GAEREA

Black metal and its more ethereal subgenre, post-black metal, are finding their place in the music community as niches with fervent cult followings. In recent years, Gaerea, a band from Portugal, has unleashed an auditory onslaught of this music genre for the masses, in equal parts paying homage and challenging the rules. Completely cloaked from head to toe, this anonymous band delivers captivating, intense performances on stage. I have not missed a Toronto performance to date; if you are not impressed by the end of the set, you are more than likely at the wrong show. Personally, I want to know how they are so dialed in while wearing the signature balaclavas, with the band’s logo on the front of the hood. Coming off one of the better albums I listened to in 2024, Coma, the band is back with a brand-new album, Loss, via Century Media Records. Given that the album cycle is about every two years, my anticipation was high. With a title like Loss, this was poised to be a heavy, emotional album without even listening to a single note.

With the cover art depicting a body floating in the middle of the sky, the album’s opening track, ‘Luminary’, gives a wonderful ambient intro that almost makes you feel like your are stuck in the air, floating, until the rush of riffs and drums comes crashing in with that all too familiar sound of the band. It doesn’t take long for things to slow down a few steps, only to be hit with the signature harsh-to-clean vocals. The duality of the lead and rhythm guitars is a nice touch while this singing is going on, and then it is met with more crushing riffs, then back to clean, back to crushing, and finally a very ominous guitar solo to close out the song. ‘Submerged’ — the first released single for this album, almost piggybacks off the same flowing structure and cadence of the first song from the album. The band really shows a more delicate side in the middle of the song, with a piano-style melody. The soft drums and the double kicks keep a really good pace towards the end of the song; the repetitive lyrics of “circling below” become more extreme in their repetition. ‘Hellbound’ – the second released single – starts with a single guitar with an almost apocalyptic warning, complete with synths, a nice intro before the rest of the band comes out swinging.

For just over five minutes, this song for me is the best one on the album, and it made complete sense to use this song to show the world who Gaerea is. There is great power in this song, in the tone and the cadence through the blistering riffs. ‘Uncontrolled’ – even though we are met with another guitar intro, this one tickles my brain, as we hear a galloping riff on the left side, and then the right side, and then in stereo with everything else the band has on offer. This is something almost no one else is doing in music, and it was refreshing to hear it from a heavier band (once I knew it wasn’t my earbuds dying). The outro with the tandem gang vocals and screaming vocals will definitely translate very well when (and if) this quick song is played live on stage. ‘Phoenix’ – the third single for this album, is way less abrasive up front despite its name; a lot of lore is thrown lyrically at this song, almost as a rebirth rather than a troubling loss, touching on bouncing back better than ever. There are a lot of musical elements that pull you in, and if you are a new fan of this band, it’s a great way for them to invite you to check them out.

‘Cyclone’ – the slowest song on this album up to this point, which would also be the start of the B-side for the vinyl heads, is turned way down in the speed department, but it still reflects the band very well and is a great way to start off the second half. Early into the song, there is a vibrating guitar note that is just absolutely addictive to hear (and mimic out loud). Again, we are back on the downward spiral of mental numbness. Not only is it a state of reflection and self-awareness, but this song also has multiple moments that are a vocal cry for help; the melodic dual guitars punch through, almost making it a happier beat. It’s a stark contrast to the story painted vocally; the blistering guitars are back as we finish the song with some amp feedback. ‘LBRNTH’ – more of a break, and the shortest song on the album, is a prelude to the next song. There are some choir vocals with elements from another genre altogether. The warning of a lady singing “I’m the nomad” multiple times brings us quickly to the next song. ‘Nomad’ – the previous song and this one could have blended into each other, as we are met with the same operatic vocals to set the tone for this fourth and final single. The piano keys throughout this song absolutely dominate and compliment the chorus. The suffering expressed in the lyrics absolutely pulls at the heartstrings throughout the song, told from the perspective of someone dejected and exiled from society.

‘Stardust’ – the final song, and the longest on the album, hits home lyrically right out of the gate. This is a song about loss and grief, something a lot of people have experienced or will experience at some point. Blending all the elements from the album, this track brings out the most emotion, almost to the point of rewriting any rules the band laid down previously. The blast beats return triumphantly, and the last minute feels like the most ethereal release possible.