Austere - Beneath the Threshold (2024)

After a long hiatus, the masters of melancholy and one of the initiators of the Depressive Black Metal sound, Austere finally returned last year with a killer release. Not even one year has passed and they are now back with another demoralizing album with “Beneath the Threshold”. Featuring six tracks and around 40 minutes of music, this Aussie duo unleash more depressive vibes filled with melancholy and some crafty musicianship.

Opening with “Thrall”, we get a slow burning piece that nicely unleashes dissonant guitars in a very mellow tempo alongside harsh and mournful vocals. The duality of the clean and harsh vocals alongside the subtle keyboard atmospherics creates a thick and soul crushing atmosphere, the thing we most enjoy from this band. Both “The Sunset of Life” and “Faded Ghost” masterfully induce more misery thanks to their crafty tempo changes and very solemn atmospheres.

The band always delivers engaging melancholic guitars, as “Cold Cerecloth” is the perfect example. Perfectly weaving emotion into all instruments, each track has a very unique and engaging vibe, and when all are put together, they create a very hypnotic experience. The release closes on a high note with the ravaging “Of Severance” and its harrowing screams, perfectly paired with lush tempo changes and devastating melodic interludes.

Overall, “Beneath the Threshold” shows that Austere had some extra surprises left in the tank since their last release. The band’s sound is both powerful and beautiful at the same time as it transmits raw emotion and desolation, something that only a handful of bands can achieve. If you like highly melancholic music filled with emotions, and of course some harsh screams and distorted guitars, this is the album for you.

Label: Lupus Lounge/Prophecy Productions

Release: April 5th, 2024

Genre: Blackgaze/Atmospheric Black Metal

Country: Australia