Subject:	1: Gaerea - Mirage
From:		.jh
Date:		2022-12-25T15:05:00Z
Tags:		music blog best\ of best\ of\ 2022 Gaerea 2022

![Mirage](/gfx/1051131.jpg)

To say that expectations where high after 2020's _Limbo_ would
probably rank as one of the understatements of the year. _Limbo_ has
been one of my most played albums these past two years so when this
was announced I pounced and pre-ordered it after only hearing the
first single. Now just as _Limbo_ took a bit of time to get going
_Mirage_ opens with a pretty long, slow, acoustic beginning to on
_Memoir_ for two and a half minutes there are some whispered vocals,
some minor percussion, and a lonely guitar; slowly building before
exploding out of your speakers as the main gist of the song
flourishes. Needless to say expectations not only met but wildly
exceeded. This continues as the albums weaves through it's phases,
most often obviously at a blistering pace but every so often slowing
down for a bit, but no matter what it never disappoints, the only low
point on this album is that it ends. My number one played album of the
year by a mile, this album cements Gaerea as one of the greats of
modern blackmetal. My unrivaled album of the year.

[Gaerea on Encyclopaedia Metallum](https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Gaerea/3540418247)

<iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 42px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2708488405/size=small/bgcol=333333/linkcol=ffffff/transparent=true/"><a href="https://gaerea.bandcamp.com/album/mirage">Mirage by GAEREA</a></iframe>

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