquietanti. Uso questi aggettivi non a caso, visto che la conclusione è affidata a una cover di brano di Eraserhead di Lynch (“In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song)”), regista con cui gli Aenaon pare condividano un certo feeling per il disordine mentale.
L’unico neo di questo altrimenti ottimo lavoro è rappresentato da una produzione non abbastanza rifinita, che pecca, soprattutto riguardo la distorsione delle chitarre, di quella chiarezza e pulizia necessaria a rendere intelligibili le varie sfumature, che in questo modo a volte si perdono in un calderone sonoro molto potente e d’impatto, ma non abbastanza definito.
A parte questa considerazione di carattere tecnico, davvero un grande debutto per la band greca, che segna fra l’altro un ennesimo investimento artistico di successo per l’italianissima Code666, sempre più una certezza di qualità.
 
http://www.metal-discovery.com/CD/cd_review_aenaon_cendresetsang.htm

9/10:eek:

"...an eclectic foray into avant-garde black metal."

Recently signed up by Code666, Aenaon’s debut full length ‘Cendres et Sang’ (which translates as ‘Ashes and Blood’) is an eclectic foray into avant-garde black metal. Their hybrid sound pushes black metal into melodic atmospheres, progressive passages, and incorporates elements of free jazz into their compositions. ‘Kafkaesque’ opens proceedings, the title suggesting the senseless, disorienting and menacing complexity found in the author’s absurd and surreal reflections, the noir jazz sax piece hints at the aberrant psychological ordeals of David Lynch movies. Seguing into ‘Suncord’, the indomitable forces of black metal are unleashed, the jazz re-emerging in the mid-section, the fluid jazz guitar and sax lines gliding over a diminished bass line. As the might of unseen forces are felt even deeper in the straightforward stomping groove riff of ‘Psychonaut Odyssey’, a Hammond organ makes an appearance in the mix, bringing an even more sinister edge to proceedings. ‘Grand Narcotic Harvest’ uses clean, dramatic vocals in the chorus and a sound similar to a Theremin hovers eerily in the near-distance for the breakdown. The black barrage continues into ‘Once Finite’, the lead work of which is stunning and ethereal. ‘Carnivora’s Lair’ weaves in, around, and through barren wastelands into the black momentum that charges through ‘Necroscope’, ‘Kraanerg’ and ‘Black Nerve’, three songs that are utterly enthralling in their scope. ‘Black Nerve’, at just over eight minutes – with the noir sax reappearing in the midst of the menace – is a vast journey through manifold emotions, each richly merged into a beautifully expressive opus. A cobweb-covered piano accompanied by a chilling female vocal opens ‘In Heaven’, a cover of the song from David Lynch’s surrealist nightmare ‘Eraserhead’. Suitably twisted, the piece spirals deeper into the aesthetics of inner torment through black metal horror. Thus, the cycle is complete, and ‘Cendres et Sang’ ends where it began, suspended between insanity and genius. As an album, it’s very difficult to identify many, or indeed any, chinks in the armour. Aenaon are more than prepared to explore and exploit nuances in sound and structure to bring deeper dimensions to their music. Incorporating the unusual and the unexpected into the mix, ‘Cendres et Sang’ is an accomplished album, a multifaceted beast that is intense, innovative, and consummate in experimentalism and not once does it compromise the aesthetic. Highly recommended.

Review by Jason Guest
 
INFERNO ROCK MAGAZINE - printed june-july issue

I greci Aenaon si misurano con un black metal
d’avanguardia che risulta interessante soprattutto quando
la band inserisce un sax jazz che ci riporta alla mente gli
Ephel Duath più ispirati (Suncord). Più canonici i brani
tipicamente black metal, anche se hanno un’impronta
moderna e sfruttano bene l’appeal più cadenzato. In
chiusura la band ci sorprende con la cover di In Heaven,
dalla colonna sonora del capolavoro di David Lynch
Eraserhead.

7/10
 
http://behindtheveil.freehostia.com/june_main.html

Behind The Veil Webzine (Gr)
7.5/10

"Cendres et Sang" is one of the most impressive, pioneering and innovative works I've had the chance to listen to in the black metal genre and the fact that it's delivered by my compatriots AENAON makes me feel very proud! Extreme metal reigns supreme here in Greece and this band is one more proof of how strong the scene is here. AENAON isn't your typical black metal band and it's definitely unlike anything you've listened to so far. They belong to the wider genre of avant garde experimental black metal, but their compositions are so psycho, so technical and with so many jazz references you just listen to it with your mouth gaping wide open. Truth be told, however, this isn't the kind of music that can be easily digested by many people, it requires openmindedness, because the songs on "Cendres et Sang" are so paranoid, chaotic and multilayered, it's sometimes difficult for you to follow or fully understand them. There are two things I can tell you for certain... one is that this is a visionary band that brings something new to the table and the second is that this album needs many listenings in order one to be able to say he/she has started getting what's going on. I ponder upon what grade to give them a lot and no matter what, I don't think it'll be right, so I thought I should give them the average between what AENAON deserve for their songwriting skills and what a typical metal head will think when he/she listens to this work.
 
http://panplunderer.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/2011-aenaon-cendres-et-sang/

Οι Aenaon είναι Θεσσαλοί με μέλη που ζουν σε Λάρισα και Βόλο. Η ιστορία της μπάντας ξεκινά από το 2005 και επεκτείνεται τα τελευταία χρόνια με ένα promo ένα Ep και ένα split. Στις πρώτες εκείνες εικόνες λάβαμε ένα black metal με ιδιαίτερο και μεστό ήχο που μας χάριζε μια οπτική στην οποία συναντούσαμε μπάντες όπως οι Dimmu Borgir και Gorgoroth γαρνιρισμένες με κάποια riff που έφερναν στο μυαλό ως και τους μεγάλους Thorns. Πρόσφατα υπέγραψαν συμβόλαιο με την Code666 και ξεκινούν ένα άλλο ταξίδι με φιλοδοξίες και τόλμη ντεμπουτάροντας με το full-album Cendres Et Sang, που σημαίνει “στάχτες και αίμα” με εξώφυλλο έναν πίνακά του Πολωνού Lukasz Wodynski.

