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Hawthorne, New Jersey, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2011
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Home » All Posts » Bands » Hard Rock » Metal »Reviews » Review: Aurin – Catharsis
REVIEW: AURIN – CATHARSIS
September 28, 2014 BearlySinister Off All Posts, Bands, Hard Rock, Metal, Reviews,
Artist: Aurin
Album: Catharsis
Catharsis, by definition, is the process of purification or purgation of the emotions (as pity and fear) primarily through art. New Jersey’s Aurin is most certainly the poster-child of this definition. Starting as a vision by guitarist Andrew Wayne in 2002, the goal was to write music that appealed to the mind, heart, soul and emotions with a combination of beautiful harmonies and a heavy, in-your-face type of style. The band consists of 4 individual members: Sarah Anderson (Vocals), Andrew Wayne (Guitar/Vocals), Linda Medina (Drums) and Joe Palarma (Bass, who unfortunately was not featured on the album). Each of these individuals has had their fair share of emotional hardships. Things like mental illness, poverty, bullying and deaths play a major role in the writing of their music. Their label debut, Catharsis, is an emotional rollercoaster that will have the listener feeling a plethora of emotions before it rounds out it’s 50-minute play time. Including a remastered version of their hit single, “Holding On” from their debut album The Pre-Inspired Symphony, this album is the ultimate musical Catharsis. What makes it worth your while, though?
For starters, it’s not overproduced or overloaded with vocal effects. What you’re hearing is the raw talent of each and every member, the good, the bad and the in-between. I’ve always been a fan of female-fronted bands because I have met many talented female musicians and I know the struggles they endure to do what they do, day in and day out. So when the album opens up with “November” and you’re met with your first taste of Anderson’s incredible vocal style that has all the raspiness of Janis Joplin, all the heart of Alanis Morissette and still manages to keep up with the heavier vocalists of today (i.e. Maria Brink (In This Moment), Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy), Dani Blizzard (Autumn Stay)) it’s really refreshing. You can tell that she has spent years perfecting her craft and that she means each and every word that she projects onto the listener. She is not trying to please anyone, she loves what she does and she does it for the purpose that Aurin was created for! Then you’ve got the instrumentals. To the average listener, you may just hear another rock song. However, if you’re seasoned in what you’re hearing… you will easily hear how well these songs have been crafted, perfectly fine-tuned for each emotion to be felt and easily accessible they are. The backbone of the band, the bassist, has done a wonderful job with his bass portions and even has a few shining parts of his own, such as the beginning of “Stained” which has a groovy drum/bass intro, coupled with a low-tuned baritone guitar that lasts approximately 30 seconds. I find a hard time listening to this album all the way through because it’s one of the most emotional albums I’ve ever been privy to. What I also have a hard time doing is finding a favorite track because, one moment, I’ll think that it’s one track and the next it’s something entirely different. This album isn’t designed to pick and choose, it’s designed to be an incredible listening experience and tracks like “November”, “Stained”, “Nothing Left”, “Vermin” and, of course, the remastered version of “Holding On” are proof of that. If you were to listen to any of these tracks without hearing the rest of the album, you might find yourself missing out on the incredible overall delivery of it all.
This album is designed to show you that you’re not alone. These guys have been through a lot and have no problem sharing those experiences with you. They want you to know that there is always a light… no matter how long or dark the tunnel may seem. If you don’t pick this album up when it’s released on October 14th, you will truly be missing out on one of the best and most emotional albums of the decade. I don’t say that lightly and I realize there have been a ton of albums released but none like Catharsis. So be sure to pre-order your copy, out on Pavement Entertainment/Sony RED/Plastic Head October 14th using the links below!
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Home / Album Reviews / Album Review: Aurin – Catharsis
Album Review: Aurin – Catharsis
Ana Santos September 24, 2014Album Reviews 0 Comments
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Aurin has definitely carved out a niche of their own with their upcoming release. Like peeling back the layers of an intricate novel, Catharsis is an album that gets better every time you give it another listen. Saturated with haunting vocals and a fluctuating hard rock sound reminiscent of Lacuna Coil, Catharsis has a deeply personal story to tell that makes it relevant and completely relatable. Vocalist Sarah Anderson’s versatility shines through on tracks like “Asphyxiation” and “Vermin”, switching it up beautifully between clean melodies and raw screams. Songs like “Nothing Left”, “The Other Side” and “Hysteria” give Guitarist Andrew Wayne the opportunity to show us that Aurin is not a band that conforms to a single genre. Melding hard rock riffs with dreamy melodic harmonies that infringe a bit on the progressive scale, Aurin creates a compelling sound that will keep you hooked from start to finish.
Overall Catharsis offers 10 tracks of highly compelling fresh new tunes, and one additional bonus for older fans – a remastered version of their 2011 single “Holding On.”
The album will be out on October 14th, 2014.
Aurin is having their album release party on October 17 at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ. RSVP & Tickets
About Aurin:
Aurin began as a vision of Guitarist Andrew Wayne in 2002. Andrew’s goal was to write music that appealed to the mind, heart, soul, and emotions of the listener by combining beautiful harmonies with an in-your-face heavy type of style. In 2009, he was joined by drummer Linda Medina who in college, previously studied under Professional International Jazz Drummer, Karl Latham. In October 2010, Sarah Anderson was informed that the band had been looking for a lead vocalist. Excited about the opportunity, and Aurin’s captivating, eclectic, and powerful sound, Sarah immediately auditioned and became a perfect fit.
Growing up, the members of Aurin have all been affected by challenges such as mental illness,
poverty, and bullying. Music was the one channel that provided answers, and allowed the
members to connect with one another. “It is our goal to continue using music as a creative
outlet and to keep writing songs that our fans can relate to”, says vocalist Sarah Anderson. - Ana Santos
Discography
The Pre-inspired Symphony - 2011
Catharsis - 2014
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Bio
Aurin is back with their upcoming third album, Serotonin, slated for release Summer 2019 through TLG / INgrooves. Serotonin was produced by Grammy award nominated Mike Ferretti (Sevendust, Thank you Scientist, Saliva).
After their critically acclaimed 2014 release of record label debut album Catharsis on Pavement Entertainment / RED, the band hit the road, honing their live show while doing dates and touring with…. Art of Dying, Otep, Nonpoint, Icon For Hire, Gemini Syndrome, Ill Nino, Adrenaline Mob, Fit for Rivals, Smile Empty Soul, Members of Breaking Benjamin, 40 Below Summer, Islander, Tantric, Spineshank, The Bunny The Bear and more...
After bringing their new bassist Lisa Toniolo on board, they have been busy mainly behind the scenes focusing on writing, recording and preparing for the launch of Serotonin. "This album was a little different than our previous releases. We created a record that drifted a bit from our earlier and heavier music, though it was still heavily driven by our roots in hard rock. I personally feel like this album is our best by far, and features a lot more hooks while diving into more of an active rock sound. The subject matter is mainly inspired by the struggles of depression, losing loved ones to suicide, and the perseverance of hope in humanity through the decline of society. We hope to continue reaching out to and connecting with people through music. We have all seen our fair share of ups and downs, though realize it was a vital step in making us who we are currently as individuals and as a band."
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