A perfectly executed record – review of “Aura of Decay” by Extol

There are a lot of things that Norwegian do in the right way. But I think that the most impressive of all has to be music. This is why now I’m going to tell you all about Extol, a Norwegian band that is about to release a new album titled “Aura of Decay” via Solid State Records. These gentlemen have been active since 1993, so they clearly know what they are doing.

And you know, it’s very bad for a reviewer to write when an album is perfect. Because, what do you say? Everything is good? Yeah, I guess I have to say that now. Because “Aura of Decay” is basically flawless. Extol has this perfect mix of extreme metal with some progressive elements but also clean vocals, so for me it has been love at first… listen.

So far, the band has just released singles that are absolutely perfect: “The One And The Many” and “Merciless Hunger” are such a great representation of what’s in “Aura of Decay”! Did I or did I not tell you that Extol knew what they were doing? Well, I stand by that statement!

The band’s foundation is the force of drummer David Husvik and Christer Espevoll on guitar is just relentless power. Ole Børud’s distinctive vocals create layers of melodic depth, perfectly balancing Peter Espevoli with his raw emotion and command. If I have to pick a favorite track that isn’t one of the singles, I would have to choose the final suite “End of Times“.

In conclusion, if you like extreme metal with lots of influences, you have to check out Extol. “Aura of Decay” is a masterpiece, and it just reaffirms the band as the legends they already are. I have a feeling we’ll be listening to this album for quite a long time, so don’t miss out on it!

Tracklist:

1. The One and The Many
2. Disintegrate
3. Sanctum
4. Merciless Hunger
5. Vile Path
6. Phantom Dismay
7. Shield and Alibi
8. Wrecked Within Walls
9. Dimness of Lingering Gloom
10. Beneath the Dirt
11. End of Times