Review: Aara – Eiger

Review by K

Aara – Eiger

Record Label: Debemur Morti Productions

Year: 2024

Rating: 10/10

Turning away from classic novels and making their way ferociously into the following century, Aara returns with ”Eiger” a blinding study of one of Europe’s most famed mountains. And so, the instant question on our lips …… do we need it?

“Die das Wilde Wetter fängt” – I’m not entirely sure how they’ve managed it, but Aara immediately conveyed a sense of history here. This isn’t a story of how modern athletes raced themselves up the North Face without stopping so they could make TikTok posts about themselves at the summit. This music conveys the hardships and toil involved back in 193** to conquer a majestic yet formidable foe. The intro alone ensures that we are not here for an easy ride, that great difficulties lie ahead. And when the track eventually splutters into life, we are given unique access to the thoughts and fears of early 20th-century mountain pioneers. The winds and crashing rhythms coupled with the blistering tunes place us directly in the crosshairs of prewar Germany, where every man and woman with a sense of adventure was a hero. A staggering opening.

As per usual, we are not given a lyric sheet, and Flüss’s high register screaming vocals give us no clues as to what is actually going on. This music is all about a general feel, a generalised sense of the sheer determination required to conquer these peaks. A mighty and humbling opening. “Senkrechte Welten”, the follow-up to this blistering opener, does nothing to dispel the fury created. With eyes closed, one can easily put themselves into the crampons and leathers of the early mountain explorers, in turn taking in the wonders of nature and then battling the elements just to stay alive. The breathless atmospheres created by the huge, reverbed guitar soundscapes and lightning-fast drumming ensure the listener is taken on a mesmerising journey. “Felsensang” follows immediately and, if anything, intensifies the furious iciness of this epic release. The guitars swirl like a howling gale and the beautifully balanced drums decimate the senses like a pneumatic drill. This is black metal with A levels. No other band can approach this kind of subject matter and so coherently nail the given narrative. A masterpiece.

Aara

“Todesbiwak” forgoes (albeit briefly) the furiousness of the album’s first few numbers, beginning with a slow and measured intro that leaves the listener gazing around the mountains in between storms. Before long, the guitar swirl returns, aided and abetted by some deft panning in the studio, creating the feeling of being surrounded by wind-driven snowstorms. Aara has a knack for creating the atmospheres required with seemingly little effort. Over the top of the beautifully arranged rhythm guitars is a lead that would have Emperor crying into their soup. You have to hear it so see what I mean, but once you have…just epic.

“Der Wahnsinn Dort Im Abgrund” places us on a higher shelf, with the summit in sight. There are still obstacles to overcome, and the weather is deteriorating fast. The day is darkening and the lightning flashes are getting nearer all the time. With fortitude and daring, we must push further up the mountain, as reaching the summit has become all-consuming. “Zurück zur roten Fluh” only steels our determination and resolve. Thunderous drumming and lightning-fast chord changes are our weapons against the wind and snows of this cursed mountain, and yet we know we shall overcome. The sense of heroism and bravery is almost palpable. In this age where we are taught that weakness and servitude are the way to be, (what’s your pronoun? – fuck off) it’s a relief to find a release that revels in thepure determination and steely guts of yesteryear. It’s a dying art that celebrates a dead culture. It’s a tragedy.

“Grausig ist der Blick” and “Alptraum” wrap up this extraordinary album in beautifully ferocious windswept fashion, drums at a million miles per hour, guitars howling over a wind-blasted landscape of desolation and majestic wilderness. Emperor managed it with the seminal Nightside album, Morbid Angel did it with Blessed are the sick – there are precious few albums that, as a whole, can create an atmosphere that is more than the sum of its parts. “Eiger” reminds us of our utter weakness and irrelevance when compared to the might of nature. Here and there, we make an impact- and the daring souls that intrepidly slogged their way up dangerous mountains back in the day are rare but wonderful examples of the human spirit and its determination to conquer, however brief and insignificant it may be. But the fact remains, we are nothing.

And even mighty albums such as “Eiger” will do nothing to change it. But being reminded in this fashion is a truly wonderful, powerful and important thing.