Today we get out the first round of EPs that were submitted a few weeks back. If your material isn’t out yet, don’t panic. The cue is slowly moving. Bureaucracy takes times, but it works, right?
Dance with Dragons – Escape into the Dark: The Netherlands has a long tradition of Symphonic Metal bands. I must confess that none of them awaken deep feelings in me. Therefore, Dance with Dragons had a difficult task impressing me. Escape into the Dark offers something interesting, though; it strikes a strange balance between Gothic Rock and MeloDeath. This blend, almost forgotten in our era, brings a nostalgic feeling to my cold heart. However, the production is True kvlt/muddy and doesn’t do justice to the riffs or the vocalist’s efforts, which feel more like To-Mera (a great band you’ve probably never heard of) than Within Temptation. I’m doing my part to help these artists get a higher production budget to showcase their full potential. Do the same by clicking here!
Evil Villain – Evil Villain: Now, this is more like me! Even if the name is a bit redundant. Sure, there are production issues, as usual. The vocal experimentation, though interesting, can be awkward at times (is the singer even saying anything?). I’m not sure that combining Converge, Ken Mode and radio Rock is vocally compatible, but this strange mix of Hardcore, Nu-Metal, and Post-Metal is chaotic, dark, and abrasive. I believe a bit more thematic consistency will enable Evil Villain to drop something truly brutal soon. In the meantime, click here!
Corrozion – Dark Lights: If the previous entry was too strange and you reached the prime of your life in the 2000s, then Dark Lights might be for you. It’s extremely accessible and catchy, with production that is actually listenable for once. It’s something you could’ve found on the radio back in 2006, and say, “Yes, this helps my anxiety”. It has a more 2020s feel by being heavier than Nu-Metal back then, but as you know, we’re in the middle of a Nu-revival, and nostalgia resurfaces every 20 years. It might not be the craziest band, but it’s a good way to give your friend who will never get into Metal another chance (stop trying, there’s no point). Click here now!
Bovem – Ominous Dawn: Now, this is MER’s bread and butter! On the surface, Bovem might sound like any other melodic/tech death metal band, but there are details to appreciate here, such as Middle Eastern melodies that don’t become a fetish. They’re subtle and adorn the guitar work beautifully. There are some production issues, like the vocals and drums sounding kind of buried, but I believe Bovem has a ton of potential and hope they release a full album soon (then send it to us and we’ll judge mercilessly). So, click here!
There you have it, a few EPs that were left in our mailbox. Little by little, we’ll cover more things you, our beloved readers, send us. So tell your friends you’re important now because “professionals” (LOL!!!) are writing about you in a blog so secret that you were reviewed there before it was cool.
Metal Eclipse Reviews 