It's often nice to get some black metal that isn't laced in cheese and merely a collection of riffs played way too fast. Ron Vento gives us his vision of the black scene with his "Mansions Of Eternity". Essentially a one-piece, "Aurora Borealis" comes across with an amazing sound -- which is probably due largely in part to being recorded at Morrisound and being mixed by Scott Burns.
Being black metal you can still expect the insanely fast guitar riffs, and on this tape they are actually riffs! There are quite a variety of them as well, although at times the transition between the segments containing them is somewhat unfounded and random. Quite an array of musical delights keeps this recording alive throughout, and makes it sound shorter than it really is. Of course Ron doesn't forget about his obligation, as part of the black genre, to have a melodic song, or at least one intro. High on the thanks list is Tony Laureno, who lent his excellent three arms to doing the CD.
The lyrics are fairly lengthy and of a high quality. Belted out in a half-shriek half-growl they are of Egyptian religious rhetoric versus monotheism rhetoric. The excellent exception is "Sixteenth Chamber" which has magnificent lyrics.
Intense and powerful, Aurora Borealis should be a treat for fans of black metal and acceptable to those who listen to any extreme genre.
Aurora Borealis is Ron Vento Contact: Aurora Borealis c/o Ron Vento PO Box 1327 Clinton MD 20735-5327 mailto:Email: aurora4dth@aol.com
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