Aeon Zen – Enigma

After their amazing and stunning 2010 album “The Face Of The Unknown”, Aeon Zen are finally here again with a new album called “Enigma”. As on the previous records, there are some guest appeareances
which are all vocalists: Nate Loosemore from “Lost In Thought”, Atle Pettersen from “Above Symmetry” and Jonny Tatum from “Eumeria”. Also this is the first release of the band with a label, their first two albums were released independently. On the two previous albums of the band guitar, bass, keyboards, drums and vocals were performed by Rich Hinks the founder of the band. He had only some guest vocalists. But on this album it’s time that Aeon Zen to be presented to us as a full band.

On this album Rich Hinks is handling the duties of guitar, bass and some vocals, Andi Kravljaca (Ex-Seventh Wonder,Silent Call) who also had appeared on the previous album is handling the main vocals, Shaz is handling the keyboards, Matt Shepard is handling the second guitar in the band and Steve Burton is sitting behind the drum kit. The music on ”Enigma” for the most part is very melodic progressive metal mixed with much lighter but obviously still very melodic progressive rock. ”Divinity” was maybe not the best song to promote the album, you see although it shares elements that you’d expect to hear from the album by the time the song hits as the third track, it’s also heavily influenced by technical death metal. I’m not just talking the use of growling vocals alongside the clean singing you’ll be hearing across most of the disc, but also the music.

The nine tracks’ concept behind “Enigma” is utterly ambitious, but each song can actually be remembered separate and can stand by itself, it’s comprised by a short atmospheric intro that is purely instrumental and eight sumptuous vocal tracks with moods ranging from mystic to radiant, from fresh orchestration to gloomy thrills, and many twists both in the musical direction but also in the tempos, plenty of weird ambiance, symphonic breathtaking arrangements and poignant changes including always a good balance between metallic density, melodic purity, energetic drums fills, shredding licks and progressive smart
transparency.

“Enigma”, is a terrific accomplishment from Aeon Zen, from now on their obvious new career reference, a highly intriguing and very entertaining progressive unit, a definitely awesome and fascinating metal platter which is of course ultra-recommended. One of the best albums in 2013 so far!!!