Aras - Hemaseye Andooh
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The boiling sands of Iran do not normally conjure images of chilling black metal but Shiraz, Iran's Aras bucks this notion. In keeping with the recent explosion of one-man depressive black metal outfits, Lord Aras is yet another lonely soul with suicidal thoughts and raging misanthropy. His 2008 EP Hemaseye Andooh is a crisp, polished take on the genre, one all the more impressive given the strict nature of the fundamentalist Islam pervasive in Iran.
Like black metal's founding fathers, Aras channels a spiteful majesty in each of Hemaseye's four songs. Like such genre masters, Lord Aras rebels against religious convention simply by creating the music he does. Though I do not speak Farsi and cannot tell Aras' intentions, many moments on Hemaseye resonate with a palpable love for metal which supersedes tradition, safety and even morality. Clearly, Aras is a band which believes in what it preaches.
As far as Hemaseye is concerned, the order of the day is epic yet depressive black metal played with a noticeable sheen. Though the fuzzy trudge of acts like Xasthur and Leviathan are indeed present, the EP displays the evil grandeur of Emperor, Ceremonial Castings and Old Man's Child as well.
Opening cut "Sholehaye Sard," for example, exhibits a mix of clarity and crudity, hovering between voids of ominous distortion and pounding, shiny chords. Lord Aras' vocals are distorted shrieks, sounding like a whirlwind of glass shards amidst the simplistic, pulsing black metal. Grim yet graceful, it attains the right mixture of lo-fi malice and memorable melodicism necessary for success in the crowded bedroom black metal scene.
"Rhakte Khak" is the record's best song, a swirling vortex of muddy riffs and ethereal melodies caressing listeners like the rays of the desert sun. In a truly powerful moment, the song disappears into an eerie organ passage before marching forward with war-like percussion and atavistic riffs. The end result is black metal worthy of an entire band gloriously created by one individual.
Up next is "Nefrine Rood," a black metal blip which zooms by. Mixing militant guitars with echoing symphonics, it is a speedy jaunt which lays the carpet for the EP's grand finale.
When said finale comes, Hemaseye closes with a bang. "Raghse Baad" shimmers with melancholy, its lethargic riffs backed by sorrowful keys. Working its way from a dirge into a crescendo of mid-paced fury, it ends with a stunning echo of sound. As the guitars are stripped away, the EP ends with delicate fingerpicking and soothing keys. Strangely enough, it is this moment of vulnerability which best captures the depression Lord Aras works towards conveying.
Regal and resplendent, Hemaseye showcases sparkle which sets it apart from other depressive black metal bands. Beyond this, Lord Aras should receive commendation for playing heavy metal of ANY kind in a culture as unreceptive to the genre as the Islamic one. Born in a world of fear and loathing towards the music Lord Aras loves, it is this authenticity which gives Hemaseye lasting power, regardless of the clarity in the production.
Tracklisting
Sholehaye Sard
Rhakte Khak
Nefrine Rood
Raghse Baad
CD Info and Links
Aras - Hemaseye Andooh
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