Aquilon - Intramedia
Adicopere Records - AR085 - 2004
By Philip Whitehouse
It seems that Sweden and Norway aren't the only countries who have a knack for producing excellent metal bands - France has churned a fair few out of late too, and most at refreshingly different ends of the extreme spectrum. From the filth-encrusted blackened spite of Arkhon Infaustus, to the technical bludgeoning of Scarve, the French have been unleashing several volleys of metallic marvellousness at us over recent years. Now, it seems, Aquilon can be added to that roster.
It's hard to describe exactly what you're going to hear on Intramedia - progressive metal without the emphasis on labyrinthine structures and fret-molesting, gothic darkness without the morbid pretentions or floaty absence of engaging material, an interplay between male and female vocals that doesn't rely solely on the beauty-and-the-beast template... There are many separate elements at play within the tracks on this debut album that interweave to create an intriguing, original sounding whole.
It helps that the punchy and clear (if somewhat dry) production allows all of these elements to breathe in the mix - the music sounds as impressive and focused whether delivering thrashy, triplet-wristed riffage and double-bass drum velocity aggro-metal, or indulging in an electro-synth-and-groovy-bassline-led introductory passage. Another pleasing factor is that the diversity still doesn't detract from a sense that everything you are hearing is definably Aquilon material.
So, a promising new band have created a debut that smacks of professionalism, creativity, talent and originality - and one that, by virtue of it's universal encompassing of many elements of the metal genre, will be pretty much equally accessible to fans of all styles of metal. Let's see how they top this next time round...
8.5/10
Aquilon Official Website
Adicopere Records
Adicopere Records - AR085 - 2004
By Philip Whitehouse
It seems that Sweden and Norway aren't the only countries who have a knack for producing excellent metal bands - France has churned a fair few out of late too, and most at refreshingly different ends of the extreme spectrum. From the filth-encrusted blackened spite of Arkhon Infaustus, to the technical bludgeoning of Scarve, the French have been unleashing several volleys of metallic marvellousness at us over recent years. Now, it seems, Aquilon can be added to that roster.
It's hard to describe exactly what you're going to hear on Intramedia - progressive metal without the emphasis on labyrinthine structures and fret-molesting, gothic darkness without the morbid pretentions or floaty absence of engaging material, an interplay between male and female vocals that doesn't rely solely on the beauty-and-the-beast template... There are many separate elements at play within the tracks on this debut album that interweave to create an intriguing, original sounding whole.
It helps that the punchy and clear (if somewhat dry) production allows all of these elements to breathe in the mix - the music sounds as impressive and focused whether delivering thrashy, triplet-wristed riffage and double-bass drum velocity aggro-metal, or indulging in an electro-synth-and-groovy-bassline-led introductory passage. Another pleasing factor is that the diversity still doesn't detract from a sense that everything you are hearing is definably Aquilon material.
So, a promising new band have created a debut that smacks of professionalism, creativity, talent and originality - and one that, by virtue of it's universal encompassing of many elements of the metal genre, will be pretty much equally accessible to fans of all styles of metal. Let's see how they top this next time round...
8.5/10
Aquilon Official Website
Adicopere Records