Το πρώτο ολοκληρωμένο album των Θεσσαλών εμπεριέχει αρκετές αλλαγές στο ύφος με σκοπό μια νέα κατασκευή, ένα ιδιότυπο Black Metal που θα μπορεί να κουβαλά τόσο τα τυπικά του είδους όσο και πολλά άλλα metal χαρακτηριστικά κρατώντας τα σε μια ισορροπία. Με τον τρόπο αυτό κατορθώνει να ολοκληρώσει ένα ενιαίο σύνολο δομώντας μιαν άλλη εικόνα απομακρυσμένη από το ποίμνιο μεν αλλά πολύ σχετική δε. Αυτό συμβαίνει κυρίως επειδή δεν συνηγορούν παικτικά στο κλασικό μοτίβο, με δεδομένη ηχητική φόρμα απευθυνόμενη στους λίγους και εκλεκτούς Blackmetallers και μόνο εκεί. Αλλά εκπέμπουν μέσω μια άλλης συχνότητας ένα νέο δρώμενο για εκείνο το κοινό που αρέσκεται στο τυπικό του Black Metal με εναλλασσόμενα Avantgarde εικονίδια και μικρούς πειραματισμούς ροής. Τα κομμάτια είναι γραμμένα σε metal βάση, με τις κιθάρες να φέρουν την ευθύνη και την εφαρμογή σε αυτό. Ο τρόπος που παίζουν έχει προσανατολισμό αλλά και μια έμπνευση που τους δίνει την δυνατότητα να βάζουν αλλότρια metal στοιχεία στο Black Metal και να επιτυγχάνουν μια συμβατότητα που σπάνια συναντάς. Μέσα από αυτή την διαδικασία προεκτείνουν το μονοδιάστατο χωρίς complex βαυκαλισμούς και πάνω απ’ όλα καταφέρνουν να μην καλουπωθούν σε μια τετριμμένη συμπεριφορά. Έτσι εκεί που θα σας βάλουν μέσα στο επιθετικό μονοπάτι θα σας ξαφνιάσουν μ’ ένα ξαφνικό metal solo και εκεί που θα περιμένετε μια εκ νέου μελωδική συμπεριφορά θα εμφανιστεί ένα έντεχνο πέρασμα που αλλάζει τα πάντα. Έτσι λειτουργεί και το υπόλοιπο μουσικό περίβλημα, μ’ ένα ρυθμικό μέρος που είναι αρκετά μπροστά και το αναδεικνύει η παραγωγή και συνοδοιπόρους σε αυτό κάθε σκέρτσο που μοιάζει με εχέγγυο cool συμπεριφοράς αλλά είναι πάνω απ’ όλα η δυνατότητα μιας άλλης εφαρμογής και σχετίζεται με τα μουσικά γεγονότα και μόνο.

Αν υπάρχει κάτι που μπορεί να εξεταστεί σε μια διαρκή επίβλεψη είναι η ατμόσφαιρα που διέπει το Cendres Et Sang. Δεν συζητώ για διερεύνηση της ύπαρξής της αλλά για την πολικότητά που φέρει και το εσωτερικό φύλλωμα του ακροατή που θέλει ν’ αγγίξει. Αυτό δεν θα γίνει βέβαια επειδή ο μέσος μαυρομέταλος αρέσκεται σε τέτοιου είδους κουβέντες, αλλά γιατί το εκπεμπόμενο παρουσιάζει μια παράξενη ομογενοποίηση με συμβατές και ασύμβατες καταστάσεις, που έχουν όμως παρουσιαστεί συνεκτικά δεμένες κατά την εκτέλεση. Αν λοιπόν η συνθετική σου δομή έχει χτιστεί με πολλά υλικά, metal μαγαζιών τα περισσότερα, είναι λογικό να εκπέμπεις ενός άλλου τύπου συναίσθημα και να εκπνέεις μια νέου τύπου ατμόσφαιρα. Εδώ δεν μπορούμε να κάνουμε την διαίρεση και να πιστέψουμε πως έχουμε το σωστό πηλίκο, παρά μόνο ν’ ακροαστούμε ψάχνοντας μια ταύτιση μαζί του.

Στο κομμάτι του ήχου και των θέσεων που λαμβάνει το album θα βρούμε ένα ρυθμικό μπούγιο που σε φάσεις ανατρέπει την πορεία, από την άλλη υπάρχει ως αντίδοτο μια μελωδικότητα που δεν επηρεάζει μόνο riff και solo αλλά και την φωνή, η οποία πέρα από την τυπική της συμπεριφορά σε κλασικό Black Metal επίπεδο θα μπει σε καθαρά μέρη και θα θυμίσει ως και τους Arcturus σαν επιρροή, μέσα εδώ δώστε μου την δυνατότητα να βάλω και τα καταπληκτικά γυναικεία φωνητικά στο In Heaven (την Synne Larsen απο In The Woods θυμήθηκα). Πάντα σε τέτοιες προσπάθειες οι μπάντες που παρουσιάζουμε σαν επιρροές θα έπρεπε να ονομάζονται καλύτερα εφαλτήριο για δράση, μιας και η λέξη επιρροή λειτουργεί ως συνεκτικός κρίκος για τον ακροατή και τα γούστα του, ενώ το εφαλτήριο για δράση είναι μια πηγή νίψης για τον μουσικό.

