### Aura Noir: Hades rise

#### 06/10/08 || Kampfar

My aura is indeed noir, though unfortunately I don’t own an abattoir. But a man can daydream, and I do, right now envisioning one made for the sole purpose of slaughtering off and processing human filth into tasty food for animals to devour. In this place, Kampfar’s Not So Fun place, exactly, all the fat and untrimmed fucks would, with the promise of creative torture if not adapting, be forced into a rigid exercise program lasting until getting a seizure, bullet in the head, hatchet to the face, axe to the temple, knife in the eye, or both, blowtorch to the balls, sandblaster down the pants, hammer to the frontal lobe, chainsaw to the guts, or when fit and ready for slaughter. This, of course, to ensure the animals meat to gnaw on, not just repulsive chunks of fat. Oh, forgot to mention, those who die on the treadmill are served to other members of humanurity. No fucking way am I gonna feed my animals putrid food.

Where’s the fucking comet already?

Still no impact, damn it, but at least the absence of our long overdue Saviour from space means you have a chance to give “Hades rise” a go or twenty. And you should, at least if you happen to feel for a merciless black thrash attack emerging from the deep tracts of hell. Or a dose of überthrash, as some would say. And I doubt those doing so will get their damnation increased, for Aura Noir has, since the very start, been heads and shoulders above 99% of the competition.

And much unlike me, this sublime band, nowadays a duo, doesn’t fuck around with useless intros and general nonsense before getting to the point, “Hades rise”, like all preceding albums, containing exactly nada nothing of said shit. Be it interludes or whatever. In other words, this band is still nothing but proper fucking attitude and killer music, translating to no Pro-tools, no sugar, no bullshit.

Over the years, however, Aura Pissoir has shed some of their intensity, the music nowadays, this including the album preceding “Hades rise”, not quite as visceral and violent as it was up till ’98. Not that I’m complaining, ‘cause this lot hasn’t lost one iota of their fucking drive, only put the emphasis on groove rather than speed, “South American death” being the only song pissing all over what I just claimed. Hell, that tune make me think of their debut, only with a fleshed out sound and a slightly less chaotic feel, a tad lost due to them being way tighter and better at their instruments these days.

Before I end this shitter, I have to mention that the Norwegians in question never had a better, more balanced production, nor ever sounded this much like Cadaver (Inc.). Make no mistake, the trademarked Aura feel saturates the whole thing, but Apollyon and Aggressor – both former members of the now defunct excellency – has baked that band into this one. Sort of.

If you are in need of more details and elaboration, use your ears.

8,5 out of 10.

- Information
- Released: 2008
- Label: Peaceville Records
- Website: www.auranoir.com
- Band
- Apollyon: vocals, guitar, bass, drums
- Aggressor: vocals, guitar, bass, drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Hades rise
- 02. Gaping grave awaits
- 03. Unleash the demon
- 04. Pestilent streams
- 05. Schitzoid paranoid
- 06. Death-mask
- 07. Shadows of death
- 08. Iron night/torment storm
- 09. South American death
- 10. The stalker