ALBUM REVIEW: God Ends Here – Aeon

It has been nine long years since the release of 2012’s Aeons Black but the much adored Swedish death metal troupe are making their triumphant return with their fifth full length effort Gods End Here which is available now via Metal Blade Records. Will AEON mark this occasion with one to remember or one to forget?

The Nihilist is merely the precursor to the chaos, building up the tension before the thunderous drum beats and aggressive riffing of Liar’s Den comes hurtling into focus. Vicious vocal lines are laced with pure venom and add another destructive layer to the assault. Let It Burn continues the relentless barrage with a volley of rapid fire riffs and bludgeoning blast beats. The underlying groove is intoxicating. Orpheus Indu Inferis is a brief but dramatic piano-based interlude that ushers in the next chapter of savagery in the shape of Church Of Horror. This track is just as raucous and abrasive as its colleagues but does have little pockets of breathing room as little sparks of melody seep in amid the skull crushing.

Deny Them Eternity allows no such reprieve, pummeling you with devastating drumming from the starting grids. Forsaker follows suit with additional hammer blows, the ruthless tempo is like a bulldozer right through your bones. The calming orchestral elements of Into The Void provides a fleeting moment to tend to your wounds before the monstrous bass lines of title track God Ends Here escort the next wave of ferocity. Whilst not as breakneck as some of what we have experienced prior the slower, more menacing pacing proves to be even more potent. Like a trudging march to your doom. Severed has zero intention of letting the momentum waiver as it hits the higher gear to sear the flesh from your limbs. Just One Kill is equally as gruesome. Unforgiving riff work and dominant drum beats once again prove to be a deadly combination.

Mephistopheles showcases another invigorating snippet of orchestral tones which are quickly tossed aside in the preference of crunching guitar work. Let The Torturing Begin possesses an enticing groove that offers up a sturdy backbone for the arrangement. The methodical tempo is as effective as it is punishing. Despise The Cross takes an even more demonic turn as the stomping stride knocks the wind out of your lungs.

Overture: Magnum Reginae feels like the kind of music you would hear before commencing an epic battle. Getting your adrenaline pumping ready for the closing act. Queen Of Lies certainly doesn’t disappoint, saving arguably the standout track of the entire album for the final flourish. The ebbing and flowing procession is so captivating that you don’t want it to end.

After almost a decade of lingering in the shadows, it left many to question whether AEON still had it in them to bring the same fire and intensity we have come to know from the Swedish outfit but they have firmly cast aside any doubts with a brilliantly constructed release that keeps you gripped through its chapters. Whether the five intro segments were entirely necessary is a minimal point of contention but God Ends Here is up there with the best death metal contributions this decade, never mind this year.

Rating: 9/10

God Ends Here is out now via Metal Blade Records.

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