Here’s a first. I can’t remember ever reviewing anything from Egypt before. I now know that the coolly named Sand Aura have been around since 2007, this is their first album release and they play progressive metal.
Without question this album is different from the norm. I realise that one version of “different” can amount to a few ethnic-sounding bits which are not really integral and just seem to mean that a band is from such and such a country. An exception to this is Arkan. Another exception is Sand Aura. A ‘classic” prog metal style is there at the core and it is one which has life, danger and feeling. Such is the 11 minute opener “The Sand Aura (From the Land of Nod)”. But integral too are the Arabic vocals and instruments, the upwards-looking female vocals and the atmosphere of mystery. There’s an air of folk about this too. The elements are disparate but it is from the heart. I have never been to Egypt but I felt a sense of magnificence from listening to this. Similarly the metal-orchestral-traditional opening of “Aljahelia” embedded itself in my imagination. Harsh growls emerge from such evocative beginnings. A small criticism: I thought the sound could have been bigger at this point. There is orchestral and metal pomp, and a sense of urgency but “Aljahelia” was weaker for the fact that it sounds like a set of separate sections, with the metal being distinct from the rest.
“The Orphaned Child” follows. It is in two parts. Arabic wailing accompanies the spoken word. A steady beat is struck. Then harsh metal tones re-emerge. Enticing female vocals and male growls combine, relegating the metal into the background. Again I wasn’t convinced that the mix was 100% right. The prog metal element is quite bland and grey and needs to contain more colour in order to match the originality of the surroundings. An orchestral section and an Arabic chorus enter the musical landscape. It’s like an experiment in the combination of styles but it’s an interesting one. The mood then softens and the lady sings deeply as the second part “Fountains of Moses” kicks in. The drum and guitar work take on a dreamy aspect. It’s effective and beautiful. From here it goes into a section of frantic death metal. There’s so much going on that it was leaving me behind a little. There’s a magnificent passage which is laced with excitement. Then the lady returns with singing that reflects heightened emotions. An Arabic chorus ends another mysterious piece.
Undoubtedly Sand Aura know how to create evocative soundscapes. The beat of “Fountains of Moses” is hypnotic. After a perfectly fused opening part, the metal element takes over. It’s not inspiring however and complements the Eastern drama instead of operating in harmony with it. As a total contrast, the sad and exclusively Egyptian “Ya Sabbya” is full of depth and feeling. “The Shepherd’s Elegy” can’t seem to decide what it is. It’s kind of a progressive metal aria but aside from the fact that the metal isn’t over-inspiring, it seems to be at odds with the ethnic spoken and instrumental parts. There’s a thoughtful and jazzy guitar passage, before the track ends bizarrely with a growled spoken section. As if to confuse us completely, the album ends with the mobile and catchy “Sidi Abd El-Raheem”. I love the track which I imagine would be a blast if played live but its upbeat tone conveys the image of the Sand Dance rather than the Sand Aura that neatly summarises the rest of the album.
There are many good ideas but I don’t think that Sand Aura have been 100% successful in bringing them altogether. The slightly formulaic classic metal conflicts with the colour of the “ethnic” element. It’s like two albums being played at the same time. For me, Sand Aura should remove any distinction and go as their instincts take them, as they do at the start of “The Orphaned Child II (Fountain the Desert)” and in other selected parts of the album. “Elegy of the Orient” is good. It’s original in parts, not so in others. I look to the future and foresee that Sand Aura are capable of producing a monster work to entrance and amaze us while embracing their culture. There, that’s what I think.
(7/10 Andrew Doherty)
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