1. Frozen Zodiac
2. On Black Tusk
3. A Greater Path
4. Another Me
5. Multiverse
6. The One Perspective
7. Gemini North
8. Continuum
9. One Perspective (A Different Perspective Remix)

Sir -I-us  guitar vocals

Andrash  vocals

Sataar  guitar

Arctur  bass, programming

Cain  drums

review  by dalia "gryphon_spirit" di giacomo____    

It is called even cosmic and/or space metal. Asterius have an original nice official website focused on pictures of stars and galaxies and their  music maybe could be considered cosmic, both in style and content . If you consider that their music is a kind of union of almost all Metal genres, perfectly integrated one another , you could indeed welcome this debut album as a big event, meaning that the whole metal universe is finally under a roof, and with a high spheric timbre and an extreme heaviness. A moment of singularity show light and darkness like the cosmic objects which have singularities: right! Black holes, previously enormous stars. Among all styles bound together, Death metal is definately the dominating one. Many describe this music like a mixture of Samael, Borknagar and Arcturus. Difficult to say, but fact is, more generally but also more exemplifying, that if you take Death, Black, Gothic, Industrial , Heavy, and a touch of Power and Modern too and mix all together, if the test-tube doesn't explode in your hands you will have Asterius. Absolutely innovative, though in many moments they are clearly bound to the new cyber stream, they have the energy and the good musical inspiration to play raw Death attacks , enriched by Black atmospheres, superheavy and crunchy rhythmic, sidereal and reverbering background , united with some post decadent industrial scenery, supported by short anthemic passages too. Clean vocals à la Power alternate with energetic low growlings. Every song is much varied and a little opus in itself. Of course you need to very open minded in order to appreciate them , they that invoke a new dimension. But if you're into Metal and your taste masters a wide range, it will be not difficult, cause the tracks are so involving, and some of them even catchy, that they will conquer you at once. Some songs can sound a bit too varied, but they generally maintain a logical path, so that you follow well the music without demanding from your brain improbable somersaults. The shell in which this chimera is hold, shows moreover hypnotic , spheric and apocalyptic tones. Many tempo changings or passages are not predictable and sound superb. But, above all, this music is mysterious and evil, evil like it should be. Listening to Asterius i catch just a glimpse of what Metal of the new century could be, and in particular a possible evolution of Death and Black ,in case they will really able to incorporate other styles. And this manoeuvre will be accompanied by a great use of orchestral hints and digital sounds of every kind. I know that the purists will stone me know. But well this will not be The evolution but one of the most probable ones. And as soon as the skeleton of a very good Death and/or Black are safe, recognizable and underlined , for me everything is ok. 

Opener Frozen Zodiac, is a masterpiece , at once winning your attention with a raw effective Death, a bit symphonic and Blackish , with a nice short "Power" refrain sung with clear vocals, breathtaking growlings. Heavy like a machinegun, and propelled by an atmospheric infernal soundscape, this track is sweep away every cliché , fact is that you will love it immediately. And you will love is bridge with Modern Metal flavours too. Right, a chimera bringing every force and enchantment, one of the best and innovative tracks i have ever heard.
Brilliant On Black Tusk, which delivers a formidable relentless drumming, plus a Black fast attitude supported by vampiresque scenery. Simply incredible and amazing.
Growling,  evil aggressive Death is  A Greater Path, with Black temperament, and in this frame , clean Power vocals add surrealism to surrealism. A banging orgy which lead you to hell. 
Another me is beginning rather melodic and post industrial, the clean vocals span from anthemic to modern sensual decadence. Obviously drumming is always lively. Theatrical and a bit cyber with bass tunes it becomes the ballade of the darkness, equipped with raw implacable strings.
The opposition and overlapping of the various genres and vocals is more evident in the fifth track Multiverse, while the track 6, The One Perspective, is a mighty overwhelming manifestation, with rolling coaster effects: slow down , speed up, hanging in the emptiness, stop start, death attacks, string modern attacks, spheric and symphonic background drops , backing vocals and all this apparent bedlam is shining and working , maybe this track more difficult to be understood . Gemini North is in my opinion the only real false step, it has a lot of good starting points but is too difficult to be followed, some passages are not that agreeable, too pretentious maybe: gone too far and exceeded. Continuum is another solid track , much spheric, and angry , pushing , again a big roller coaster effect. Industrial and mysteric the last beautiful track which combines also Death with all possible digital cyber evilness: the orchestral insertion is emotional and the piano solo proves the eclecticism of band and production. Infernal vocals and a particular bass drumming that hit you in the middle of your chest.
In few words this album is not only a new dimension but a vision too: is a biological DNA engineering, if music could have a DNA of its own . 

rating:  9/10 

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