Aastyra - Aastral Projections - review
Aastyra - Aastral Projections - review
Tracklist
01. Schism02. Interstellar Death Race
03. Terra
04. Of Spirit And Captivity
05. Wanderers Of The Post-Apocalypse
06. Xenopia
07. Adversary
08. The Mechanical Womb
09. Shadowmirror
A review by
Lucas January 30, 2011
We're going to approach these classes from a practical point of view, so please all Google/Bing (doesn't really work as a verb, does it?)/search for Aastyra. Now let's look at the cold hard facts: MySpace member since 06/2007, last log-in in 6/2009. Because everybody knows MySpace ist krieg!!!! but also for pussies. Let's continue: an 'ancient' font (probably available in Word) is used for the band logo, a five-minute photoshop job serving as album cover and more guest musicians than steady band members. 'tis all a bit overwhelming, isn't it? That'll be enough for now, don't forget to do your homework (= become best friends with a panda at the zoo and take a picture with him) and I'll see you all next week.
All kidding aside though, Aastyra ain't half bad. In fact, they're pretty enjoyable. Their (self-proclaimed) style is "Experimental Ambient Black metal", which basically stands for space-themed Black metal laced with keyboards. You can expect to often find a frenzy of high-paced piano notes set against a highly distorted, fuzzy and washed out backgroud of riffs. Coupled with fast, exploding drums and you should have a good idea of this overall fast-paced, badly produced album.
Another aspect to this album, which is probably where tag "Experimental" stems from (*cough*), is the incessant stream of interludes. We've got: fat kid running through a dried-up forest (honestly, what is that supposed to be on "Terra"), kids singing a stupid song (also on "Terra"), annoying birds whistling (you guessed it, also on "Terra"), the seemingly endless stream of "divine" female chants (on "Of Spirit And Captivity"), the shenigans continue on "Wanderer Of The Postapocalypse" and finally, finally (!!) we're back in business on "Xenopia". Unfortunately, it all quickly waters down again...
In the end, Aastral Projections is half-good, half-bad. Part of it is boring nonsense, part of it is enjoyable but hardly innovative Black metal. Focus your attention on other bands, that's my advice.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 7 |
| Songwriting: | 5 |
| Originality: | 5 |
| Production: | 4 |
Comments
Comments:
10
Visited by
132 users
| Luneth
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Posts: 1567
When you are reviewing you do pretty well, but all that "funny" crap you throw in there just makes it hard to read on
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Posts: 13427 Written by JÄY on 30.01.2011 at 21:41 You don't like my sense of humour? 
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?  "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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Posts: 18615 Written by Lucas on 30.01.2011 at 21:47 Hit or miss. Since the band is already meh I didn't pay too much attention to the review either. I didn't exactly laugh... You're getting rusty bro.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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Posts: 6941
Well shit, *I* thought it was funny. When's the next class at Metal U? I especially liked the second-to-last paragraph where you break down their "tags" into the cliches that they are. Typical 
---- "A life all mine Is what I choose At the end of my days" --The Gathering "A Life All Mine" from Souvenirs
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Posts: 13427 Written by X-Ray Rod on 30.01.2011 at 22:02 Ouch. I'll be sure to bring my A-game for the next one.
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what? "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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Posts: 8902
So what you are saying is that we could call this a lame Black Metal attempt at being Ayreon or should I say ...Blayreon?
---- (space for rent)
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Posts: 21306
Is this a re-release? A 2007 release seems kind of outdated on the front page...
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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Posts: 268
That's hella funny, I didn't even know what Black Metal was until I got my first computer also.
---- The word gen means "illusion" or "apparition." In India, a man who uses conjury is called a genjutsushi ["a master of illusion technique"]. Everything in this world is but a marionette show. Thus we use the word gen.
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