SINGLE REVIEW: Auraboros – Blood Halo

‘…this latest release from Auraboros is unapologetically titanic in its magnitude, pushing the band to extremes that they effortlessly wield…’

Their debut single may have been released in 2020, but Auraboros have been around, in various guises, for far, far longer. Originally from the Isle of Man but now based in Manchester, the metalcore outfit have been hard at work honing their aggressive, industrial approach to the genre, culminating in their ‘Absent‘ era of music. Through viciously cathartic live performances, and an EP and single that raged with promise, the band have offered an important outlet for trans, queer, and neurodivergent experiences for the heavy scene.

Now, after a strong run in Bloodstock’s Metal to the Masses competition, which saw the band reach the semi-finals, the three-piece have finally opened the floodgates of their debut album. Coupled with the spoken-word introductory number ‘Affliction’, this latest release from Auraboros is unapologetically titanic in its magnitude, pushing the band to extremes that they effortlessly wield. A pulsing bass line bubbles beneath distant chanted vocals and reverb soaked keys, whilst vocalist Aisling Killey offers pensive rumination, using witch trials as a dark allegory for the state of trans rights. Production and mastering from Leo Craig and Grant Berry respectively enable the track’s synthwave and horror influences to truly come to life, transforming ‘Blood Halo‘ into something befitting the trailer of a blockbuster movie.

Then, with a violence yet unseen from the band, the track erupts with unparalleled fury. Rayne Williams lays down simple yet monstrous riffs atop of a backdrop of Aaron West’s utterly tectonic percussion, the pace kept slow and steady to permit each juggernaut swing of the instrumentals to land with continent-shifting power. Killey’s vocals shift into visceral, embittered screams, rich with a furious sense of vengeance as she remains utterly defiant in the face of violent oppression (‘You burn my people to the ground/I’ll soak their ashes up‘). The sorrow that was present on ‘Absent‘ is now replaced with a fiery anger; when your very existence has been declared an act of violence, the only response is to return the favour in kind.

For a band that achieved so much with their ‘Absent‘ era, moving forwards could have been a step backwards for them; the strength of the concept and the aesthetics, let alone the music, was immensely impressive. Yet with ‘Blood Halo‘, any and all concerns have been succinctly washed away, with Auraboros sounding like their most focused, unrepentant, and decisive form yet. Whilst excitement for Auraboros’ future had always been present, what the band have released here, across both ‘Affliction‘ and ‘Blood Halo‘, has multiplied the anticipation tenfold. This might be their darkest era but their future has never looked brighter; this is ‘Dysorder‘.

For Fans Of: Thornhill, PRESIDENT, Sleep Token, Dayseeker, Loathe

Featured photo credit belongs to Sofia Sourianou (@sofiasourianou).

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