Azure Emote â Cryptic Aura Review
By Owlswald
Azure Emote is the project of two very busy musicians, vocalist Mike Hrubovcak (ex-Monstrosity, ex-Vile) and guitarist Ryan Moll (Hypoxia, Total Fucking Destruction). In between their work with many acclaimed death metal acts, the duo reconvenes every five years or so to craft a new Azure Emote record.1 What began in 2010 with Chronicles of an Aging Mammal as an experimental think tank for their genre-defying ideas has steadily evolved into their own eclectic brand of avant-garde death metal. Cryptic Aura marks the groupâs fourth full-length and their third featuring the same all-star lineup: drumming powerhouse Mike Heller (Abigail Williams, ex-Fear Factory), legendary bassist Kelly Conlon (ex-Death), and violinist extraordinaire Pete Johansen (ex-Sirenia). Anna Murphy (ex-Eluveitie) also joins this renowned lineup, contributing her enchanting clean vocals.2 While long gaps between releases and an overabundance of ideas have historically hindered Azure Emote, Cryptic Aura strives to defy this pattern, arriving with a clear ambition to be both darker and heavier than anything theyâve released before.
Imagine a collision of Dimmu Borgir, Ne Obliviscaris, and Mithras and youâll be in the ballpark of describing Azure Emoteâs sound. Hrubovcakâs symphonic keyboards and Shagrath-esque blackened growls top Mollâs driving riffs, Conlonâs dexterous bass and Hellerâs remarkable drumming to create occult-infused songs rich with dark atmosphere and dramatic flair. Hellerâs performance on Cryptic Aura is mind-blowing. His blazing tom rolls (âAeons Adriftâ), tight rhythms (âDisease of the Soulâ), and creative backbeats (âReturn to the Unknownâ) are consistently jaw-dropping, at times even overpowering the albumâs bright DR 9 master. Johansenâs violin steps into a main role, often assuming a folky, crestfallen tone across the albumâs ten tracks.3 Enhancing Johansenâs violin are Murphyâs backing vocals, her majestic croons (âBleed with the Moonâ) and ethereal melodies (âFeast of Leeches,â âAeons Adriftâ) driving haunting transitions. She is a welcome addition, offering bouts of serenity and a fresh touch to Azure Emoteâs relentless instrumental virtuosity.
Azure Emoteâs technical elements frequently coalesce to create powerful, well-structured material, despite their inherent complexity. Still incorporating a wide array of musical styles and ideas into a progressive death metal mĂ©lange, Cryptic Aura feels more calculated than past efforts. âDisease of the Soulâ is a prime example, standing out as one of the albumâs strongest tracks. It demonstrates the groupâs unified musical vision, maintaining control amidst torrents of virtuosic chaos. Likewise, âFeast of Leechesâ showcases this synergyâMurphyâs soothing pitches, Johansenâs violin, and Hrubovcakâs synth arrangements artfully balancing its thrashy riffs, relentless blast beats and Moll and Conlonâs adventurous soloing. Johansenâs violin plays a crucial role in grounding Cryptic Auraâs songs and providing a consistent thematic thread. Far from being buried in the mix, Johansen often takes the lead, offering melodic death-folk elements and a variety of engaging leads and solos that share the spotlight with Moll. From trilling melodies (âAeons Adrift,â âInsomnia Nervosaâ) to chilling atmospheric passages with delay (âDefiance Infernusâ) to a somber homestead feel (âBleed with the Moonâ), Johansenâs versatility adds a distinctive layer to Azure Emoteâs multifaceted soundscape.
While Cryptic Aura features impressive technicality and several strong tracks, its prevailing density occasionally hampers it, thereby leading to listener fatigue. Hellerâs performance, while spectacular, is overwhelming at timesâparticularly on âDefiance Infernus,â âInto Abysmal Oblivion,â and âAeons Adriftââdue to his blistering speed and the drum-forward mix. Furthermore, the powerful beginnings of âProvoking the Obsceneâ and âAeons Adriftâ ultimately dissolve into exhausting complexity during their chaotic conclusions. âBleed with the Moon,â meanwhile, offers a repetitive, cascading instrumental barrage that offers little reprieve from its intensity. Murphyâs performance serves Cryptic Aura well, however, helping to counterbalance the overwhelming instrumentation. Her choral passages shineânotably the Gladiator-like ambient transition in âBleed the Moonââand her dramatic and warm tone commands attention on âReturn to the Unknownâ and âProvoking the Obscene.â Unfortunately, she is largely confined to backup dutiesâa disappointing and missed opportunity.
Though not without its flaws, Cryptic Aura remains a good album. A consistent lineup has allowed Azure Emote to streamline their creativity, presenting their impressive virtuosity with a newfound focus. With Cryptic Aura, the group has found solid footing, marking a positive evolution and resulting in my favorite record from them to date. Such progress ignites my excitement for the future. My only hope is that their next iteration arrives much sooner.
Rating: Good
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Testimony Records
Websites: azureemote.bandcamp.com/music | facebook.com/azureemote
Releases Worldwide: July 25th, 2025
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