One of the most striking newcomers in the ever-fertile Finnish black metal underground, AESTHUS formed in 2017 and released their first demo, Polku, in the summer of 2020, which PURITY THROUGH FIRE released later that year. Already, the freezing fire of paradigmatic Finnish black metal burned brightly, and now that blaze coalesces into a conflagration on AESTHUS’ debut full-length, Hänen temppelinsä varjoissa.
Proud and pure, Hänen temppelinsä varjoissa exudes that aura of classic Finnish black metal from the late ’90s onward, as laid down by the likes of Horna, Satanic Warmaster, and Azaghal among others. Black metal doesn’t need to “be” anything more than what it already IS – or what it should be – and such is the case with AESTHUS. Every element here, from the melancholically melodic riffing to the surging ‘n’ swirling battery to, the distinctly twisted timbre of the Finnish tongue, of course, is in perfect, precise, PASSIONATE lockstep to create a maelstrom of hypnotic-yet-hummable proportions. Indeed, Hänen temppelinsä varjoissa is the work of a true band – meaning, a group of people playing together rather than a disconnected file-sharing project – with each of these seven songs drench in literal blood and sweat and perhaps alcohol. If there’s one trump card that AESTHUS play (and poignantly), it’s their dual-guitar lead work; the lead lines explode with memorability and malice in equal measure, underlining the METAL in black metal but never belaboring the point.
Quality is synonymous with Finnish Blacl Metal. AESTHUS is coming to prove that Black Metal still has a lot to offer and that new bands committed to the cause, BM and the current scene, respecting their standards and following the path made by many like Satanic Warmaster and Horna, White Death and Malum.
There is a very peculiar characteristic in Aesthus’ sound, it reminds a lot of why we have Finnish Black Metal as one of the best in the world: technique, quality, aggressiveness, maturity.
The tracks on the album are technical and the guitars with mind-blowing tremolos, followed by hellish drumming that doesn’t stop and seems to accompany every pick.
The tracks are not long, which gives the impression that the tracks are fast and brutal, which they are! This album is among the best released this year.
Like the album cover’s lone figure pondering mysteries only known to him, AESTHUS prefigure a new era of strength & honor with Hänen temppelinsä varjoissa.
Tracklisting
1. Hänen temppelinsä varjoissa
2. Vihani alttarilta
3. Kuolonpolku
4. Jälkeläinen
5. Verta Saatanalle
6. Ikiyössä
7. Tyhjyys, ikuinen kuolema
Rate 666/666