Συμπερασματικά οι Aenaon ξεκινούν μια πορεία με το βλέμμα καρφωμένο στα εξωγενή στοιχεία και μια μικρή αγάπη σε δογματισμούς. Μέσα απο αυτά ψάχνουν ένα μονοπάτι που θα κρατήσει πρώτα εκείνους να το βαδίσουν και έπειτα τον ακροατή να το αγναντέψει. Έχω την αίσθηση ότι όλα τα υλικά για ακόμη καλύτερα πράγματα υπάρχουν και εμείς θα παρακολουθούμε απο κοντά.
 
http://www.hardsounds.it/PUBLIC/recensione.php?id=7459

75/100

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Dopo un EP poco convincente i greci Aenoan, con una strana adarazione per il latino, arrivano al full-lenth provando a dire qualcosa in più rispetto al lavoro precedente. Effettivamente di passi in avanti se ne vedono tanto che 'Cendres Et Sang', pur puntando al black oltranzista, lascia intravedere sprazzi avantgarde - gli Arcturus non possono non essere chiamati in causa - e qualche idea più prettamente post - il sax dell'intro e di "Kafkaesque" sa molto di Callisto. Quindi a tutti gli effetti un lavoro interessante che mostra una band che vuole progredire e guardare avanti. Magari non tutto è al proprio posto dato che in qualche occasione i nostri forzano un po' la mano, mentre in altre non portano a conclusione quanto nel corso del brano viene iniziato, ma in linea di massima è un album convincente che soddisferà sia i palati più fini, sia il blackster meno esigente e più tradizionalista. Ma è già tempo di andare ancora più oltre: gli Aenoan sono sicuro ci sorprendaranno ulteriormente con le prossime produzioni.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Notevolmente migliorati.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]VOTO 75[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]_GUIDA AL GIUDIZIO[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]RECENSORE[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Andrea Punzo[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]RECENSITO IL [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] 16/06/2011[/FONT]
 
http://www.metallized.it/recensione.php?id=5531

Gli Aenaon sono una piccola formazione greca che è riuscita a mostrare al mondo la loro nuova creazione grazie alla nostrana Code666. Avevamo già notato in altre occasioni (ad esempio con Între Două Lumi degli impronunciabili Syn Ze Şase Tri) di come la Code, nonostante prediliga ancora le forme più interessanti e metafisiche della musica estrema (Control Human Delete, Fen, Thee Maldoror Kollective), promuova contemporaneamente diversi tipi di black metal dai connotati (leggasi produzioni) contemporaneissimi.

Parte alla grande questo Cendres et Sang, sulle note nebbiose dei fiati (oboe e fagotto, se l'orecchio non mi inganna) di Kafkaesque che diventano un'interessante miscela di jazz-black nella successiva Suncord. I tempi sono serrati e i riff spaziano dai classici giri aperti e vorticosi ai palm-mute più thrash; le urla di Panos cambiano continuamente dal growl allo screaming in questo brano mutevole quanto interessante. Produzioni e stacchetti psichedelici di vintersorghiana memoria che stupiscono positivamente l'ascoltatore, anche se si limitano un po' troppo a fare da contorno. Chimerici incontri fra Dødheimsgard, 1349 e Ihsahn costituiscono i lati più "progressive" dell'album (Psychonaut Od) dove le melodie si interpongono raramente per lasciare spazio al lato più violento della band che, spesso e volentieri, si inerpica sui tempi dispari e sull'effetto patinato delle chitarre.
Le eccessive dosi di aggressività non fanno impennare il disco, anzi, lo pongono in una sorta di limbo fatto di tante pretese e tanta forma; eppure le zone più melodiche, quando si palesano, sono veramente degne di nota; Once Finite mi ha ricordato quelle atmosfere fluttuanti e marinaresche dei Wintehorde; le chitarre che si stagliano lunghe e soliste sopra la sezione ritmica, i synth che emergono piano piano raccordando il brano lungo la sua durata... Eppure il fantasma dell'omologazione e della difficoltà di variazione aleggia costantemente lungo tutta la durata d'ascolto. Questa manieristica violenza che si fa veicolo di qualche messaggio "filosofico" rischia seriamente di essere la parte più evanescente dell'ombra di alcuni dischi che hanno analogamente detto gli stessi argomenti (almeno a livello sonoro) dieci anni fa.
Tante belle idee che sono ormai figlie di un medesimo passato: riff intricati di Necroscope sono una sorta di ripassata al vetriolo delle esperienze di Vintersorg e soci, mentre l'interessante interscambio di effetti di Kraanerg non riesce a conferire al pezzo una sua autonomia.
Black Nerve riesce a risollevare un pelo l'andamento del disco grazie alle sue potentissime e dirette melodie (anche se troppo simili alla sterile ira sonora dei Keep of Kalessin) che scompaiano per lasciar spazio a un bell'interludio jazz dalle atmosfere etniche.
Anche l'opzione di chiudere con una cover-rivisitazione di In Heaven di David Lynch (quella che cantava la Marilyn Monroe deformata in Eraserhead) sembra un tentativo di ritagliarsi un angolino nel mondo del metal intellettuale, piuttosto che creare qualcosa di inerente al resto dell'album. Il brano parte meravigliosamente in un duetto di piano e voce femminile che però, per quanto ammaliante e per quanto richiami quei 2-3 spezzoni di solo jazz presenti nel platter, non fa che essere un ulteriore elemento solitario all'interno di un'opera di tutt'altra fattura. A livello stilistico non è altro che l'estremizzazione della cover dei Pixies, ma quando si continua a distorcere ciò che è già distorto… si crea solo un confusionario ed inutile caos.

