ALBUM REVIEW: Mirage – Gaerea
There have been rumblings of a wave of modern black metal bands rising up and taking over during the last few years and GAEREA are definitely one of the frontrunners. The thorny crown which was firmly resting upon the heads of the likes of BEHEMOTH could suddenly be starting to slip and the Porto-based group is looking to wear it proudly in their stead. Their second album Limbo released in 2020 to unanimous acclaim and put the world on notice. Fast forward two years and the band are ready to grace us with their newest effort, Mirage. Enshrouded by black masks with only a symbol to identify themselves, the band are an enigma. One thing’s for certain however and that is their soundscape is an amalgamation of cacophonous noise with an astonishing ethereal spectacle of melody and grace. The mix of heavy and melodic on this latest effort is somehow perfectly and effortlessly balanced throughout.
The brutal extremities of the genre are on show in Mirage but are laid bare in such a way that they feel vulnerable and alone. This is pure carnal rage driven by fear. There is a real sense of longing for belonging and an ache that can only be soothed by the pure power of a crescendo of emotion through heavy music. Memoir opens the album on a sombre note, to begin with at least. Its early moments of quiet reflection build to a momentous ignition of blast beats and relentless guitar work. It hits with force and rockets through the track’s runtime at a frantic pace. The prog-like change-up halfway through shows off the band’s technical ability but it’s not long before you’re thrust back into the fray to face the onslaught.
The urgent verses during the almighty Salve bleed BEHEMOTH but undoubtedly have that GAEREA flair and injection of the modern black metal sound which they have built upon since Limbo. The middle-eight opens up the gates of hell itself with a sound so demonic it would make the devil tremble.
Arguably the album’s highlight, Arsen, is also the longest track on the record. However, those eight minutes fly by and not a moment is wasted. Another gentle intro gives way to pummelling drums and unrelenting fretwork. The track effortlessly weaves you through a journey of emotions with an air of desperation blanketing the majority of proceedings. You can feel the very push and pull from every instrument. The vocals hauntingly penetrate your soul with a piercing scream like a dagger.
A different approach the band have taken in Mirage this time around is the overall streamlining of the tracks and the focus on layers and textures. While the track lengths have been shortened, you can feel that there is more packed within the tracks, the soundscapes are much more grandiose and well compacted than in their previous efforts. The sound in general is a lot more polished and while they are still under the banner of black metal, there is no sign of the stripped-back approach of the old school.
Heading into the title track, by this time you’ll already be captivated by the music on show here. But Mirage is yet again another moment of beautiful brutality that leaves you in awe. The band know exactly how to perfectly use the space between the more full-on moments. It never feels like the breaks are forced and it allows the dense tracks to breathe in what would otherwise be a claustrophobic nightmare.
The guitar work throughout is exceptional and you are left wondering how they can create such raw emotion with their assault on the strings. Mantle, for example, doesn’t let up with its aggression but there is such sadness behind the riffs. Later, the major chord progression within the closing epic Laude gives off a feeling not seen in previous tracks, leaving the listener hanging on to a thread of hope. It’s a truly cathartic end to the album.
Their faces may be covered but the band lay everything out in the open on this album and bare their souls. There are feelings of isolation and despair that linger throughout its entirety that can leave you deep in thought long after the last moments have come and gone. Not since The Satanist has a black metal album been this seminal. Mirage should transcend GAEREA in the modern-day black metal pantheon.
Rating: 9/10
Mirage is set for release on September 23rd via Season Of Mist.
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