As human beings, it is in our nature to reach beyond our limits: uncharted regions, mountaintops, even the stars themselves fall prey to our desire to grasp at something greater than ourselves. This literal damnatio ad astra pushes many to push forward against all reason until the cold void they so heroically journeyed into becomes their tomb. One such story became the inspiration behind the latest album by Swiss atmospheric black metal phenomenon AARA, which tells the tale of a climbing party being shattered by their own hubris while attempting to conquer the calamitous Eiger-Nordwand.
Eiger, named after the very mountain that has been the scene of so many such tragedies over the past few decades, dives headfirst into this dichotomy hidden in the pursuit of glory, where human frailty hopes to outlast the forces of nature; not to point fingers and laugh at the misery of others, but to tell the story of those who dared to challenge the elements and perished for reaching for the sublime. In doing so, AARA have delivered what is probably their strongest offering yet, distilling their familiar appeal (atmospheric black metal with tremendous acoustic interludes) into its most delicious form.
The choking cold and perilous heights are summoned into this ambient whirlwind of riffs, blast beats, and inhuman shrieks through samples of ice, chains, and snippets of dialogue, adding a (buzzword incoming!) cinematic edge to the already immersive touch of AARA’s black metal frenzy. The anonymous duo of vocalist/lyricist Fluss and composer/multi-instrumentalist Berg – truly a foreshadowing name given the subject matter of this new album – have conjured an album that is atmospheric and caustic in equal measure, making for an empathetic yet chilling experience.
Especially noteworthy is the performance of J., AARA‘s new drummer. His playing is weighty, dexterous, and just ornamental enough to fill out the band’s sound without being flashy or overbearing. Thanks to Markus Stock’s excellent production, you can hear every little cymbal hit, the tom rolls sound massive, and the blast beats become an almost enchanting piece of ambience in and of themselves. Eiger benefits greatly from the involvement of these two individuals, and I’m glad that the stars aligned for this constellation.
Now, you probably want to hear a little something about the songs on Eiger as well, huh? It can’t be helped; your curiosity is only too understandable. Opening on an ominous soundscape and a brief spoken word bit, “Die das wilde Wetter fängt” launches into a blackened tirade of pummelling drums and slicing riffs, over which Fluss places her eerie, wailing shrieks. Over almost 10 minutes, Berg, Fluss, and J. manage to keep the tension high, evoking a sense of looming dread while constructing a tight-knit atmosphere that only relents towards the song’s ending, as acoustic guitars are set against the subtle rush of mountain winds.
“Senkrechte Welten” then ups the ante with a lilting guitar motif and a drum beat that seems to stagger from a full-on blast beat into a more spaced-out kick pattern and back again. This intro is a standout moment on Eiger, and every repetition throughout the song does nothing to diminish its impact; if anything, its significance is amplified each time this theme rolls around. Another delightful acoustic interlude breaks up the song before the trio bring back the black metal cascades with full force.
Even aside from the obvious unique selling point of Berg’s masterful acoustic guitar playing, Eiger has something outstanding to offer with each new track that unfolds before the listener’s ears, whether it’s a particularly gnarly riff, a specific vocal inflection, or a beautifully detailed drum track. The band’s journey so far has culminated in a record of astonishing quality. It seems that through a steady stream of remarkable releases, AARA has finally evolved into a thoroughly engaging and musically irreplaceable force within the frozen realms of atmospheric black metal.
Eiger ends on the not-at-all nightmarish “Albtraum” (multi-lingual pun intended), which puts the ever-present acoustic guitar at the forefront, highlighting its impact on the AARA aesthetic by heightening the contrast between its forlorn beauty and the slicing cold of the riffs that rage around it. A fitting end for a thematically and musically cohesive record. 2024 has seen many outstanding metal releases, and AARA’s Eiger will hopefully be remembered among the most illustrious of them. It has the makings of a timeless black metal record, and it stands tall amongst the band’s already quite impressive catalogue.