Insomma, come (troppo) spesso accade, i nostri Aenaon hanno fatto un lavoretto stilisticamente e strumentalmente impeccabile; peccato che anch’esso vada ad aggiungersi alla lunga e prolifica lista dei dischi bollati come "già sentito". D'altra parte - giuro su me stesso - mi piacerebbe da morire vedere questi quattro musicisti imbracciare strumenti acustici per lanciarsi in una jam session dai sapori retrò e mitteleuropei.
Sia mai che, producendo il classico e scontato album acustico... non ne esca un capolavoro…

70/100
 
http://passzio.hu/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=23387

Nem mondom, hogy felhőtlen öröm töltött el az avantgarde black metal jelző láttán, amit a hat éves múltra visszatekintő görög csapat bemutatkozó lemezére aggattak, azonban származásuk okán mégse menekültem hanyatt-homlok... Ugyanis a black metal gyökerekkel bíró görög zenekarok többsége igazán érdekesen, egyéni módon tud az extrém témákhoz nyúlni, és nem gyorsfogyasztásra ajánlott produkciókat adnak ki kezeik közül. Mint ahogy jelen banda sem.

Finoman úszik be a hallójáratokba a szaxofon a Kafkaesque névre keresztelt intróban, amely hangszer aztán többször is visszatér a későbbiekben. Viszont nem igazán értem, hogy emiatt vagy a tördelt dalszerkezetek citálták ide az avantgarde kifejezést? Hiszen ez a zene sokkal inkább rokon a késői Enslaved anyagokkal, mint mondjuk a feleslegesen művészkedő és szerintem túlzottan felmagasztalt csapatok többségével, hadd nem mondjak neveket... Tény, hogy nem minden ízében kiérlelt a produkció, de számomra nagyon is élvezhetőnek tűnik.

Legnagyobb hibája talán a némileg masszaszerűen fortyogó sound (több helyen vették fel a dalokat, a maszterizálás a Strype Audio és Tom Kvalsvoll érdeme, aki egynémely DHG, Code, 1349, Keep of Kalessin lemezért is felelős), ami miatt valahogy nem jönnek át maradéktalanul az apróbb részletek, pedig lenne mire figyelni bőven. A második szám végére aztán megszokja az ember, innentől meg kár ezen idegeskedni. Alapvetően zúzós témákból építkeznek, de természetesen finomabb, billentyűsökkel kísért borultabb részek is előfordulnak, amelyek megtörik a súlyos kétlábgépre épülő húsba maró riffeket. Érdekes, hogy dobost sehol sem tüntettek fel, azonban dobgépre utaló jel sincs, legalábbis nem tűnik művinek a dolog. De végül is mindegy, mert amúgy teljesen korrekt és kellően változatos alapokat hoznak, helyenként talán túlzottan is megvariálják a nótákat, amik így egy picit töredezettnek tűnnek, az elektro-hatásokat sem nélkülöző Necroscope például pont ilyen. A hangszeres tudással tehát nincs gond, talán arra kellene hangsúlyt fektetni, hogy kerekebb dalokat írjanak, mert mondjuk a Helheim-torok V'gandr közreműködésével előadott Grand Narcotic Harvest, vagy az Once Finite egyértelműen magasabb szintet képviselnek a többihez képest. Az Eraserhead című David Lynch filmből kölcsönzött In Heaven furcsa kísérlet, ahol zongora és női ének is színesíti a képet, jól passzol a csapat bizarrnak tűnő világába.

Érdekes debütálás, kell pár hallgatás, amíg ráérez az ember az ízére, de még ezután is csak fokozatosan adja meg magát. Azoknak ajánlott, akik nem nagykanállal fogyasztják a zenéket, hanem szeretnek hosszabb ideig elidőzni egy lemeznél.

8/10
 
http://www.metalstorm.net/pub/review.php?review_id=9316

Rating: 8.5/10

Many bands coming from Greece whenever they chose a more aggressive sound pathway in the metal scene their most apparent references used to rise from Rotting Christ and Septicflesh, at least in the past. Within the last few years some things seem to be changing and Aenaon is one those "heretic" bands that had the vision/will to not worship what's already famous and follow a different road. Cendres Et Sang (Ashes And Blood) is their debut album and it's here to propose a more avant-garde aspect of black metal. The cover artwork (Lukasz Wodynski ) is tempting enough and holds a sullen grandeur of its own, a very good first impression is always welcome!

The saxophone during the intro ("Kafkaesque" - what a nice title) lends some hints n' tips of what will follow and "Suncord" which holds a Ved Buens Ende accent concurs. The soundscape becomes clearer and a maelstrom of ideas is about to unfold in front of your very... ears. We're dealing with a work that's paying its small tribute to aspects of more traditional black metal and at the same time pins the term "traditional" on the wall until it bleeds experimentation. Apart from Ved Buens Ende you will witness some references to Dødheimsgard, Satyricon and Shining to name a few that come to mind at the moment. Of course it's not only about influences, it's also about ideas and inspiration, it's all about respect and self-expression and Aenaon succeed in it. Order and disorder forge an ill-natured alliance that holds its basis in black metal with three neurons that transmit jazzy, some sort of mechanical vibe and avant-garde (the Norwegian way) signals equally.

