Aurinko - Deadwood review
| Band: | Aurinko |
| Album: | Deadwood |
| Style: | Doom metal, Folk metal |
| Release date: | March 15, 2012 |
| A review by: | Troy Killjoy |
01. Intro
02. Deadwood
03. Midwinter Burial
04. Nectar Of The Spirit
05. Solemn
06. Swept Across Time
07. I Wish You Were Here (To Feel My Pain)
08. On The Verge Of Collapse
Somber Eyes is a newly formed project spearheaded by 15-year-old Canadian Tanner Huotari, perhaps better known as local Metal Storm user BoxCar Willy. Unfortunately, this release feels like it was written by a 15-year-old.
Erroneously tagged as a black metal release, Deadwood is in actuality more of a contemporary folk release with hints of singer/songwriter attributes. The songs are relatively short and extremely simple, oftentimes maintaining one or two basic riffs from start to finish. This forces the listener to expect something to happen, as if the first half of a song is a major build-up to something grandiose. You will be disappointed to find out that the second half of each song plays out exactly the same as the first.
Tanner relies solely on the guitar as his weapon of choice, although for a brief moment a few solitary beats of a drum can be heard in the foreground. The only thing more out of place than this oddly placed instrument are the dismal vocals, which are way too high in the mix. It's as if Alexi Murdoch started writing music when he was 15 and tried grunting over his compositions. Simply put, the best part about the vocals is that about 90% of the album is instrumental.
This is essentially a 300-page novel that only tells the beginning of a story. You're introduced to the main character on page one and by the end of the book, all you know is the main character's first name. The lack of substance is enough to drive a listener crazy.
It isn't all bad, though. As simple and uneventful as the material is, there is plenty of potential to be seen here. At the end of the tunnel exists a light, and that light resembles the morose atmosphere created by minimalism and a lack of technicality. But that doesn't leave the listener feeling very good about spending 30 minutes listening to what is essentially five minutes of riffs repeated over the course of eight tracks without any backing instruments.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 5 |
| Songwriting: | 4 |
| Originality: | 4 |
| Production: | 5 |
 | Written on 15.03.2012 by I'm total pro; that's what I'm here for. |
Comments page 2 / 2
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Comments: 59
Visited by: 532 users
| Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 9157  |
Before you judge this album, people remember... Lulu.
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| strade Posts: 677  |
Written by Boxcar Willy on 16.03.2012 at 02:11 Yep, it's right up there with Black Vulture's latest masterpiece.
---- My lo-fi synth project: http://luciddreamer.bandcamp.com
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| Cuca Beludo Account deleted |
Cuca Beludo
Account deleted
Well, here we go: I expected something, based on the review and comments ... worse. The vocals were not a problem, on my side of view. The problem for me was the sudden way you changed the instruments without a "warning" and the same riff the whole song. Could be better if you played other different riff sometimes... or maybe highlighting the drums, as the guitar is used too much. You could have played for a few more hours to find some "harmony" in the riffs. I rated this album with a 5, for the sake of simplicity at all. But they are very skilled for a 15 year old kid. Good luck with your project man! 
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| Unhealer Eclecticist Posts: 2311  |
Wow, you already got reviewed here. I'll check out your album sometime soon. I read the comments and it's nice to see that you are not taking it too seriously. If I had released an album with the songs I composed when I was 15 I would get a 2  .You'll get better at it, just don't stop making music.
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| Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 9157 |
Written by Unhealer on 17.03.2012 at 06:03 Thanks I'm actually Currently working on some drone/industrial/noise stuff. We'll see how that goes 
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| Branzig Posts: 891  |
You know how I feel about it bro...Keep writing and have fun with it! I just hope that when I put out my album that I get a front page review! JEALOUS!!!!!
---- In Grind We Crust
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| Void Eater Account deleted |
Void Eater
Account deleted
Ouch. The one person who might have given it a merciful review butchered it.  (no but seriously, this is mediocre as hell, but everybody has to start somewhere. Keep it up, you may wind up doing something great someday)
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| Vikingr Posts: 179  |
You know for a kid who's only 15 I'm impressed as hell that he made it on to Metalstorm and released even an album like this, yeah it's simplistic but i have to cut him slack  Plus I can't play any instruments or sing so I'm doubly impressed xD Best of luck and I can't wait to hear some more of your stuff 
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| Kuroboshi Posts: 1201  |
I'll be honest, I have'nt listened to it. But I think it's great that your courageous enough to put yourself out there. If you can take the criticism, you will most likely improve a lot as a musician, and grow as a person. Good luck.
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| Merchant of Doom Posts: 702  |
I'm coming out of my la-la world , to give BoxCar a 9 for courage...
