Mediabook

"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. 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. 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.