Everyone involved in this recording plays an important role and it's quite distinctive, from the band members to the guest musicians (V'gandr of Aeternus and Helheim, Thomais Chatzigianni of Dakrya etc). The guitar work is fabulous; sliding melodies, razor-sharp or maneuvering riffing with a strength of its own, even some beautiful soloing ideas (you have to love the way "Black Nerve" opens) among a wide variety of ways of expression that enrich the soundscape. There's definitely something odd and welcome at the same time within some effects in the guitars and in general, mental euphoria, dissonance and a variety of conditions/emotions come to the surface. The vocals are vibrant, they lend their own pulse in the compositions. Astrous' throat is a coal mine, ranging from edgy and sharp husky grunts to ecstatic boiling (un)clean singing that entrances the atmosphere. Last but not least, the rhythm section is dynamic, non-verbose but with interesting key signatures and the most important thing is, it's omnipresent and not buried, after all the spot-on production is complimenting the album.

The album couldn't just reach the end with an outro or any other composition. The In Heaven cover (from David Lynch's Eraserhead soundtrack) is of extraterrestrial beauty, the more i listen to it the better it gets. Emotionally pompous piano melodies and a magnificent interpretation from Thomais in a Gitane Demone meets Mary (Mary And The Boy) delirium from a daydream nightmare that comes to life when the band emerges to make the overall ambiance even more suffocating. Had I been David Lynch, I'd work on an abstract video clip with Aenaon.

Anyway, debuts like Cendres Et Sang make this world a better place to live in, as for me, I'm already waiting for their second attempt.



Performance: 9
Songwriting: 8
Originality: 8
Production: 9
 
http://musikansich.de/review.php?id=10129

Unter dem Namen Aenanon fände man in Griechenland auch diverse Hotels. Hier aber geht es um die Black Metaller, die mit Cendres et Sang ihr erstes Album auf code 666 veröffentlichen und als "Avantgarde Black Metal" beworben werden... heikles und vermintes Gelände...

doch die Klänge des Openers "Kafkaesque" sind wirklich ungewöhnlich: Das ist schöner, durchaus moderner Jazz, der sich auch beim eigentlichen Opener "Suncord" noch zu Beginn finden läßt, dann aber erst zum Solo recht unverbunden wieder zurückkehrt und zwischendurch von der übrigen Instrumentierung im midtempo plattgemacht wird. Gelegentlich erinnern Aenaon an die alten Deinonychus (vielleicht erinnert sich der eine oder andere noch), und das ist nicht schlecht, zumindest haben sich die Griechen da was einfallen lassen. Warum Aenaon als "Avantgarde Black Metal" beworben wurden, bleibt mir aber nicht nur auch beim folgenden "Psychonautic Odyssey" rätselhaft. "Avantgarde" ist da gar nichts, trotzdem gibts guten Dark Metal, mal im midtempo, mal etwas schneller, mal mit leicht sphärischen Passagen; Ausnahme dürfte "Grand Narcotic Harvest" sein, bei dem sich die Griechen die Verstärkung von V'gandr (Helheim) geholt haben.

Überraschungseffekte wie zu Beginn bleiben auf dem Rest der Platte aus ("Black Nerve" wiederholt quasi das Anfangsmuster), dennoch haben Aenanon mit Cendres et Sang ein kraftvolles, gut produziertes und durchweg gutes (wenn auch ein bißchen langatmiges) Dark Metal-Album hinbekommen. In jedem Fall antesten.
 
http://dontcountonitreviews.blogspot.com/2011/06/aenaon-cendres-et-sang-2011.html

Band: Aenaon
Country: Thessalia, Greece
Style: Progressive Black Metal
Label: Code666

Finally I can cover this thing, I have to say that since I found out about this full-length album I've been looking forward to it. This debut full-length is something I thought should have come out a little sooner, but I can't really hate on when a band gets to release an album too much. I've been anticipating this since I first found out about their 2009 EP, so, it's been a little while.
From the opening notes of this album, you'll understand that this band has no intention of trying to copy or rip-off another group's style. When you open a black metal, overarching term here, album with a saxophone solo, you should know you're gonna get something a little off the wall. So besides that, you also have influences coming in from blues and jazz, as well as some more "industrial" at times, I'm using the term very loosely here simply because some parts on a track like Grand Narcotic Harvest remind me of a group like DHG. You can't call the eight minute Black Nerve not a highlight on here, it simply has everything that a good progressive tune should have, good riffs, nice transitions and a hook that should make it stand out from shorter tracks. Album closer, In Heaven, is a little weird as well, coming from the famous David Lynch film "Eraserhead," it's definitely a standout on the album simply for it coming from that. They really make this cover unique, not only making it really extreme, but keeping the dark atmosphere of the original, perhaps making it even more of an avant-garde piece.
Besides this group's interest in experimenting, they also have a nice talent for writing good songs. Being unique and weird is all fine and good, but it's always nice if you can write a good song, and tracks like Psychonautic Odyssey really stand out simply because of interesting arrangements and nice riffing. While I would have liked to have heard some better choruses, the track they contributed to the "A Parallel Zoetrope" split had a great chorus and I would have liked to have heard some more moments like that, but I think the riffing on here is much better than on that song, so I'd call it an even trade off, a track like Carnivora's Lair demonstrates the band in more of that vein if you were wondering what that track on the split sounded like. This album also has it's moments of more demented straightforwardness, Kraanerg manages to make quick work of other tracks on the album by being the most consistent in it's aggression and intensity.
I really enjoyed this album and it didn't let me down on any fronts, great debut full-length. I'm sure the diversity will definitely turn some people off, but if you're into the more experimental side of black metal, I definitely urge you to check this record out. This comes highly recommended.

