AEONS – The Rovers Return Pub, Douglas, Isle of Man – 16th November, 2019
Sell Me A Fuckin' T-Shirt!!!!
The Isle Of Man. A proper pub. Plenty of Guinness. An evening of top class, A-fuckin-grade, progressive, technical metal. Who’s in? WE WERE!
The Isle of Man’s very own AEONS had already floored us with the release of their outstanding debut album, A Tragic End, and it was now time to catch them in the flesh, doing what they do best…..which is ripping us tech lovin’ metalheads a raggedy new one with over an hour’s worth of epic prog/tech metal ditties!
As mentioned, AEONS have but one album to their name but when it’s an album as consistently impressive as A Tragic End, no one in attendance is the least bit bothered that the whole thing, in its entirety and in sequence, is aired. Opening with the hard-hitting “Vampire” will always be welcomed with open arms and the immediacy of this fantastic track – which perfectly blends finesse with aggression – ensures that all in attendance are instantly focused on giving the band 100% of their attention. Subsequently, the band respond by amping up the energy and the banter in return.
An effortless and amiable frontman, Skippy is as entertaining when quipping with the audience as he is screaming, shouting, roaring and singing and when the band aren’t pummelling you senseless with their Opeth-esque sojourns into tech/prog brilliance, they’re having a laugh with their audience; ensuring an AEONS gig is an all-inclusive affair which just adds to the overall enjoyment.
The band like to have a laugh but there’s nothing funny about AEONS music which incorporates a myriad of metal styles, devices and genres. These guys sure can play and they have no trouble replicating the likes of the 11 minute title track with ease, poise, precision and power. “Red Shift” is the highlight of the night and maybe that’s because it’s the track we’re most familiar with. Or maybe it’s because it’s simply fucking brilliant. Either way, it’s peaks and troughs offer plenty for the audience to sink their teeth into and moments of balls-out aggression are counteracted by contemplative calm; providing the perfect balance.
There’s always something satisfying about being squeezed into the back room of a pub with like-minded people and a band who can deliver the goods. Fortunately for us, AEONS are that band and this was undoubtedly a night to savour. Not just because the Isle of Man is hardly a hotbed of metal but because AEONS are a band of genuine talent equipped with an album to back up that statement.
Ending the night by giving a late-arriving fan an encore of opener “Vampire”, also shows a touch of class (sell that man a fucking t-shirt!) and sums up the spirit of AEONS perfectly. A great gig from a great band with huge potential. 9/10
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