New review from Prog Metal Zone

Album Review: Aura – Noise

I spent nearly 20 years in Italy, and as a music enthusiast, I’ve been explosed to some quality progressive metal coming from that wonderful Mediterranean country. Italy might not be commonly associated with its metal scene, but the country is home to a thriving scene animated by talented musicians who set the bar higher with every release. This is definitely the case of Sapri-based Progressive Metal combo Aura.

Their groundbreaking album Noise showcases the band’s forward-thinking approach to song-writing: lead single Behind My Eyes offers a tantalizing contrast between the modern-sounding and beefy electric guitars and the lush atmospheres of the synth works. I truly appreciate the rhythm section, particularly the drums. Few progressive metal bands are able to stick to the “less is more” principle, often risking to overthink their compositions.

In the case of Aura, it feels like the band is working as a unit, as they focus on experimenting within song-structures and ideas rather than merely displaying their (excellent) technical skills. The result is an album that is not only about great performances, but first and foremost, about great songs to remember.  Also as a sucker for great artwork I think the album cover also deserves an honorable mention here: the band’s Digipack edition (CD) looks truly stunning with its elegant and modern design.  You can check out a video of the song Behind My Eyes below and also order a copy of Noise via the Amazon.com link, also below.

Rating 8.5/10

review by Andrea Caccese

http://www.progmetalzone.com/2015/album-review-aura-noise/