Overall Score: 9.5
Highlights: Every Track Is A Highlight
 
http://www.headbang.it/recensione/cendres-et-sang/10079

Sono attivi dal 2007 i greci Aenaon ma solo oggi arrivano a stampare (tramite la nostrana Code666) il primo full-lenght dopo "l'escalation gavetta" costituita da demo/ep/split (con i Satanochio). Il disco si intitola Cendres Et Sang e mostra una band matura ed acerba allo stesso tempo. Forse gli Aenaon hanno voluto fare il passo più lungo della gamba insistendo senza timore su un tipo di musica freddo e meccanico ancora da "svezzare" al meglio. Troppo spesso un senso di piattezza mi cattura nonostante i nostri mettano in atto un'ottima prova strumentale/compositiva (da rivedere solo la prova del cantante possibile causa di qualche "mal funzionamento"). La durata di quasi un ora di Cendres Et Sang non aiuta di certo, qualcosina verso metà album poteva e doveva essere tolta per favorire un ascolto meno difficoltoso. Tirando le somme non si scende sicuramente sotto una "valida" sufficienza, soprattutto con il pensiero di essere di fronte ad una band alle prese con il primo passo discografico di una certa rilevanza.

Per rendere l'idea di cosa suonino gli Aenaon immaginate il sound dei Dodheimsgard (privo delle sue folli sperimentazioni però, qui si va più sul classico) misto a quello che sono diventati gli Emperor negli ultimi dischi e certo lirismo di Arcturus e Borknagar. Su tutto questo (prodotto superbamente, questo bisogna specificarlo) applicate qualche vaga struttura melodica tipica della loro madre terra (se ne usavano in abbondanza con me sfondavano una porta aperta) assimilabile a gruppi come Septic Flesh, Nightfall e Rotting Christ, e il risultato è bello che fatto.

Le migliori canzoni le possiamo trovare all'inizio e alla fine del disco, la doppietta Suncord (notevoli nel piazzare chitarre greco/svedesi di assoluta classe) e Psychonautic Odyssey è di valore e spiana la strada al meglio (peccato solo per il seguente "cedimento"). Mentre la conclusione vede la presenza di una perla melodico/avantgarde come Black Nerve (forte trasporto generale e parti cantate particolarmente indovinate), e la cover "esperimento" tratta dalla colonna sonora di Eraserhead di David Lynch (magari un po fuori luogo ma a mio parere riuscitissima).

Peccato per il resto che come già detto rovina (ma non azzoppa) un po questo debut cd, non in modo clamoroso sia chiaro perché canzoni come Grand Narcotic Harvest , Once Infinite e Necroscope si fanno comunque ascoltare piacevolmente. Un voto sufficiente abbastanza particolare, ci sono doti e anche notevoli, si percepiscono e si sentono chiaramente ma devono essere perfezionate ancora meglio per colpire in maniera definitiva. Detto questo io lo comprerò lo stesso in quanto valida ed interessante testimonianza musicale e poi la copertina mi piace particolarmente.
 
http://bloodcultreviews.blogspot.com/2011/06/aenaon-cendres-et-sang-code666.html

Cendres et Sang (=Ashes and Blood) is the new long-awaited full-length of the Greeks AENAON… The discrete and dedicated-to-the-cause path they have been walking from the very beginning has lead to this release by code666, a label known for its unconventional band roster. Such is “Cendres et Sang”, an unconventional album but instantly comprehensible by all those who appreciate evolution in Black Metal. Of course we must note that this release is not another mishmash of experimental tracks artistically “licenced” and bound to leave you utterly confused.

Yes, most DHG fans and experimental lovers will enjoy this one very much indeed, that is a fact. However, AENAON do not oversee their Black Metal roots and have “sculpted” the tracks in such a way so that there is no room left for musical vagueness while experiencing the album. For example, after reaching the peak of avant-gardism (e.g. chorus of "Grand Narcotic Harvest"), afterwards they do not hesitate to offer you an in-your-face blasting "version" of it, with no second thought whatsoever. This “recipe” has proven successful. The album is addressed to a wider, “trained” fanbase of experimentalism in Black Metal and at the same time manages to be comprehensible and straightforward, presenting a vast amount of inspiration which instantly travels you to higher planes of musical pleasure. This is really hard to accomplish and I must congratulate the band for their honest effort, ideas and technical skill. “Cendres et Sang” shouts for your attention and appreciation, as, apart from the music, it comes in a fully qualitative artistic “package”.

