Search - Samael :: Aeonics-An Anthology (Best of Samael)

Comprehensive Anthology

Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 04/17/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"2007's Aonics is the first comprehensive anthology from the Swiss metal band Samael. I hesitate to attach a label to Samael's brand of metal, as it seems to be constantly evolving. The band started their career as a sinister death/black metal act but soon evolved into a keyboard-heavy techno/electronic/industrial metal project. That pendulum appears to be swinging back to black metal, if their latest offering Above is any indication.



Samael is an innovative band, to be sure, but their albums can be a bit repetitive. That's where a compilation like Aonics comes in handy. It's a thorough retrospective that chronicles their early Osmose days as well as their more creative Century Media albums. Here's what Aonics covers:



Worship Him (1990) - "Worship Him" and "Into the Pentagram"



Blood Ritual (1992) - "After the Sepulture" and "Blood Ritual"



Ceremony of Opposites (1994) - "Black Trip", "Ceremony of Opposites" and "Baphomet's Throne"



Rebellion EP (1995) - "Rebellion"



Passage (1996) - "Rain", "Jupiterian Vibe" and "Moonskin"



Exodus EP (1998) - "Exodus"



Eternal (1999) - "Together", "The Cross" and "Supra Karma"



Reign of Light (2004) - "On Earth" and "Telepath"



Era One (2006) - "Koh-I-Noor" and "Reading Mind"



It's an interesting mix of older and more recent material, and the fact that the songs aren't sorted chronologically makes the contrast in styles all the more stark. If I were making a Samael comp I'd probably have gone with more tracks from Eternal (my favorite Samael disc) and less of the early, evil stuff, but that's just my preference.



With 19 songs, digitally remastered sound and a budget-friendly price, Aonics makes a great introduction to what Samael is all about (of course, that is definitely subject to change at a moment's notice!). It's perfect for newcomers, and works well for those of us who enjoy Samael's music, but don't love it enough to own all of the band's releases."