Hails, black metal devotees, and welcome back to Black Metal Archives. I’m Sean, and today we’re diving into the latest offering from Swiss black metal visionaries, Aara. Their newest album, Eiger, takes their signature blend of blistering tremolo-picked fury and neoclassical grandeur to even greater heights. If you’re a fan of atmospheric black metal that fuses haunting melodies with relentless intensity, then you’re in for something special. So, let’s descend into the abyss and explore what Eiger has to offer.
Aara has been carving out a unique space in the black metal scene with their intricate compositions and deeply immersive soundscapes. Eiger continues this trend, refining their approach while pushing their sonic boundaries even further. The album is inspired by the harrowing tales surrounding the Eiger mountain—a formidable peak in the Swiss Alps known for its treacherous north face. This theme of struggle, endurance, and tragedy is deeply woven into the album’s structure, creating a sound that is as breathtaking as it is foreboding.
Musically, Eiger is a masterclass in layering. The album features the icy, high-velocity riffing that has become a hallmark of Aara’s sound, but here it feels more urgent and desperate. The guitar work is relentless, spiraling through melodic yet chaotic arrangements that feel like an unending climb up a perilous summit. The drumming is equally punishing, driving the momentum forward with rapid-fire blast beats and intricate fills that add depth to the compositions.
Vocally, the album leans into raw, agonized shrieks that pierce through the dense instrumentation like chilling gusts of wind. The interplay between the screams and the celestial, almost symphonic elements creates a fascinating contrast—beauty and despair entwined in a deadly embrace.
One of the standout tracks on the album is Todesbiwak, which translates to “Death Bivouac”—an apt name given the unrelenting ferocity of the song. From the opening moments, Aara wastes no time immersing the listener in a whirlwind of tremolo-picked melodies and cascading drum patterns. Yet, beneath the chaos, there’s a striking sense of elegance, a ghostly refinement that lingers throughout.
Another highlight is Der Wahnsinn dort im Abgrund, which perfectly showcases Aara’s ability to balance aggression with a more ethereal, melancholic atmosphere. The track builds and swells with haunting choral sections, giving it a transcendental quality before plunging back into blistering black metal fervor.
Felsensang is another piece that stands out, featuring some of the album’s most intricate guitar work. The leads twist and turn unpredictably, creating a dizzying effect that mirrors the precarious ascent of the Eiger itself. The track’s shifting dynamics and layered melodies make it one of the most immersive moments on the record.
Aara occupies a unique space in the black metal landscape, straddling the line between raw intensity and neoclassical sophistication. While they certainly draw influence from traditional second-wave black metal—echoes of bands like Emperor and early Dimmu Borgir can be felt throughout—they also bring in elements reminiscent of post-black and atmospheric black metal acts like Mare Cognitum and Panopticon.
What sets Aara apart is their ability to make their compositions feel vast and cinematic without losing the primal aggression that defines black metal. Eiger is not merely an exercise in technicality or atmosphere—it’s an emotionally charged experience, a sonic representation of struggle against insurmountable odds. In this way, it aligns with black metal’s core themes of nature, isolation, and transcendence.
With Eiger, Aara has crafted another towering achievement in their discography. The album’s intricate melodies, relentless pacing, and thematic depth make it a compelling listen for both longtime fans and newcomers alike. If you’re drawn to black metal that blends savagery with haunting beauty, this is an album you won’t want to miss.
Do yourself a favor and stream Eiger on their Bandcamp page right now! What are your thoughts on Eiger? Does it reach the heights of Aara’s previous work, or has it surpassed them? Let me know in the comments below, and if you enjoyed this review, be sure to like for more deep dives into the abyss.
Until next time—stay cold, stay grim, and I’ll see you in the darkness.