The guitar work is stunning, solos are enchanting, vocals are multidimensional and full of feeling, in total harmony with the music. Equally enchanting was "Psychonautic Odyssey" which brought in mind the "A Parallel Zoetrope" period (“I, Tyrant”), “Suncord”’s riffs are definitely some of the most memorable moments in the album, and of course none can ignore the simply amazing "Grand Narcotic Harvest". My personal fave has to be "Necroscope", after having listened to the album many, many times. A very special surprise is the closing track “In Heaven” (PIXIES), presented in a version of their own, reflecting haunting images of “Eraserhead” by David Lynch in your mind… This track is beyond description, you have to EXPERIENCE and not simply listen to it… It will leave you speechless after 03:30 min… There is no need to say more, I have to admit it has been a long time since I listened to an album by a Greek band that pleased me to such extent. Congratulations to AENAON and lets hope the best is yet to come! People, get this album… NOW! SD
 
LEGACY MAGAZINE #73 (printed - germany)

AENAON „Cendres Et Sang“
(Code 666/Aural/Soulfood)
Code 666 beweisen wieder einmal ihr Händchen für außergewöhnliche
Künstler. Aus Griechenland kommen AENAON, die sich gemäß Label-Info
dem avantgardistischen und visionären Black Metal verschrieben haben.
Nach einer Demo, einer EP und einer Split versuchen sich die Griechen mit
„Cendres Et Sang“ erstmals an einem Full-Length-Album. Angefangen mit
einem Intro, dessen verspielte Saxofon-Klänge den Label-Kollegen Blutmond ebenfalls gut zu Gesicht gestanden hätten, beginnt eine abenteuerliche, Black Metal-lastige Reise durch Leben und Tod. Unzählige verspielte Riffs, Jazz-Einflüsse, abstruse, unkonventionelle und dennoch packende Melodien und aberwitzige Breaks innerhalb der Tracks machen „Cendres Et Sang“ zu einem Erlebnis. Ebenso abwechslungsreich gestaltet sich auch der Gesang auf dem Erstling der Griechen, von Gekreische bis hin zu beinahe gehauchten Clean-Vocals bieten AENAON dem Hörer eine Vielzahl von Eindrücken. ‚Black Nerve’, mit etwas über acht Minuten Laufzeit das längste Stück des Werks, wartet wie schon das Intro mit passendem Saxofon-Spiel auf. AENAON schaffen es, diese ruhige und atmosphärische Passage perfekt in das Stück zu integrieren und das Ganze mit einem ambienten, beinahe Dronelastigen Outro ausklingen zu lassen. ‚In Heaven’ fällt anfangs mit sanften Klavierklängen und zartem Frauenstimmchen etwas aus dem Rahmen, bevor die gewohnte griechische Brutalität wieder ihren Lauf nimmt. Unterm Strich ist „Cendres Et Sang“ leider dennoch nur ein sehr solides Black Metal-Album. Die Riffs klingen untereinander noch zu ähnlich, das überwiegende Gekreische ist stellenweise beinahe nervig gleichförmig, und insgesamt meint man
stets, die eine oder andere Passage schon mal in ähnlicher Form gehört zu
haben. Potenzial ist bei dieser Band durchaus vorhanden, weswegen man sie unbedingt im Auge behalten sollte. „Cendres Et Sang“ ist ein Anfang mit viel Luft nach oben, aber dennoch ein Werk, das dem geneigten Black-Metaller gefallen dürfte. (WHO)
 
http://obscuraweb.wordpress.com/2011/06/02/aenaon-cendres-et-sang/

Aenaon – Cendres Et Sang

306305.jpg
Quoting the info sheet by the label itself, Aenaon play a sort of visionary black metal which is also perfectly blended with Jazz. This is not anything new nor original, since many other bands have tried this solutions in the past, but honestly only a few of them have accomplished in getting it done the proper way.
Hailing from Greece, Aenaon released ‘Cendres Et Sang’ (french for Ash & Blood) as their second full-length album and the first for italian label Code666. Since it’s pretty unlikely that operations like that generate easy listening albums, I’ve approached the listening to this album in a very cautious way. Honestly this has not been an easy task, because songs do not follow the usual patterns of classic black metal tunes, instead here everything is allowed, a total stream of black and jazz-ish parts come together.
In the end it’s been a very pleasant operation, since this album is very enjoyable by whoever is tired of old, over-satured, poor black metal songs and prefers looking for something more innovative.
In this case Aenaon is a band that can fit your tastes.
Artist: Aenaon | Title: Cendres Et Sang | Style: Avantgarde black | Label: Code666 | Street Date: 14/06/2011 | Website: official myspace | Country: Greece
 
http://www.femforgacs.hu/kritika/2076/Aenaon_Cendres_Et_Sang_2011

9.7/10

Aenaon
Cendres Et Sang (2011)
Related to the emerging Aenaon (the Greek word means: eternally flowing existence) I have already penned a review, so I would rather leave out the detailed past of this modern black metal horde, sailing in avantgarde waters, again. Let's concentrate on the present, since not even a month passed, since the notorious Code666 threw the band's first debut on the market. For the sound Strype Audio, also known as Tom Kvallsvoll was responsible, naturally he's professional and such cult formations bear the mark of his hand as 1349, Keep of Kalession or Code. The externalities are marvellous as well; Lukasz Wodynski painted the cover and made the illustrations up, Ra.design put a great digital booklet together as well, let it be enough - this work is international and I was waiting for this release, for this reason and not for this reason at the same time. Weekly I changed mails with these Greek guys and as they promised they send me this disc which was their own copy from their label. I was waiting for it so much and I got a little disappointed - not that much, as the points show as well - there's not much problem with the material. So only a little disappointment I sense, personally, since I see more in the band and I expected a more experimental vibe.


