Not a bad album by any stretch, but Hail Spirit Noir's Oi Magoi overshadows this album completely. I'd say it is a little too long for its own good.

I never really got into this band at all, but maybe I'll give this one a shot for curiosity's sake.

This album is fucking amazing! So complex but still tasteful. All the prog textures filtered with black metal riffs are quite unique. Masterpiece.

Written by Chobo_jokeR on 20.01.2014 at 01:36

Not a bad album by any stretch, but Hail Spirit Noir's Oi Magoi overshadows this album completely. I'd say it is a little too long for its own good.

I completely disagree with you! Hail Spirit Noir are very close to the psychedelic style of Oranssi Pazuzu or even Ghost, while Aenaon keep a delicate balance between prog/avant and black metal. They are more close to bands like Ihsahn, Shining (Swe) or even DHG. I think you're being unfair with this release and probably you need more listenings. Both discs are diamonds! It's no coincidence that the keyboardist of Hail Spirit Noir participates in the album of Aenaon, and the singer of Aenaon design the cover of Hail Spirit Noir. I think both bands are in high and different levels.

Written by Dase1943 on 20.01.2014 at 16:58

I completely disagree with you! Hail Spirit Noir are very close to the psychedelic style of Oranssi Pazuzu or even Ghost, while Aenaon keep a delicate balance between prog/avant and black metal. They are more close to bands like Ihsahn, Shining (Swe) or even DHG. I think you're being unfair with this release and probably you need more listenings. Both discs are diamonds! It's no coincidence that the keyboardist of Hail Spirit Noir participates in the album of Aenaon, and the singer of Aenaon design the cover of Hail Spirit Noir. I think both bands are in high and different levels.

Perhaps my bias towards Hail Spirit Noir stems from the fact that I prefer their psychedelic style (similar to Oranssi Pazuzu and Ghost) compared to Aenaon's prog/avant black style. Overall I do not care for many avant-garde releases, it's just my personal preference. There were several times in this album where I actually cringed. Funeral Blues being an extremely noticeable cringe, as I almost turned the album off during this song. There were also several times where I said "wow that's great". All in all, the wows were outweighed by the cringes and the album ended up with a 6. I likely wouldn't give this album another spin, as it isn't worth another one from my perspective. Like I said, certainly not a bad album, just not for me.

Written by Chobo_jokeR on 21.01.2014 at 02:43

Written by Dase1943 on 20.01.2014 at 16:58

I completely disagree with you! Hail Spirit Noir are very close to the psychedelic style of Oranssi Pazuzu or even Ghost, while Aenaon keep a delicate balance between prog/avant and black metal. They are more close to bands like Ihsahn, Shining (Swe) or even DHG. I think you're being unfair with this release and probably you need more listenings. Both discs are diamonds! It's no coincidence that the keyboardist of Hail Spirit Noir participates in the album of Aenaon, and the singer of Aenaon design the cover of Hail Spirit Noir. I think both bands are in high and different levels.

Perhaps my bias towards Hail Spirit Noir stems from the fact that I prefer their psychedelic style (similar to Oranssi Pazuzu and Ghost) compared to Aenaon's prog/avant black style. Overall I do not care for many avant-garde releases, it's just my personal preference. There were several times in this album where I actually cringed. Funeral Blues being an extremely noticeable cringe, as I almost turned the album off during this song. There were also several times where I said "wow that's great". All in all, the wows were outweighed by the cringes and the album ended up with a 6. I likely wouldn't give this album another spin, as it isn't worth another one from my perspective. Like I said, certainly not a bad album, just not for me.

Okey, for sure any album review is subjective... but always there are some objective points that we can't sidestep. Regardless you prefer a more psychedelic style, it's pity to degrade such an album... I' m really curious if this matterial was created by Borknagar, Solefald or even Ihsahn, what attitude will you keep? Anyway, people's minds are different indeed.

Excellent progressive metal album with black and avant-garde shades!

Loved it. A bit big for a black metal album, but soooo nice

It's really hard to find original riffs and melodies nowadays, thence we can say that there is an originality definitely. There is so few things to criticize on this album, deserves an 8 obviously.

