Something surprising happens about seven minutes into Peruvian trio El Hijo de la Aurora’s debut CD, Lemuria (Ogro Records). What’s so far been a straightforward and admittedly terrifyingly desolate drone record takes a turn and a pure stoner rock riff is injected into the 11-minute opening title track. All of a sudden El Hijo de la Aurora – a trio with no fewer than eight guests/collaborators on the album – are like SunnO))) with payoff, and as the record plays out is near 40-minute runtime (it feels shorter), that’s only the beginning of the sonic twists the band has on offer.

I’d still call Lemuria doom, if only for the overbearing atmosphere of foreboding it creates, but there are plenty of rock moments. Opener “Lemuria” is broken down into four parts, each with a distinct personality when examined closely, but the 1:37 “Deus Sol Invictus,” is basically just a well-reverbed grooving riff from guitarist Manolo Garfias with the lively drums of Joaquín Cuadra behind. The two work well together and are obviously acquainted with each other’s playing from their time together in Don Juan Matus. Arian Lora provides vocals occasionally, but seems even more concentrated on adding sundry effects and theremin to the songs, giving El Hijo de la Aurora an experimental feel where you don’t really know where the band is going to take you next. “Portal a Venus” begins with a sample and stays in the rock vein, with guest Hammond from Saúl Cornejo and vocals from Tania Duarte, who returns also on follow-up track “Cuervo Negro.”

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