Track List:
"Immortal Bliss" – 4:34
"Satya" – 5:55
"Transfiguration" – 5:14
"Frames" – 7:09
"Mind's Reality" – 4:22
"Kali Yuga" – 5:37
"Jivatma" – 11:17
"Existence" – 6:28
"Anugraha" – 4:41
Attack Attack!!!, Avenged Sevenfold, As I Lay Dying, Bloc Party, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. I feel dirty just mentioning them!! Ok, so the last two didn't have anything to do with metal. So what?! They suck pretty much the same as the three bands before them! It saddens me to see that some bands -not for their lack of innovation or technical abilities- are finding low or no spotlight at all. Victims of marketing bloopers, fast fading trends or quickly-to-die fashions. And not to mention the growing consumptions and fast-buck ideologies that has taken over the whole music business worldwide, reducing albums and their creators to nothing more than mass produced and homogenous products that fill the disc-store's shelves. Hence, many real bands are left to remain in the dark, known to only a few intenders of the genre. Aghora is one such band.
Close to Cynic in the technical point of view, the presence of Sean Rienert and Sean Malone on this album is enough to guarantee this Cynic like sound. Along with the clean female voice of Danishta Rivero dominating throughout the album, however, failing at one point or another, to deliver the needed impact, an impact which perhaps was not programmed in the first place, with it's almost monotonous pitch, which might be considered as the weak point in this would-be amazing album. No growling in this album so brutal death metal fans should not expect an Eaten Back To Life. Rivero however redeems herself in Anugraha as she uses her voice as an instrument giving the track an almost atmospheric touch. An almost perfect complex instrumental track, Existence and Frames prove to be the most "heavy" track in the entire album as the guitars go into a death-like rhythm and acceleration, however, it remains the only heavy track on this album.
Lyrics tackle emotive, emotional, and existential topics, combining Eastern philosophies into a delicate oriental infusion. An example would be Jivatama, meaning soul in Sanskrit. Anugraha, meaning grace, and Satya, meaning truth. So if this whole Eastern approach to life suits you fine then this is the album for you. If it doesn’t, well, this is a cool band anyway...
Unlike Cynic, Aghora’s music is highly rhythm-oriented, predominantly jazzy. Excellent bass work, and guitar work that only exalts the whole musical concept with its riffs and solos courtesy of Santiago Dobles and his guitar virtuosity. Lots of groove inside this album. Indian Sitars to accompany the eastern lyrical theme and lounge-like piano fusing into the songs, all of which result in Aghora taking on a much more progressive overall tone than Cynic. The proposed sound is relatively oriental in many instances and mostly Hindu like in its structure. Also, on this album Aghora remind us why they are also classified as a Jazz-Death-metal outfit. Coming back with a vengeance with guitar solos and rhythms that would make good Ol' Chuck Schuldiner happy -may he rest in piece-. Aghora offers a complex album, with each instrument finding it's perfect place in the soundscape, so, if you’re a progressive or eloquent bass play type of listener you might enjoy this album. Bass takes the first row in Aghora's sound, it's tracks are basically based on very elaborate bass work with the full range aerial support of Santiago Dobles guitar work. Must say quite amazing guitar work!!! With everything eventually limited by the vocals that ,at times, sounds out of place.
Overall, a non-typical band offering everything else than a monotonous sound. Fast paced, elaborate, accurate, and ever changing like the soul itself. Listen to this album. No!! Buy this album! They would’ve done much better with a different vocalist, but still I would give this a well deserved 8/10