The highly anticipated new AUSTERE album “Beneath the Threshold” is hitting stores today, on April 5, 2024. The fourth full-length of the Australian black metal duo from Wollongong in New South Wales is also streaming in full on all relevant digital outlets.
AUSTERE comment on the album: “After the completion of ‘Corrosion of Hearts’, we were quite eager to begin working on ‘Beneath the Threshold’ and for what seems to be true about our general mode of operation now, the album came together fairly quickly”, guitarist and singer Mitchell Keepin states on behalf of the duo. “I am not sure if this is down to us both having similar ideas and approach to song writing, or an abundance of inspiration and more than 25 years of friendship. It might also just be looking forward to making a collection of songs that represent our current state of minds ever since revisiting this old corpse.”
AUSTERE comment on the album: “After the completion of ‘Corrosion of Hearts’, we were quite eager to begin working on ‘Beneath the Threshold’ and for what seems to be true about our general mode of operation now, the album came together fairly quickly”, guitarist and singer Mitchell Keepin states on behalf of the duo. “I am not sure if this is down to us both having similar ideas and approach to song writing, or an abundance of inspiration and more than 25 years of friendship. It might also just be looking forward to making a collection of songs that represent our current state of minds ever since revisiting this old corpse.”
Tracklist
1. Thrall
2. The Sunset of Life
3. Faded Ghost
4. Cold Cerecloth
5. Words Unspoken
6. Of Severance
“Beneath the Threshold” represents AUSTERE in the here and now. With their fourth full-length the Australians have taken a long step into the present and embrace their musical future in a way that might have been expected after a 13-year hiatus.
When their voluntary break ended with the release of “Corrosion of Hearts” in 2023, the duo consisting of Mitchell Keepin and Tim Yatras returned with a more mature and defined version of their own particular style of black metal, which reflected both their greater experience and evolution as artists. Both musicians had been active in other bands during the hiatus of AUSTERE.
While “Corrosion of Hearts” formed the bridge between the band’s musical history and the artists’ fresh vision, “Beneath the Threshold” takes a leap of expression. AUSTERE’s sonic heritage is still alive. Even though their roots in early Norse black metal and its depressive Scandinavian offspring continue to shine through, it is also apparent that the Australians have audibly strengthened their emotional expressiveness and previous blackgaze leanings beyond the point where a stylistic shift towards the latter needs to be diagnosed.
On “Beneath the Threshold”, AUSTERE offer more hooks and melodic harmonies to complement the multi-layered, harsh and dreamlike guitar textures expertly woven by Keepin with the aid of Yatras’ emotive drumming. This development is emphasised by a suitable production that lets each of the elements shine and does not try to blur the riffs.
AUSTERE evolved out of a solo-project run by multi-instrumentalist and singer Desolate alias Mitchell Keepin who joined forces with drummer, keyboard player, and vocalist Sorrow aka Tim Yatras in 2005. Signature frost-bitten guitars, alongside high-pitched screams and wails marked AUSTERE’s debut album “Withering Illusions and Desolation” (2007) as well as the two split-releases “Only the Wind Remembers / Ending the Circle of Life” (with LYRINX, 2008) and “Bleak…” (with ISOLATION, 2008), which AUSTERE reissued partly on the EP “Only the Wind Remembers” (2008). The sophomore album “To Lay like Old Ashes” followed in 2009 and still featured a raw sound but with a refined production.
The same year, AUSTERE entered a voluntary hiatus until activities were resumed in 2021. During their absence the number of followers continued to grow through word of mouth.
For AUSTERE the stars under the Southern Cross have newly aligned and the harsh majestic beauty of “Beneath the Threshold” calls out to everyone to raise their eyes up to the night sky around the globe and behold the finally unleashed Australian band in its full musical glory.
Line-up
Mitchell Keepin – guitars, bass, keyboards, vocals
Tim Yatras – drums, keyboards, vocals
Recorded & mixed by Austere at Équinoxe Studios, Wollongong, Australia
Produced & engineered by Austere
Additional vocals recorded by Austere at at Stranded Recording Studio
Mastered by Austere at Trollhouse Audio
Artwork & layout by Łukasz Jazsak
Formats
“Beneath the Threshold” is available as a 36-page artbook incl. a CD with 2 bonus tracks, and as a gatefold LP on ltd. transparent petrol vinyl, and on black vinyl.
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