Monument - Aurorawave
Have you ever wondered what 311 would sound like if they took the guitar tone from the intro to “Beautiful Disaster” and made a career out of making heavier Reggae music? You probably never wondered that though, cause that’s an oddly niche thing to think about, but I have thought of it and finally have my answer, and it’s Aurorawave! These guys are another new-to-me band that I was excited to check out as they prepare to release their sophomore album, Monument. Aurorawave manages to fuse Metal and Reggae in a way I haven’t heard since Skindred back in the early 2000s, but they have brought their own style and flair to it, incorporating more modern Metalcore elements into the mix. The band has successfully blended easygoing, catchy island vibes with crunchy Metalcore riffs that scratches a musical itch I didn’t know I needed scratched. This is an album I can picture myself blaring while on a beach or by the pool with a cold beer in hand. The addition of Reggae percussion also helps the music stand out above others in the Metalcore scene, adding a layer of complexity that helps the band not sound generic.
The songs that stick out to me the most are “Welcome To Your Nightmare”, “Tibetan Sky Burial”, “Villain”, and “Judge Me”. Specifically, the first two songs I listed lean much heavier than the rest while still being balanced with catchy clean vocals, which I thoroughly enjoyed! Frankie from Emmure is featured on “Tibetan Sky Burial” and his vocals shred through the song like a cheese grater. “Villain” and “Judge Me” are a little lighter and catchier with melodies that are sure to get stuck in your head for days! Crunchy guitar tone is not missing from these tracks though, rooting them in the Reggaecore genre Aurorawave is championing in this saturated Metalcore landscape.
Yet again, I’m really happy I had the opportunity to not only listen to some good Metal music way before official release but also get to experience another band I was not familiar with. Part of the reason I got back into reviewing music was to help expand my tastes and experiences so I could stop listening to the same bands and songs from the 2000-2015 era of Metal/Rock. Getting to listen to Aurorawave was a reminder of that sentiment and they’re now a band I’ll be keeping a tab on to see what they come up with next. Be sure to check out Monument releasing August 15th, 2025!