Christianity is a sensitive subject, one typically present in metal. There are a few ways in which bands go about talking about Christianity. You've got Christian Metal, which more or less sides with their Christian beliefs. Then there's a lot of Black Metal, which typically is against Christianity, and finally you've got your Satanic Death Metal. Bands often choose to merely just say "F
uck Christianity" or "I love Christianity", although not in those words, but many other bands (I'll use Emperor as my primary example) are a little more intelligent towards the issue. Aeon is not one of those bands. In the vain of Deicide, Aeon is a brutal death metal band (with many technical elements) whose hate for Christianity makes for a brutal, yet oddly humorous, listening experience.
Bleeding the False is their first full length album. They released an EP in 2001.
On this album, Aeon is:
- Tommy Dahlstrom - Vocals
- Daniel Dlimi - Guitar
- Zeb Nilsson - Guitar
- Johan Hjelm - Bass
- Nils Fjellstrom - Drums
Welcome To Hell
The album starts with a fairly ambient intro, an oscillating pulse beating behind synthesizers. The sound of someone panting comes in, and just as you're starting to relax…he flatlines and then
Welcome To Hell.
Soulburner kicks you in the face with intense riffing and brutally fast drumming. Singer Tommy Dahlstrom shouts in your face and doesn't let off.
Welcome to the burning of souls, I am the soulburner. If this song is any hint (which it is), expect to be repeatedly kicked in the nuts by this bands ferocity. The brutality carries through in the next two songs,
Morbid Desire to Burn and
Biblewhore, until my favourite track on the album,
Forever Nailed kicks in.
Forever Nailed is one of the few songs who doesn't kick in at an intense speed, but that comes soon. The lyrics in this song are, to say the least, pretty overthetop. The chorus, which is one of my favourite parts of the song, is simply ,
"Jesus will not come, no your Jesus will not come. Second coming, never!" . After your first introduction to the chorus, a really well done breakdown kicks in, thus proving Death Metal is still the prime source of
well placed breakdowns. The guitarists riff their way out of the breakdown and you're once again brought back to a see of blasts and growls. This song does not get old.
A few songs later the brutality is still chugging along and you're greeted with the slow, almost doomy intro of the title track. Although the slowest track on the album, it still maintains consistency with the albums viciousness. Around a minute on, the speed starts to pick up, almost reminding me of older thrash, but a lot more pissed off.
Bleeding the false, this is a dream that comes true, bleeding my knife inside you. Yeah, this song is pretty violent, but oddly enough it's well placed. The song ends with a simple
"KILL KILL KILL KILL.
Doorknocker begins with what might be the weeziest death metal scream of all time, but I'll forgive the vocalist as he's spot on elsewhere in the album. The song is basically about Jehova's Witnesses and other religious folk that go from door to door spreading their gospel and how Aeon is going to prove them wrong. The song speaks of how they want the doorknockers to come back again so that they may be sent off once more. The most notable line in this song is
I wish you would come back to die again. I miss the feeling of my fist bashing your face. Why don't you come back, so I can crucify you as I did last time. Oh please, Doorknocker, knock on my door so I can split your bible in two as before. Yeah, this band really doesn't like Jesus or any of his brethren.
Finally a few songs later you're greeted with the metal version of
God Gives Head in Heaven, a track which is later revisited in country/acoustic form, which I will touch on later. This track (and it's accompanying acoustic version) is, lyrically speaking by far the most ridiculous death metal track I've heard in recent memory. The first version of the song starts off taking a page out of Meshuggah's playbook, but almost instantly kicks back into brutality. The song basically follows the formula of the prior songs, but luckily it's a good one.
To conclude, although over-the-top lyrically, this is a great album. With crushing vocals, precise riffs and flawlessly tight drumming, this album is both technically proficient and aurally crushing. This album will kick you in the nuts, light you on fire and write a song about it. Although a little repetitive, this is a pinnacle in Satanic Death Metal and I can see these guys getting increasingly bigger.
What to expect:
- Brutal Vocals
- Fast and precise drumming
- Technical riffing
- A relentless sonic attack
What not to expect:
- Lyrics to live by. Unless you plan to punch Jesus in the face, the lyrics are ridiculous, nothing more.
Final Verdict
7/10
