You’ll be forgiven if you missed it the first time. I did. I seem to recall seeing this album in the local record store but passed cause of the ambiguous artwork (i.e. it didn’t give much indicator of what type of style it might be). The promo info states that this is a specially packaged re-issue of their previously released album.

The verdict? This is some seriously good stuff. Apparently, it was released by Galy Records in 2004. I don’t know what happened and why these French Canadians are not larger than or at least more widely known. Obviously, Galy may not have promoted it well enough. The album as a whole is touted as "progressive death metal" which does not accurately define Augury’s sound. Yet, this descriptor will attract the right fans.

The sound? Imagine Opeth without the Akerfeldt clean vocals and replace with the occasional female soprano (not in a Nightwish kinda way). Also, strip out the overt proggy elements of Opeth (okay, so after all that, how close is the sound to Opeth? Har har) and beef up the more neo-classical and jazz elements. The music is very tight and the bass playing of Domenic "Forest" Lapointe is phenomenal. I think this is the key difference that distinguishes Augury from being an Opeth wannabe. This is probably the best bass playing I’ve heard on a metal album in a LONG time.

Just to digress here, but one of the things that makes Opeth so appealing is the pace they set in much of their music. Augury does the same. When a song needs to be heavy and hitting, it does. When it needs to lessen up and let the tension build, it does. The musicianship is top notch. The soprano vocals of Arianne Fleury are used to juxtapose with the intensity and ferocity of the music. They do not dominate or override the music. Vocally, Pat Loisel sounds somewhere between Meshuggah’s Jens Kidman and Emperor’s Ihsahn but he stays within his limits and abilities. Mathieu Marcotte’s and Pat Loisel’s guitar work deliver riffs that switch and alternate between neo-classical and shredding, creating a distinct and unique sound and approach. Antoine Baril’s drumming shifts between the Morbid Angel battery and a more modulated attack, driving the songs and adding further tension and release.

Stand out tracks, reasons to pick it up, and who would dig it? ‘Cosmic Migration’, ‘Alien Shores’, and ‘…As Sea Devours the Shore’. This re-issue has two extra tracks that are demos of some of their material from their Nuclear Blast release. These tracks are awesome as well which should send people seeking that release. Opeth fans, but don’t expect a clone but a French Canadian cousin to their sound.

Bottomline: 7 years later, this album is just as relevant now as it was then.