In my previous writings I often compared Aenaon to Emperor, as the latter one's complex and well-structured alternativ scape, if you like, a smart photocopy, so I intentionally wanted to experience how much they gave the mocking of the great forefather up (even though they did it well) and it became clear to me, based on our correspondence that they tried to move towards a little different direction. Obviously, Emperor are present at many places, but other compounds and vials appear as well; also the genre of jazz appears next to the huge amount of demanding solos and pounds. This compound's mixture is smooth at the maximum, it fits in and actually this is my problem, they could have gathered a little more courage. Anyway, often Ulver, early Fleurety and the latest Enslaved dropped to my mind.
Interesting enough, they have taken on a movie's musical mimesis too, bringing Eraserhead's grasped motions up to the surface , from the aberrant artistic distances of David Lynch, related to the In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song). The piano and female vocals seem really weird and gigantically they sound. Ok, when it comes to this topic, it might have been more advantageous to try William S. Burroughs's Naked Lunch, an adaptation by David Cronenberg - many times it came to my mind because of its sick visual and musical world - , even music-wise if we take these jazz themes. Maybe next time. Every song is well-composed, twisted with serious skills and there are two more advantages I can mention; first is the practically evident heritage, since this is varied and colourful, as I have just coined it up - so it never turns to boredom. The other positive fact is something which I feel less and less these days: Cendres Et Sang doesn't stream that certain smell of sweat, nothing was forced, neither a melodic nor a harsh part just to satisfy the expectations. Jazz parts mix so smoothly and soft and in a more recreational way, it sounds so natural, when saxophone helps us get ripped into the atmosphere. Long since I heard such a fine and smoothly deepening black metal material, which doesn't cross the self-analysing borders of exaggerrated artistic integrity. Next to the progressive solos and easy strikes, their lyrical conception isn't nominated for the award of usual clichés. Their lyrics elaborate over the existence of the spirit, the endless universe and many different and mysterious things which entwined life and death during the ages. Epic flights towards pathetic fall into nothingness, falls of deep essence and jazz motions turning to almost balanced jams, these are the characteristics of this long-awaited debut and two known guests also took part in two songs; Thomais from Dakrya and V'Gandr from Helheim. The only thing I regret that they haven't been even braver, though the heart of past's European culture is the place of rebellions and dissatisfied masses, striking in the streets, who are constantly getting milked by the government to fill in the holes which were pierced by the lack of the national budget in the past 15 years and these gaps get wider and wider with these restrictions. This hymen cannot be restored by fast bank packages, bond manipulations and structural transfers - and of course we are not too far from these things either, but let's not care about the future, but let's rejoice in present times, together with our Greek friends who - despite of their nation's and government's reefs - managed to put a professional material at the maximum level on that certain table, not just a little... but very much!
 
http://www.musik.terrorverlag.de/rezensionen/aenaon/cendres-et-sang/#seitenanfang

Black Metal aus Griechenland ist ja auch eher selten, zudem noch recht guter. Avantgardistisch geht´s mit dem passend betitelten Intro "Kafkaesque" los, Saxophon-Töne hat man ja auch nicht jeden Tag auf seinen Black Metal-Werken. Das setzt sich durch die ganze Scheibe so fort, Ambient/ Avantgarde wird hier groß geschrieben, was sich auch im progressiven Songwriting einstellt. Es wird zwar auch mal regelrecht gedeibelt ("Grand Narcotic Harvest", "Kraanerg"), aber neben dem harschen Hauptgekrächz gibt es auch cleane Gesänge (männlich wie weiblich) zu vernehmen.

Streichinstrumente finden auch Verwendung, die häufig auch mal getrageneren Tracks erinnern eher an epische BATHORY, denn an Früh-90er-Geballer. Dennoch klingt man in den blackigen Parts sehr nordisch (das langsame "Necroscope" erinnert von der Atmosphäre her an EMPEROR oder IMMORTAL!), von griechisch ist hier nix zu hören. Black Metaller, die auch mal ein offenes Ohr für anderweitige Sounderweiterungen haben, sollten bei den vielfältigen AENAON unbedingt mal vorbeischaun!
 
AENAON – Cendres Et Sang (2011, Aural Music)
Stil: Avantgarde Black Metal, Spielzeit: 52:54
Points: 8,5/10

Surprisingly, there are still bands around that I like a lot although they are not interested in all the retro- and rehearsal warfare noise and stuff. One of these bands are without doubt AENAON from Greece. I even liked their first mini-cd "Phenomenon" (2009) and the split-7" with the Romanian horde SATANOCCHIO (2010) a lot before. I listened to them several times during the last weeks and months. But this time it´s not as easy as before to get along with it. An intro with saxophone reminds me on old 1970´s Krautrock. And it seems this happens on purpose here! Of course, there´s still a lot of Black Metal, rotten vocals, much doublebass, often very fast, sometimes more rocking stuff. Here and there there are also hymnic and melodic vocal lines ("Grand Narcotic Harvest") which always do well! There are always nice melodies and - again - little saxophone passages in between ("Black Nerve") which reminds me a bit on PINK FLOYD´s „Dark Side Of The Moon“. Also, AENAON are not afraid of using female vocals here which is comparable to the later, experimental era of THE GATHERING. But most of the time there is rocking Black Metal in the veins of later albums by SATYRICON, DØDHEIMSGÅRD or THORNS; but not as weird. By the way, this album is totally anti-trend, very unique and interesting! It´s hard to imagine what´s gonna happen next with the band! I like it a lot, but you should listen to the album before you just order it anywhere! Check these guys out at: www.myspace.com/aenaonband

(to be released in German language in METAL COMMAND MAGAZINE in September 2011)