September 2024 – Page 2 – Metal Eclipse Reviews

Typhonian – The Gate of the Veiled Beyond

I’ve always said one of our principles is to give nostalgia a chance, even though we deeply hate leaning on it. Lately, we’ve been indulging bands that sound straight out of 1995. So, when I heard Typhonian was 90s-inspired with a Swedish Death Metal sound, I puked my breakfast all over my marble countertop—because, honestly, I can’t handle another retro album this week. However, The Gate of the Veiled Beyond promised something different, claiming to pay homage to Edge of Sanity—and I’m always down for that kind of nostalgia. So, let’s set aside our biases for once and check this beast out.

Coffin Rot – Dreams of the Disturbed

Coffin Rot is part of what’s already the wave in modern Death Metal. You know, retro-Death Metal that’s finally getting the production it deserves. However, the band strikes a strange spot, leaning heavily on Cannibal Corpse and Entombed, which makes it at least intriguing. Yet, in this year filled with wacky old-school extreme Metal, it’s going to take actual effort to impress my jaded heart. So, let’s welcome this crusty bag of moldy meat (Dreams of the Disturbed) and give it a chance, shall we? It’s okay! We’ll put some spices on it to make it taste good (don’t actually do that!).

Invernoir – Aimin’ for Oblivion

It’s starting to get cold where I live (despite my mansion being on a volcano—those Lamborghinis need a lot of heat to stay beautiful). What better way to embrace the slow but inevitable descent into darkness than with some Death/Doom from Invernoir, a project that blends the melancholy of Novembre and My Dying Bride with the fury of Décembre Noir? These bands always risk falling into clichés and well-worn tropes, but can Aimin’ for Oblivion manage to become unforgettable (see what I did there? Hehe…)?

Kanonenfieber – Die Urkatastrophe

We know that Sweden has Swanö, Finland has Saukonnen, and lately, Germany has Noise—an anonymous artist involved in countless projects, all receiving high critical acclaim. I won’t hide my bias: I want Kanonenfieber to blow me away. Its Menschenmühle had me more than impressed. Sure, the sound the band goes for isn’t exactly new, but the way it uses it, combined with the power of such an authentic and raw narrative, has turned it into one of the most fascinating acts in Black Metal. Excellent! But how about Die Urkatastrophe? Does it honor the dead? Join us in the trenches!

Adorior – Bleed on My Teeth

SonikGoat

Galloping out of the fetid tunnels of darkest London after twenty-something years of silence, Adorior stops by only for a brief moment—but fear ye not! They simply want to make sure you’re bloodied, trampled, set afire, and offered up to Satan. Then, they’ll be on their merry way. Oh, and if you want to hold on to your bottles of strong booze and unravished virgins, you’d better hide them somewhere safe, because Adorior has come for those as well. To enact pandemonium on the scale described, key contributors from the likes of Grave Miasma, Qrixquor, and Destroyer 666 are at the helm—in other words, noted veterans of the metal underground.

Oceans of Slumber – Where Gods Fear to Speak

I’ve been following Oceans of Slumber for some time now. Ever since Winter, I’ve been fascinated by its unique blend of Prog, Death, and Goth, infused with a surprising pop sensibility. This is a band poised for greatness, with the potential to become massive. However, I’ve always felt they haven’t quite reached its full potential yet—like it’s close, but still a step away from finding the perfect balance between styles that don’t naturally fit together. And you know how much I hate being late, but this month has been busier than the Mumbai metro. So, let’s dive in. Can Where Gods Fear to Speak be the album that elevates the band to new heights? Let’s find out!

The Black Dahlia Murder – Servitude

The Black Dahlia Murder is a pinnacle of consistency. There hasn’t been an album in its long career that sucked. Even though the band has remained strict in style, TBDM has never fumbled the bag. However, it had to face its biggest challenge ever after the tragic loss of Trevor Strnad (everyone in the community struggled when the news hit, let’s face it), which is why I’m approaching this review differently. More than just jokes and expectations, I’m rooting for the band to show us that, despite how irreplaceable Trevor was, they can continue honoring his memory. Oh, and it’d be great if we love Servitude too! Let’s dive in.

Retro-review: Galneryus – Resurrection

Elyna Kahn

Today’s journey takes us back to 2010, a year marked by a memorable musical landscape. Epic albums like The Wicked Symphony by Avantasia, At the Edge of Time by Blind Guardian, What Lies Beneath by Tarja Turunen, and The Frozen Tears of an Angel by Rhapsody of Fire emerged, becoming essential cornerstones in Power/Symphonic Metal. At the same time, 2010 saw devastating natural disasters. On February 27th, a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake followed by a mega tsunami claimed hundreds of lives in Chile. Just two weeks later, Japan was struck by another powerful earthquake, leaving destruction in its wake.

Maul – In The Jaws of Bereavement

In the unforgiving landscape of the Death Metal scene, it’s hard for a band to find its own voice. Everyone has done it all—been too brutal, too technical, too weird—and we’ve loved and hated it all. Maul’s approach in its upcoming release, In the Jaws of Bereavement, aims to stand out from the sea of distortion and blast beats. Nobody said it would be easy, but I’m sure it’s going to be wild! So, let’s dig into this meat and potatoes now!

Satan – Songs in Crimson

Satan is the coelacanth of Metal. You’re probably wondering, what the fudge is a coelacanth? Well, my uneducated child, it’s a fish once thought extinct long ago, until we discovered it was still alive, swimming away, indifferent to our existence. The same goes for Satan, a band once presumed dead for decades, but since Life Sentence, they’ve made a remarkable comeback. The question now is: can Songs in Crimson continue this legendary run of heavy fun? Welcome again!