Version Studio Records, 2012
There must be something in the water in Sweden at the moment.
Following in the (rather large) footprints of progressive metal contemporaries, Katatonia and their magnificent ‘Night Is The New Day’ and ‘Dead End Kings’ albums, along come Aoria with ‘The Constant’ – which, in its own way, almost sounds like the third part of the Katatonia trilogy.
Essentially a duo consisting of Erik Nilsson (guitar, vocals, keyboards) and Robin Bergh (drums, percussion, piano), the Katatonia lineage is cemented when you know the bass player is none other than Kat’s Niklas Sandin.
Now don’t get the impression that Aoria is some kind of tribute band. This is a band that stands on its own merits and ‘The Constant’ is nothing short of a triumph.
This is melancholic progressive metal at its absolute zenith. There are passages of beautiful, almost pastoral sensitivity and there are slabs of what can only be described as sledgehammer brutality but the way the whole thing is meshed together is absolutely stunning.
Six tracks and every one a gem in its own way – from the brooding start of opener ‘A Slow Moving Storm’ through to the piano fade-out of closer ‘An Overwhelming Calm’ and all points in between, there is a musical intellect at work here which carries the album to a distant, other-worldly place.
‘The Constant’ is certainly not for the faint-hearted – some of it is very heavy – but it’s a fabulous listen and Aoria have laid down a marker that should see them offered a place in prog-metal’s firmament. It’s that good.
Now where’s that bottle of water I bought at Ikea?
*****
Review by Alan Jones
Alan sequences “The Eclectic Mix” third Sunday of the month on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.
Next session: Sunday 1 December
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024
ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)
Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections
