Eye of Aquila - Diviniis Requiem

 

 

Eye of Aquila - Diviniis Requiem
Self released – 2023
Rock, Stoner, Alternative, Grunge, Metal, Doom
Rated: ****

Do you remember how you felt the first time that Jar of Flies opened? Or when you heard Facelift or Dirt? That awe and that jaw dropping gesture will surely be there once again when you listen to the debut album Diviniis Requiem by four-piece Eye Of Aquila for that very first time. It’s not like we are comparing this quartet to Alice In Chains, but there’s something at the heart of this band, that feels like we could. Their grungy soul, their alternative spirit is so elegantly laced with stoner and metal and all that combined with a few doom sprinkles and a touch of psychedelia, the six tracks feel very and entirely their own. Opening the ball, it the grating, chilling and grizzled title-track, giving lot of room to the vocals of Matt Snyder to take the spotlight. Diviniis Requiem, sports wild guitar and a unrelenting chugging end part, and highly majestic drum work. A calling card for the Californian four, and following track Compulsion continues in this vein, using all those aspects, and a middle part with an even wider horizon, to carve out a name for Eye Of Aquila. But the eagle truly lands when third track Silos hits. Hardcore, almost rapped vocals, do I hear a love for Beastie Boys’ ‘Sabotage’? A fuzzy bass riff whenever the vocals are present and a much more looping one when the guitar needs to take center stage. It’s just so subtle in flash, and when the guitar picks up the riff loop afterwards, simple, pure and genius. Fourth track Tetragrammaton starts off with a much doomier, meatier, metal sound. And instead of going into his husky territory, the vocals become less mean and rebellious, and starts off cleaner before M. Snyder lets it careen out of control once again. Tetragrammaton dons smoldering metaphors that will spark blazing shards of poetic fire which whip through your heart, accompanied by equally blistering guitar that will leave scalding marks across your body. Those two tracks, back to back, seem to be in a bidding war to take the favorite spot on the album. But even the final two tracks carry the electrifying tension and something of that quicksilver gold that the first four of Diviniis Requiem definitely have. It will be out for everyone to consume in two more day. And you all should, for Eye Of Aquila have delivered one hell of a debut and that means we need to keep an eye on this quartet… Both eyes…  

(Written by JK)

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