Aevum – Kaleidoscope
Release Date: 17th January 2025
Label: DarkTunes Music Group
Bandcamp
Genre: Gothic Metal, Industrial Metal.
FFO: Fleshgod Apocalypse, Dust In Mind, Eleine, Dark Sarah, Imperia, Chaos Magic.
Review By: Mark Waight
Aevum are a highly rated gothic metal band from Turin, Italy who seem to have a very uncanny knack of magically infusing symphonic and industrial elements to create a truly unique sound that will not only totally absorb you but enthral you too.
Aevum never fail to incorporate a fun element into everything they produce, so as well as being totally cool, you should also be prepared to smile along with the band at times. So, if you, like me, have a dark and wicked sense of humour, then “Kaleidoscope” should be a welcome addition to your new year’s playlist as well as put a glint in your eye.
Aevum is Lucille Nightshade (vocals), Richard (vocals, synthesisers), Emanuel La Croix (guitar), Lord of Destruction (guitar), Paul Grey Hunter (bass) and Lorenzo Aimo (drums).
Opening track “D20” is a nod to the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role playing game as well as telling the tale of how we all roll the dice each and every day in this journey we call life. It’s fun, it’s amusing, and it’s all just a little bit crazy, I love it!
Female empowerment anthem “Be A Lady” featuring Katlin and Velania of Octo Crura delivers a heavy blow against the social expectations of women in a demonstration of raw feminine power. It is without doubt a dreamy combination of some of the finest female vocalists of the genre!
Dark and brooding melody, “Nightshade” is a haunting exploration of love, loss and sadness. This beautiful bleak ballad will not only tear away at your heart strings, but like some love, it will also crush your soul and destroy your dreams too. Wonderfully dark and intense!
Enjoy the ride as “Dark Tunes” touches on the very real (for me anyway) connection between the darker side of human emotions and music. This industrial gothic instrumental fusion has an almost dance like appeal to it as you embark on a ghostly synthesiser enhanced short journey into oblivion.
Powerful and aggressive track “Fog Of Fear” takes up the mantel where previous album “Glitch” left off with a harrowing look into human anxiety and the paralyzing effect it can have on people’s psyche. Deep, dark and an absolutely outstanding piece of music!
“The Inquisition” is a very welcome trip back in time to the days of old school gothic metal, with a hard riffing heavy-set backdrop driving right through against some glorious operatic vocals from Lucille Nightshade. This rallying cry against historical persecution and rebellion will have you on the edge of your seat and remind you exactly why you fell in love with this genre of music in the first place. There is no need for any form of torture for me, to confess to all, that this is my favourite track on the album.
Instrumental industrial track “Ashes to Ashes” is a modern electro metal tune with an uplifting pace, pulsating beat and a swanky nightclub aura about it which also leads us nicely into the final two tracks. Closing the album out are similar themed instrumental industrial metal alternative versions of “D20” and “Fog Of Fear” which put a totally different spin on the previous offerings. These two tunes will almost certainly give you a darn good workout, so breakout the glowsticks!
“Kaleidoscope” more than lives up to its name because with every turn there is something new to see, hear and feel. It takes us on a turbocharged roller coaster journey of highs and lows, through light and dark via bright uplifting colours into various shades of grey and back again at the blink of an eye. Aevum make it an intoxicating and exhilarating listen that never disappoints at any stage, so when it drops, make sure you give it a spin. Recommended!
(4 / 5)
