Celtic Frost aside, Switzerland hasn’t historically been the biggest destination country on the European metal map, but while our attention has been focused elsewhere, Zurich’s two-man band Bölzer has emerged fully formed with a vicious brand of blackened death metal unlike any other. Bölzer draws from a different palette than most, with songs that buzz with otherwordly weirdness at much as they rip, thanks in large part to a warbling guitar tone and keyboards that push out big atonal and symphonic blasts (I’m reminded a little of the incorrect chords on the skeleton organ in The Goonies). The vocal performance on Aura is excellent, too, with frontman KzR delivering both a deep and murky growl and desperate, clear cries. Listening to Aura is like entering a warped atmosphere, a drunken look through a kaleidoscope with a blast beat foundation. “Entranced By The Wolfshook” anchors the three-track EP, an all-too-short introduction to a band that has great things ahead — after all, it’s not just any band that gets booked near the top of the Maryland Deathfest 2014 lineup on the strength of a 3-track EP and a tape demo. –Wyatt
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