Code – Augur Nox (2013)

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Making a dominating comeback, today we have Code and their third full-length release “Augur Nox”. Pushing the sonic boundaries of Black Metal, this UK band delivers 12 uncompromising and very unique songs. Perfectly recuperating from the exit of long-term and unique vocalist Kvohst, Code delivers 51 minutes of very interesting and complex music on their own terms, allowing them to push their legacy to new levels.

Opening with the contrived “Black Rumination”, the band’s unique musical signature is immediately present with intricate guitar work and catchy drum patterns. The mixture of clean and harsh vocals is as good as ever with Wacian doing a great job in capturing the band’s essence. Mixing Progressive/Avant-garde elements into their music, the band further evolves their signature style on tracks like “Becoming Host”, “Ecdysis”, and “Glimlight Tourist”.

With hints of Borknagar, Aenaon, Arcturus, Enslaved, DHG, and similar outfits in their music, Code keeps pushing their sound to new levels in terms of creativity and execution. With most music composed by guitarist Aort, the album is very guitar oriented, but not in a traditional way. The riffing is quite smart and complex, while allowing the vocal melodies to carry the songs into dark and bright territories depending on the mood and vocal style used.

Our favorite track in this release is the mysterious “The Lazarus Cord”, a song that changes between moods magically and delivers soothing atmospheric passages. As a close second, “Trace of God” is a short but sweet track with very powerful riffs and a catchy chorus section. On a lighter note, “Harmonies in Cloud” delivers six-minutes of very emotional vocals adorning lavish melodic passages.

Before you know it, “White Triptych” creeps up on you and the release comes to a very satisfying end. Through “Augur Nox”, Code confirms that they are still a force to be reckoned with and that 4 years between releases are well worth the wait for such a quality album. If you like your music to be crafty, well delivered, and weird in general, this is one album you don’t want to miss.

Band: Code Album: Augur Nox

Label: Agonia Records

Release: November 19th, 2013 (Europe) / November 26th, 2013 (North America)

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Genre: Progressive/Avant-garde Black Metal

Country: UK

Rating: 90/100
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