Band:	Augury
Album:	Illusive Golden Age
Style:	Technical death metal
Release date:	March 30, 2018
A review by:	RaduP

01. Illusive Golden Age
02. The Living Vault
03. Carrion Tide
04. Mater Dolorosa
05. Maritime
06. Message Sonore
07. Parallel Biospheres
08. Anchorite

Canada is especially known for its tech death scene, one that has managed to put out great albums since the mid-'90s and manages to stay relevant today, but a few of the bands are still somewhat active despite not putting out material in a long time. That is no longer the case for Augury.

Though Augury isn't as old as Quo Vadis and Martyr, who are still active despite their last offerings being in the mid-2000s, with Fragmentary Evidence being released in 2009, it's still a damn long time to wait for a follow-up, and what is strangest is that, while the lineup is largely unchanged from that album, only Dominic Laponte seems to have done much in the meantime, having worked with Beyond Creation and First Fragment.

Now, this is a tech death album from an established band, so there is really no denying that these guys have got the chops. Every member is a virtuoso at his own instrument. While the technical riffing is obviously at the forefront, it is just barely, as it doesn't overshadow at all the noodling of the bass, which feels like a totally different musical entity from the guitar despite being a bit too low in the mix, or the complex drum patterns and blast beats.

There are plenty of moments for each instrument to shine, as well as for vocalist Patrick Loisel, whose vocals range from brutal death metal gutturals to shrieks. On this album he is, for the first time, the only voice to be heard on the entire record as opposed to the female operatic vocals of Concealed and the maze of guest vocalists of Fragmentary Evidence. The intensely technical approach to music in which every instrument seems to be spastically soloing can give way to some feelings of claustrophobia, but Augury don't always sacrifice song structure for wankery. Despite the pieces of the puzzle being as volatile as they can be, there is some thought in the way they are placed.

Condensing all of their noodling into just 40 minutes of music is enough to keep it from being overwhelming. While a wait of 9 years seems pretty unnecessary, Illusive Golden Age bring just about enough spastic soloing for it to have been worth coming back. Your turn, Quo Vadis.

Enter the illusive golden age.