I prefer their sound over Hail Spirit Noir, great album but their debut was a tad better I believe.

Written by Guest on 24.01.2014 at 16:53

I prefer their sound over Hail Spirit Noir, great album but their debut was a tad better I believe.

I like Hail Spirit Noir better, but this is still quite great. I'll check their debut too, even though I'm pretty sure I've heard it at least once back in '11.

Great album. Palindrome is a progressive millestone. Hail Spirit Noir made great work too.

They did a great job, I 'can't stop listenning this album. One month and we have Hails Spirit Noir and Aenaon, it's like christmas again.

Did not expect to like this as much as I do... Great stuff, glad I took the time to give this a shot. I've been slacking in terms of listening to 2014 releases but this might be the album I needed to hear to get back on track. A purposeful progressive black metal album with plenty of groove and intensity.

Can I stream this album anywhere? I can't seem to find it at all.

It's amazing stuff but I can't listen to it every day , it's a bit of a challenge tbh.

This is a very, very cool record. Dense as hell with plenty of great ideas and unexpected surprises. I enjoyed their last full length a lot but this is something really special.

That's a very good album. Black metal is on fire this year
I love how the piano sounds too.

Anyone else think that the guest vocals on Funeral Blues are annoying as hell?

Written by MetalDoomMaster on 02.04.2014 at 00:38
Anyone else think that the guest vocals on Funeral Blues are annoying as hell?

They're so bad. It's the only song on the album I deliberately skip over every time, which is unfortunate because the rest of the album is phenomenal.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 02.04.2014 at 00:58


They're so bad. It's the only song on the album I deliberately skip over every time, which is unfortunate because the rest of the album is phenomenal.

Yeah, I've noticed them sucking before, but for some reason I just realized on the last listen that they are actually pure shit. I'm probably just going to delete the song and pretend it's not on the album.

The drums on "Der Mude Tod"

OoOoOCHILE! *Zsnaps fingers*

Written by MetalDoomMaster on 02.04.2014 at 00:38

Anyone else think that the guest vocals on Funeral Blues are annoying as hell?

I actually enjoy them , it's the woman from the band Universe 217 ... I like her vocals on her band too.

Instantly my favorite black metal album of all time! (yeah i'm not really into BM)

Written by Troy Killjoy on 02.04.2014 at 00:58

Written by MetalDoomMaster on 02.04.2014 at 00:38
Anyone else think that the guest vocals on Funeral Blues are annoying as hell?

They're so bad. It's the only song on the album I deliberately skip over every time, which is unfortunate because the rest of the album is phenomenal.

Definitely seems like a case of love or hate, and I belong to the former. That's avant-garde for you

Been listening to this of and on since it's release, but it's only just now clicking for me in the last couple days. Great album!

And I also belong in the camp who loves the guest female in Funeral Blues, probably my favorite track on the album.

Written by PocketMetal on 05.04.2014 at 11:12

Written by MetalDoomMaster on 02.04.2014 at 00:38

Anyone else think that the guest vocals on Funeral Blues are annoying as hell?

I actually enjoy them , it's the woman from the band Universe 217 ... I like her vocals on her band too.

Ha, I immediately knew it was her when I heard it; she is a unique vocalist. Loved her performance. It really really fit the music at that place of the song. Hell, I'd say they could they make a side project playing that kind of blacky psychedelic bluesy metal with her on vocals.

Written by Chobo_jokeR on 20.01.2014 at 01:36

Not a bad album by any stretch, but Hail Spirit Noir's Oi Magoi overshadows this album completely. I'd say it is a little too long for its own good.

I still dont understand that argument. Music isnt a competition. Also, both styles are just so different

Written by raveneffect on 10.05.2014 at 19:42

Written by Chobo_jokeR on 20.01.2014 at 01:36

Not a bad album by any stretch, but Hail Spirit Noir's Oi Magoi overshadows this album completely. I'd say it is a little too long for its own good.

I still dont understand that argument. Music isnt a competition. Also, both styles are just so different

No it isn't a competition, but it isn't unreasonable to compare two bands that play within similar genres.

And yet they dont sound nothing simillar to each other