CoC : Aura Noir - Deep Tracts of Hell : Review

Aura Noir - _Deep Tracts of Hell_
(Hammerheart, 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz (9 out of 10)

This release conclusively proves to me that being heavily influenced by '80s music doesn't exclude you from being able to make an album which is both endearing and relevant in 1998. _Deep Tracts of Hell_ reeks of the '80s, it reeks of the black, twisted roots which '90s black metal had in the last decade's early innovators, but it also shows its youth in that it doesn't preclude the '90s scene and does have a distinctly modern aspect to its primary, overall old-school, flavour. Appolyon and Aggressor's songwriting is tight, with the alternating they partake in (see the interview in this issue for details) giving the album all the more colour, rather than making it seem disjointed, as I had feared might be the case. OK, fair enough, _DToH_ is not really original, it is not like this style of music has never been tackled before; it has, and by greater and lesser bands, but the fact remains that _DToH_ is a raging, catchy and more than worthwhile near-40 minute ordeal of thrash metal excellence.

Contact: Hammerheart Rec., PO Box 277, 6300 AG. Valkenburg, Holland

(article published 13/2/1999)

CHATS
2/13/1999	P Schwarz	Aura Noir: Of Thrash and Trueness

ALBUMS
10/19/2004	P Azevedo	6	Aura Noir - The Merciless
6/7/1997	S Hoeltzel	7	Aura Noir - Black Thrash Attack