Band:	Augury
Album:	Concealed
Style:	Technical death metal
Release date:	2004
A review by:	Jeff

01. Beatus
02. ...Ever Know Peace Again
03. Cosmic Migration
04. Nocebo
05. Alien Shores
06. In Russian Dolls Universes
07. Becoming God
08. The Lair Of Purity
09. From Eden Estranged...
10. ...As Sea Devours Land

It may be sound strange, but God only knows why Canada is a source of so many original Metal bands. I don't need to give names anyway, you all know of what I'm talking about, but today, one more time I took a slap in my face with an incredible newcomer, Augury. This real UFO, is one of the most original releases that I had to listen to lately, and even if this album was actually released in 2004, I hope that you'll have the possibility to find it, because for sure this is something great?

Augury plays a great Progressive Death Metal. Violent as hell their music can be "sweet" too and I will try to do my best to do a good description, even if it won't be easy actually. So, the music of Augury is clearly oriented toward brutal Death Metal, you know with super strong riffs, powerful vocals and super fast double bass drums. But on the other hand the music is really technical with a lot of amazing soli and arpeggio everywhere, believe me or not we're not far of Progressive Metal sometime but without this bad "only for intelectual" feeling that we can find sometime. The songs are complex ok but not boring at all... We can even find some really good acoustic and melodic breaks (a la Opeth) on "The Lair of Purity" or "Nocebo" for example. Also, the band uses some symphonic female choirs, don't worry however, they don't overuse it and Arianne with her really beautiful voice, sings only on some passages of some songs. This opposition between brutality and sweetness is well done and gives an original touch the music of the band.

The production is also really good, Augury doesn't suffer of any comparison with the master of the Death Metal scene from Canada. Like them, they have a perfect sound and they knew how to produce music that it is impossible to listen to somewhere else. Believe me, when you have the luck to listen to a lot of new bands everyday, which in general only know how to do uncolored copycats, damn it's really refreshing.

If you like Canadian Death Metal, if you're a fan of "weird" bands like Cynic or Atheist, don't miss this killer album!!! Seriously this is a great surprise and I understand now why we talk a lot about Augury in Canada. They're super promising and this release is just brilliant. Try "Concealed" and like me, I'm sure that you'll follow attentively the future of this really good band.