April 2024 – Metal Eclipse Reviews

Unleash The Archers – Phantoma

The year is 2004, and Power Metal has reached its peak as an art form. Bands like Sonata Arctica, Kamelot, and Blind Guardian have released their best work to date, and the future looks bright. You were either young and happy back then or just not born yet. Fast forward to 2024, and Power Metal has become the laughing stock of the Metal community. You either hate yourself or hate your job. However, amidst this decline, Unleash The Archers stands as one of the few Power/Prog Metal bands that still has something fresh to offer. With epic albums like Apex or Abyss, it keeps the flame alive. The real question is, can Phantoma beat these modern classics?

Crawl – Altar of Disgust

Crawl has been busy lately. Following a lively split with Feral, it’s clear that they’re riding the wave of the new generation of old-school Swedish Death Metal bands emerging from (surprise!) Sweden. So yes, this is an extended version of the retro Metal that many have been enjoying lately. However, instead of more Immolation, you get more Entombed in your mix. But we’re not here to talk about Crawl; we’re here to discuss Altar of Disgust and determine if it has something new to offer or if it ends up being a derivative endeavor.