Released on: 22nd June 2018
Gaerea are dishing out some serious black metal after the release of their acclaimed debut EP. Hailing from Portugal, a country not often associated with the virulent genre, the band have ignited flames with their euphonious yet maudlin riffs. Having only released their eponymous EP two years ago the trio are like a raging inferno on Unsettling Whispers. Diligently consuming everything in their path only to leave the charred sonal remains of noise in a dense black fog of the mighty tremolo technique.
Riffwise this is an incredibly emphatic album and while it is compelling it suffers from the on rails approach to black metal. Meaning that it does not often deviate from the pragmatic but unspoken rules of true black metal. Sitting somewhere between the trve sound and dsbm (depressive suicidal black metal.) However there is not much in the way of technical performance here but the passion behind the Unsettling Whispers riffs is wholly prevalent.
Suffice to say Unsettling Whispers wracks up the intensity of its sonic onslaught with every passing bar. Even with a clear affinity to dsbm it contains a hidden power stirring deep within its songs. Furthering interpretive sentiments to active nihilism to come across as an obvious inspiration while aiding in the feeling of being musically liberating and wholeheartedly satisfying.
8/10
