Rise of Avernus - Dramatis Personæ (2015)

With the popularity of Gothic/Symphonic Metal, hundreds of bands appeared in the scene and flooded our inbox with tons of sub-par releases. Luckily for us, Rise of Avernus does not conform with the masses and on their latest EP “Dramatis Personæ”, the band manages to have their own unique interesting of Progressive Gothic/Doom Metal. Imagining Septic Flesh meets Epica, this band delivers both intricate heavy music and some nice orchestrations to adorn things.

Opening with “In the Absence of Will”, we get the traditional symphonic orchestrations mixed with some interesting riffs and tempo changes. The drumming is quite solid and the overall feel of the track is heavier than symphonic… what a relief. Things get a bit more complex and engaging with the brilliant “Path to Shekinah”, a song that features some heavy passages and engaging vocal arrangements (both growls and male clean vocals).

Featuring “Grutle Kjellson” from Enslaved, “Acta Est Fabula” is the best track in this release combining aggressive onslaughts with intricate and at times jazzy melodic passages. This song reminded us of the killer masterpieces released by Bloothron and similar bands. If you like catchy songs with string instruments, “An Alarum of Fate” has some pretty solid passages for you to enjoy.

As this short but sweet release comes to a close, “In Hope We Drown” leaves us with a burning desire for more. The melancholic female vocals in this track are perfectly offset by the growls and the dramatic arrangements. Overall, “Dramatis Personæ” is a solid EP that easily shines from whatever everybody else is doing these days. If you like catchy and heavy music with a hefty dosage of atmosphere and growls, look no further and get this short-but-sweet release.

Label: Code666

Release: March 30th, 2015

Genre: Progressive Gothic/Doom Metal

Country: Australia