The Aerium Song for the Dead King
Black Lotus Records BLRCD078 November 30th, 2004
By Jason Jordan
I know how English/American names are pronounced, but if I cant pronounce a single members name without any sort of hesitation, then I know the band must be Russian. So is the case with The Aerium. Song for the Dead King was released about six months ago and even judging by the cover art alone Id comfortably label the quintet as: needs improvement. Though this female-fronted troupe isnt the best thing Ive ever heard, they nonetheless manage to slide past my seldom-wrathful nature.
One things for sure, if your knees buckle when you hear the operatic vox of Tarja Turunen (Nightwish, Tarja) then youll feel right at home listening to the enchantress known as Sevostyanova Veronika. Another musical aspect that overwhelmingly radiates from said band are the keyboards, which thickly coat all eight tracks on Song for the Dead King. Prayer is a notable exception to the albums rules, because it has a strong, medieval vibe working in its favor. Frankly, not many other songs can spar with Prayer, except perhaps Sentinel, which has a distinct power metal aura about it. The (synthetic) string-laden Wanderer and Agalloch-esque beginning of On the Pier have redeeming qualities, though. All the instrumentation was produced adequately, the vocals sound as upfront as I normally prefer, but the synthesizers sound too fake at times.
To say The Aerium arent my cup of tea would be a dire understatement, so season my opinion with a grain of salt before swallowing. Overall, I yearned for the group to pepper their songs with more engaging elements, but it never happened. Recommended to hardcore fans of Nightwish, Epica, and After Forever, or people who just want to imbibe grade-A, female musings. The Aerium are young; they still have plenty of time to get it right.
6.5/10
Official The Aerium Website
Official Black Lotus Records Website
Black Lotus Records BLRCD078 November 30th, 2004
By Jason Jordan
I know how English/American names are pronounced, but if I cant pronounce a single members name without any sort of hesitation, then I know the band must be Russian. So is the case with The Aerium. Song for the Dead King was released about six months ago and even judging by the cover art alone Id comfortably label the quintet as: needs improvement. Though this female-fronted troupe isnt the best thing Ive ever heard, they nonetheless manage to slide past my seldom-wrathful nature.
One things for sure, if your knees buckle when you hear the operatic vox of Tarja Turunen (Nightwish, Tarja) then youll feel right at home listening to the enchantress known as Sevostyanova Veronika. Another musical aspect that overwhelmingly radiates from said band are the keyboards, which thickly coat all eight tracks on Song for the Dead King. Prayer is a notable exception to the albums rules, because it has a strong, medieval vibe working in its favor. Frankly, not many other songs can spar with Prayer, except perhaps Sentinel, which has a distinct power metal aura about it. The (synthetic) string-laden Wanderer and Agalloch-esque beginning of On the Pier have redeeming qualities, though. All the instrumentation was produced adequately, the vocals sound as upfront as I normally prefer, but the synthesizers sound too fake at times.
To say The Aerium arent my cup of tea would be a dire understatement, so season my opinion with a grain of salt before swallowing. Overall, I yearned for the group to pepper their songs with more engaging elements, but it never happened. Recommended to hardcore fans of Nightwish, Epica, and After Forever, or people who just want to imbibe grade-A, female musings. The Aerium are young; they still have plenty of time to get it right.
6.5/10
Official The Aerium Website
Official Black Lotus Records Website
