AEON

"Aeon" is the 2nd full-length studio album by Italian post metal act Mondrian Oak. The album was released through Eibon Records in February 2012. Mondrian Oak was formed in 2007 and they released their debut full-length studio album "Through Early Seed" in 2009. The band consists of two guitarists, a drummer and a bassist.

The album features 7 tracks of instrumental and atmospheric post metal. Sometimes heavy and doomy and sometimes more mellow and atmospheric. The band play a type of post metal which involves a lot of repetition and while that approach works well for the most part, some of the more ambient repetitive parts drag for too long. One of the assets of the album is how dynamic the music is. The contrast between the heavier and the more low volume parts paired with the dark and melancholic atmosphere is successful to my ears. The organic sound production only enhances the listening experience further.

...here and there I do find that I miss a vocalist, but it´s not a major issue and probably an aquired taste. I just feel that some parts scream for vocals.

"Aeon" is overall a very intriguing listening experience and a quality product too. A 3.5 star (75%) rating is fully deserved.

There are some types of music that are almost impossible to describe, and when you put it into words and then look back at what is on the page can only think that it really doesn't sound like that at all. I mean, what can you say about music that is a combination of improvised jazz, trance, doom, New Age, sludge and the kitchen sink? To say that this contains a brooding atmosphere is like saying a hurricane is a bit windy. It is oppressive yet inviting, hard to understand yet simplistic, dark and heavy yet light and meaningful. It is music to play late at night and get quietly drunk to while sat looking at the stars. It is all about self inspection and study as opposed to be the life soul of the party. In many ways it is quite depressing and should carry a health warning. I can't imagine that anyone can say that they enjoy playing this, I'm sure I can't, but I do know that I personally gained a great deal from doing just that. Here finally is an album for those who think that Tolstoy is quick read. These layers take a lot of work to fathom out, but it is definitely worth the effort. www.auralmusic.com