The Pitch: New kids on the black metal block, Gaerea, release their debut EP with the intent to "cover the daylight with ashes and smash the massive skull that’s blocking your brain."
What I Like: Great atmosphere, brimming with cathartic feels...in a dark and haunting sort of way. The vocals are also strong in how they traverse black metal, hardcore, and early Sepultura-ish death metal tones.
What I Don't Like: Less is more. These guys hit hard from the get-go with most of these tracks, but due to the lack of variation they start to lose momentum after 3 minutes or so. "Through Time" is the worst offender. I recommend either cutting track lengths or stepping up progression next time around.
The Verdict: Though Gaerea show a lot of promise in their personal take on the black metal aesthetic, this EP gets somewhat bogged down in its lack of brevity. Had the songs been more concise, Gaerea would be shorter, but more impactful. That having been said, the room for growth is certainly aided by the band's clear mission statement and ability to put it to sound.
Flight's Fav's: "Final Call," "Pray to Your False God"
