Band:	Era Vulgaris
Album:	What Stirs Within
Style:	Progressive metal
Release date:	2007
A review by:	Jeff

01. Brittle
02. Just Ask Yourself
03. Mark It Zero
04. Limb From Limb
05. I Must Have Your Brain
06. Fate Draws A Curtain
07. Harmonic Discontent
08. Imram

Era Vulgaris comes from Ireland and this is the first signature of the new label/distro Luga Music which is managed by Adrian Buttler, ex bassist of Mourning Beloveth. But if Adrian played in a pure Doom Metal band you'll have to know that he didn't chose a Doom band for his first project, at the opposite because Era Vulgaris plays a strong Thrashy Progressive Metal, something surprising and super groovy.

"What Stirs Within" is an album of Progressive Metal but don't except any Dream Theater clone here because Era Vulgaris is a band which plays Extreme Metal more especially Progressive Thrash. Between Meshuggah (without the violence of the Swedish combo) and Pantera but of course with a lot of Progressive influences, the music of Era Vulgaris is really original. Really groovy and catchy, it's also super technical with a lot of arpeggio and technical soli (guitars like bass). But it can be also "violent" and some riffs are pure Thrash ones and of course the alternance of clean and Thrashy vocals intensify this classification. It's really cool because "What Stirs Within" is a really original album, complex and intelligent played by some talented guys.

The only problem of "What Stirs Within" is that the music of the band can be a bit messy sometime. I'm not saying that the song aren't structured but sometime they go in a lot of directions and it can be a bit hard to follow them. Also, the production without being bad is not one of the best that I had the chance to hear lately. It's not horrible but a bit average sometime and it's a bit sad. Though, those two bad points aren't fatal at the opposite even with these two little problems the album is still really interesting and fresh.

"What Stirs Within" is a good debut album. It's maybe not perfect but the music of Era Vulgaris is pleasant and really catchy. Plus I really like the fact that the band didn't chose to follow a trend or anything, they play their own Progressive complex Thrash and that's all! With a bit more of maturity I'm quite sure that Era Vulgaris will be able to release some great albums. Era Vulgaris is a name that you'll have to remember for sure!