AUSTERE — Only the Wind Remembers (review)

AUSTERE — Only the Wind Remembers album cover EP · 2008 · Depressive Black Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Vehemency
I’m not so fond of all the suicidal / depressive black metal bands out there. It has become a trend of sorts which means the amount of bands is insane and the quality is non-existent. But luckily there’s some bands that manage to do it well and refreshing, and Austere was one of these with their 2007 debut album Withering Illusions and Desolation. Only the Wind Remembers is a nice continuation to the full-length, bringing even some new elements to the game with a cleaner production.

Originally released as split material with Lyrinx, the two long Austere tracks were released later the same year on this separate own release. The first song, ”Towards the Great Unkown”, is a deeply melancholic, mid-tempo (although blast beats appear later) song that evokes pictures of utter hopelessness and desolation, so Austere has done its job again. The fairly technical drums are in higher role this time but luckily it doesn't turn into a total technical wankery at all, which this kind of music definitely doesn't need. Acoustic guitars are a new addition and they are present in a few places in the song. The reverb-full anxiety continues in the title track which is a bit slower song but as Austere as always, culminating to some well performed clean vocals in the end.

The vocals, handled by both members, deliver some of the sickest shrieks I’ve heard anyone perform. They are one of the key features of Austere, and when they’re mixed with mournful riffs and resounding production, the result is a beautiful package of melancholy. If you liked the debut album, I bet you will like this too. The second album To Lay Like Old Ashes went a bit too far with the clean vocals and sterile production but Only the Wind Remembers is somewhere between these two albums. Which means it's very good.

(Reposted review with minor editings, December 2010.)
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