I think at one point, I will do an article or feature of local Baltimore / DC metal bands that I inadvertently have contacts through or at least see at multiple shows. Jera was something that I have see really early in their career with even a live show without a singer. This first demo (?) represents the start for a band who is trying super hard not to wipe their shoes before entering the house.

Before sitting down and enjoying this record with family please note that Jera strives for a certain amount of primitivism in their music. This is evidenced by their use of music tags, Bandcamp images, and the fact their album sounds like three dead logs they drug up a hill to decay in the sunlight. At nearly 40 minutes, Jera’s self titled demo (?) goes for broke in terms of the raw aesthetic to the point when even fans of raw black metal begin singling for an end. While I feel the music could be explored in as slightly more dynamic production, the claustrophobic sound certainly helps the ferrous presentation of the music. The 20 minute “LAGUZ” explodes early on and smolders through the night with no indications of not producing choking fumes.

Jera’s music has its own lore and history which certainly adds to my appreciation of what is being played. This may not be the case for everyone so suffice to say the debut from this raucous group of woodsmen is a violent display of yelling from what sounds like a lost group of explorers who have gone mad from isolation. From eating strange plants in the woods to losing all sense of attachment to civilization, Jera offers the raw beauty and horror of nature without any filter.