Review: Aptera ‘You Can’t Burn What Still Burns’
Hailing from Brazil, Italy, Belgium, and the US, but rising from the sea in Berlin, Aptera delivers a classic sound, with classic power. Here you’ll find Motörhead style speed, Sabbath style riffs, and Venom like evil, hell yeah this is old-school metal!
Guitars are always at the forefront, and the interplay of their parts keeps the listener engaged throughout every song, starting with the album’s first single, Voice Of Thunder. The guitar tone is on point, the bass is a little bit behind in the mix, and the drums sound a bit thin for their importance in the overall sound. The vocals on this track are just the right insane howl to accompany these bewitching riffs.
The next track, Selkies, delivers at once both a more ethereal and aggressive expression. The song is captivating and showcases this young band’s mature compositional chops. The strong old school vibe gets highlighted here and evokes the glory days of blurred boundaries between nascent extreme sounds.
On the next track, Mercury, the guitar work of Renata Helm and Michela Albizzati really shines, as well as the versatility of the vocals by Celia Paul and Albizzati. These two elements are always at the forefront. The bass of Celia diligently upkeeps the bottom end really holding things down, and the drums performed by Sara Neidorf are hailing from the tradition of providing a steady structure for the other instruments to take centre stage and rise above the fold.
There are many vibes across this album, even if they are all permeated through a similar sensibility. Unbearable Stain distinguishes itself for its early thrashy black metal vibes. The performance of the drums is a big part of what feels special in the band’s take on these different sounding tracks. The lead guitar work is generally straightforward but to me it’s doing exactly what it should and when it should.
you’ll find Motörhead style speed, Sabbath style riffs and Venom like evil, hell yeah this is old school metal…
Next track, Cosmosis, might be making the most of the band’s sonic characteristics up to this point. The guitar tone shines, and the interplay between the guitar work and the rest of the band really transcends. So much fuzz goodness in this instrumental track.
The riffs are great all the way through, but Days Of Void is just a great headbanging theme, excellent stuff to shake your head to after a few too many drinks. When The Police Murder brings in a slightly more serious note, in the vein of classic politically charged thrash and heavy metal. It’s refreshing to hear a political sentiment delivered in that straight forward no-frills style that is such a great quality of metal.
Nephenthes is an emotional climax of the themes weaved through the album. The lyrics on most songs are reflections of an intense sensitivity. Poetic testaments of pain and oppression being witnessed through a passionate will to resist and persevere, reaching epic and transcendent heights.
You Can’t Bury What Still Burns was recorded, mixed and mastered by Jan Oberg at Hidden Planet Studio in June 2021. The album’s artwork is by Brokesia Studio and illustrates the concept behind the album title in a unique style, which seems to get more interesting the more you look at it.
Label: Ripple Music
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram
Scribed by: Goro Riffs
