Averon
An Echo From Beyond (CD) 1998 Unisound
Looking around on the internet for information on Averon I was saddened to learn their official website no longer exists and only a hand full of websites still carry very limited information about them. It seems the band has more or less disappeared from the world wide view. One thing that did strike me is that most of the few remaining websites listing information about them list them as gothic/doom or even gothic-metal. This is something I must admit I never heard in either of their full-length releases. On 'An Echo From Beyond' Averon, in my eyes, deliver a strange mixture of Epic Doom with keyboards and a strong hint towards Power-metal. The band actually mostly seems to deal in Power-chords and keyboards delivered at an ever slowing pace. Overall this creates an air of grandeur rather than sadness. Averon is truly a good old heavy-metal band that just was not afraid to use keyboards to add atmosphere. This means that the guitars and rhythm section are clearly in control and the keys are there just to offer support most of the time. Ola Persson's vocals also fit the music well, a true old-school type heavy metal singer. This is nothing you will not have heard before, but it fits perfectly with the overall sound of the band. On the more emotional ballad 'Fading Away' you do notice that he is not the greatest vocalist in the world however. Still, even in this ballad his performance remains quite enjoyable. Shamefully Averon is one of the more overlooked bands. To some degree I can understand this, because at first sight they have a tendency to be overlooked. The band simply produces steady, well played powerful Doom. However, if you invest a bit of time you'll discover a wonderful doom act with just such a nice and uncomplicated sound. Good old headbanging music and a nice old school sound. The keyboards are always only used in a supportive role and as such the power chords and the grinding riffing are in total control. Sometimes simple things are just too yummy to pass up and I think Averon is one of those. As such I can say that they are highly recommended!	1. An Echo From beyond 2. At the Bridge of Life 3. Leave me Alone 4. Searching for Euphoria 5. Concealed Suffering 6. Fading Away 7. Scream in Anger 8. The Journey 9. Land of the Unknown 10. Into Eternity 11. Pain 12. The Last Day Approx. 53 minutes
Reviewed by: Aldo Quispel