Review: The AoD - REMAIN

The AoD (formerly The Art of Dethronement) is a 6-man Hungarian metal band from Budapest. After recording a song together in 2019 titled “Down on My Knees”, they now present us with their debut EP, REMAIN.

REMAIN is a brisk 4-song EP that lasts 19 minutes, but the band doesn’t waste any time in showing us what they’re made of on this well-crafted set of songs. A fiery number opens the EP, “Do We Remain”, with a catchy chorus, a wall of synths and guitars, including a cool guitar solo. “The Vortex Scheme” has to be the most accessible track on the album, with shades of Dream Theater and a beautiful piano section. Next up is “The Inevitable”, a song about longing, my least favorite of the pack but still a solid tune that’s harder-edged than the rest, featuring a deluge of drums and guitars. Things come to an end with “Doom”; now, a song titled “Doom” has to be awesome, right? And it absolutely is! Maybe my favorite track of the EP with a hell of a cool riff and some tight playing all around from the boys.

REMAIN is an EP that I enjoy a little more with each new spin. I have to admit, it was a bit of an acquired taste the first two listens but after that, it became a bunch of songs that really click with me and I enjoy them a lot. And something must be said about the gorgeous album cover art, wow! The musicianship is superb, the choruses are memorable and stay with you long after the music stops. If you like melodic metal with prog tendencies played by a talented group of musicians with a bit of Doom in their veins, then The AoD’s REMAIN is bound to hit the spot.

The AoD’s online presence: https://linktr.ee/theaodband