The Aeon is a Finnish sextet that offers Folk sounds with a mixture of Psychedelia, Occult and a touch of Progressive Rock. The second album “The Baphomet Dream” was released on September 03, 2022 via Black Widow Records and contains 10 tracks. Opener “Tears of Atum” unfolds with acoustic guitar arpeggios, Anna-Kaisa’s delicate vocals and percussion creating a ritual atmosphere. The intensity increases as the song progresses, in a musical crescendo that makes the sound more rhythmic and energetic in the final part. Arpeggios and an intense vocal come together in “Witches’ Sabbath” to create an atmospheric folk sound. The band’s Occult traits permeate the song, between Dark atmospheres and a very refined mystical vocal. “The Procession” is the album’s shortest track, atmospheric, sombre and exuding a sense of unease. We come to the tile-track “The Baphomet Dream,” the longest in duration, and the real highlight of this work. A softer first part with percussion, arpeggios and an intense and expressive vocal, moving slowly and enveloping the listener. The tempo changes allow us to move from sections with dilated sounds to more energetic and rhythmic ones, concluding the track in a crescendo with mystical traits. Another of the album’s darker tracks “Ouroboros” shows the band’s more Ambient side, a short but intense passage. A refined combination of acoustic guitar and vocals characterises “Dream Within a Dream,” whose lyrics are inspired by a poem by Edgar Allan Poe. With a masterful vocal interpretation, and very refined and intense sounds. “Orobas” is an energetic track with a more animated rhythm section, with melodies incorporating oriental elements. Vocal and instrumental parts are well combined, resulting in more movement but without losing the band’s characteristic traits. The percussion hypnotises the listener and creates the rhythmic background of “The Wood,” with the vocalist giving another outstanding performance. Oriental traits merge with the atmospheres of northern European forests, concluding in a crescendo with a Psychedelic Dark Folk. A pronounced, deep bass sound opens “Nyarlathotep” and then the song evolves into the band’s signature sounds. Percussion, an intense vocal and mandolin melodies, between dark Folk and Ambient nuances, concluding with the theme of the intro. The album ends with “Void of Time,” with acoustic guitar arpeggios and the violin intertwining with the very expressive vocals. With the entry of percussion, it becomes more rhythmic, increasing in intensity in the middle section and concluding with acoustic and atmospheric stretches. A band that offers its own distinctly personal and original style, mixing Folk traits with a touch of the Occult and Dark. The compositions are very intense, creating a tracklist that accompanies the listener into the band’s mystical musical world. Refined and very intense, it is a recommended listen, different, congratulations to Black Widow Records, a label adept at bringing out sought-after and original artists.
Tracklist
01. Tears of Atum (07:20)
02. Witches’ Sabbath (05:01)
03. The Procession (01:23)
04. The Baphomet Dream (09:35)
05. Ouroboros (01:39)
06. Dream Within a Dream (03:54)
07. Orobas (03:39)
08. The Wood (04:43)
09. Nyarlathotep (05:06)
10. Void of Time (05:59)
Lineup
Aimo Huikka / Mandolin, Jew’s Harp
Anna-Kaisa Kettunen / Lead Vocals
Antti Saarilampi / Bass, 12-String Guitar, Keyboards
Lauri Sallamo / Percussion, Moroccan Gemshorn
Matias PTapaninen / Guitar
Mau Jarvinen / Violin, Yaubahar, Glockenspiel
Guests:
Antti Napankangas / Trombone
Fanny Riekki & Joho Ljokkoi / Vocals
Jesse Heikkinen / Electric guitar
Samppa Aarinen / Uilleann Pipes
Tejo Klemettila / Cello
Toni Kandelin / Oration