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| M C Vice ex-polydactyl Posts: 3408  |
Reminds me a bit of Gallhammer (I'm a Gallhammer fan, Willy, before you start frothing over that comment). The 3rd and 4th songs should have been one song - I didn't even notice it changing over. I agree that it's not black metal, maybe a sort of folk-doom ( a drone/ambient sound might be the way to go based on this) with some rock influences here and there. The vocals aren't that bad, I've heard better and also heard worse (see Gallhammer and Hellhammer's first 2 demos). Basically(?), flesh the sound out a bit and you're on to something good.
---- "I'm here to nunchuck and not wear helmets. And I'm all out of helmets." "I'll fight you on one condition. That you lower your nipples." " 'Tis a lie! Thy backside is whole and ungobbled, thou ungrateful whelp!"
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| Branzig Posts: 891 |
Written by Merchant of Doom on 17.03.2012 at 10:04 I give it a 10+ on courage. Anyone who hasn't put their art out there for the world to criticize really has no idea how nerve racking it really can be. Kidz gotz balllz.
---- In Grind We Crust
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| TrollandDie Posts: 274  |
I'm only 17-with no merits to my name as of yet-so I have no right to sound condescending. However, I will say that at 15 the very fact that you released something is outstanding! Everyone starts out somewhere, and it's never at the top.
---- Hello, my name is Mr......Snrub and I think it would be a capital idea to invest the money back in the nuclear plant.
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| psykometal A staff guy... Elite Posts: 6101  |
Written by Boxcar Willy on 15.03.2012 at 20:18 Done. You should really try to come up with a more Somber pic of yourself kiddo. I am going to DL the album and check it in full but your image doesn't fit what little of your music I have listened to so far nor to the imagery of your album.
---- ~Zep, Database and Forum Moderation~ 
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| Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 9157 |
Written by psykometal on 18.03.2012 at 04:13 Well the one I had that didn't work was a good one, I'm going to edit it again once I find it. Don't get your hopes up either
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| Dogsbreakfast Posts: 33  |
OK, I decided I just had to have this album. I admit to paying only $1 on Bandcamp but I have been to Thunder Bay before and, strangely enough, that somehow factored into the decision.
---- dogsbreakfast@hotmail.com
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| Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 9157 |
Written by Dogsbreakfast on 18.03.2012 at 15:29 well thanks  but I can't imagine you being too impressed with this...
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| Dogsbreakfast Posts: 33 |
I think this album should be celebrated for how it came to be. It's great that a 15 year-old kid can create something original in his parents' basement and put it out there, over the heads of the record companies and music media. This is a prime example of the democracy of choice that's available today: Unrestricted access to product for consumers and unlimited access to consumers by the artists. Almost anyone can now be part of that fabric and an influence on what follows. Sure, that might create a lot of flotsam, but I prefer that to someone trying to hoist the Sheepdogs on me.
---- dogsbreakfast@hotmail.com
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| Vermoorden Posts: 141  |
It.....Wasn't awful? I mean Ive heard way worse... 4 or 5 out of 10. Props for making a full length album at your age though! get some more members and this could be a half way decent project!
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| BaneConall Fart Enthusiast Posts: 251 |
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| Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 9157 |
Written by BaneConall on 27.03.2012 at 21:01 I found out after the fact, that my neck wasn't straight, thus creating the tuning issue. I was hoping nobody would notice 
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| BaneConall Fart Enthusiast Posts: 251 |
Written by Boxcar Willy on 28.03.2012 at 04:42 Lol one of my guitars has the same problem. It starts to go out of tune on the higher frets. I feel your pain.
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| Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 9157 |
Written by BaneConall on 28.03.2012 at 16:11 Yeah, I've got it fixed since then, so it's all good now Now what can I blame?
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| ?apleee Mouthcrab Posts: 260  |
Written by Boxcar Willy on 30.03.2012 at 04:57 Lulu. You can blame Lulu for everything.
---- "Without judgement, perception would increase a million times."~Chuck Schuldiner Less coherent than Anal Cunt. Eric Brecht once liked my Facebook comment. Therefore, by the translative property, Chuck Schuldiner like my comment.
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| Cynic Metalhead Ambrish Saxena Posts: 7562  |
Written by ?apleee on 13.05.2012 at 16:54 I object( may be). If you talking about Lulu, I'll thump you. (ignoring Metallica's Lulu ridiculously).
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| Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 9157 |
Written by ?apleee on 13.05.2012 at 16:54 Well, when I was recording I saw the cover of Lulu, and it must have screwed up my "musical genius" XD
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| ?apleee Mouthcrab Posts: 260 |
Written by Boxcar Willy on 14.05.2012 at 17:12 Lulu killed my grandparents years before it was even made. That's how it affected me, what's your story?
---- "Without judgement, perception would increase a million times."~Chuck Schuldiner Less coherent than Anal Cunt. Eric Brecht once liked my Facebook comment. Therefore, by the translative property, Chuck Schuldiner like my comment.
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| Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 9157 |
Written by ?apleee on 14.05.2012 at 18:02 It came through my window in the night, and it... did things to me...
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| Reaper_Redeemer Posts: 746  |
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