Reviews – Page 60 – Metal Eclipse Reviews

Ellende – Todbringerin

Stargazer Scholar

Metal and classical music have a lot in common. From direct quotations to arrangements and the general feeling of overarching grandeur, our beloved genre has borrowed heavily from its noble ancestor. However, while a romantic symphony or a baroque concerto are open to reinterpretation, Metalheads are known to be jealous guardians of the original incarnations of their favorite albums. And let’s be honest, more often than not, this stance is well justified. Nonetheless, the artists’ right to amend and reconsider their own creations should likewise be taken into account, leading us to a trade-off that is hard to resolve. This brings me to today’s topic.

Wintersun – Time II

Some things are certain in life: taxes, death, and that Wintersun will take a long time between releases. Honestly, I wasn’t sure we would ever get Time II until I saw the promo. There’s always so much anticipation when it comes to this band, and given how its last album received mixed reviews, my expectations were so grounded that I was listening to Wintersun with the same attention and “objectivity” (an absurd term to use in a review) as I would for any other promo in my email inbox. Having said that, you came here to find out if Power Metal/MeloDeath can offer something fresh as a sub-genre, right?

Releases that almost fell through the cracks: Vile Rites, Pythonic, Hvile I Kaos

The stressful life of a reviewer leads to many tragic mistakes. Some come in the form of missing releases or forgetting about newer acts. Hence, I’m here attempting to sink the ocean with my ship’s cannons (totally pointless, yes) and give attention to some of the many bands that hit MER’s mailbox every day. It’ll never be over, but consider this a futile act of redemption. Rarely have we seen such a strange constellation of bands in the same article, which is always fun, right? Say yes!

Black sites – The Promised Land?

Let’s face it: old-school Heavy Metal sucks. Now that I have your attention, let me tell you that Black Sites is the biggest exception to this rule. Ever since In Monochrome, this band has put out banger after banger, avoiding the common tropes and typical corniness of the genre. Plus, it has its Prog moments! And that never hurts. However, The Promised Land? comes in quietly, maybe because of all the comparisons it’s going to face with other great albums, or maybe because you haven’t done your research and aren’t hyping this band as much as you should. Either way, let’s see if this album delivers!

Spectral Wound – Songs of Blood and Mire

There are few albums that have been relentlessly hyped on social media like Spectral Wound‘s Songs of Blood and Mire. Sure, I’ve liked what this band has released before, but the implicit pressure to check out this one has been a remarkable feat of marketing by whoever handles its promotions. Either way, you’re probably here after reading countless reviews that beat me to the punch, all of which have hyped you to death. Now you’re just wondering: Am I going to crush your expectations or make you even more ravenous for the release date? Watch and learn.

Zeal & Ardor – GREIF

Every once in a while, a band shows up and defies expectations to levels that we thought weren’t possible. Zeal & Ardor managed to mix oil and water; mixing Black Metal with Soul music in a way that even the biggest purist could respect. Yet it’s been years since Strange Fruit smacked us all in the mouth, and though Zeal & Ardor was good, I do wonder what can the band do next? It’s hard to keep innovating so much in this boring world. So stick around and find out here!

Evilyn -Mondestrunken

I’ll give something to Evilyn—it has a cool band name. One that won’t make you suspect the ridiculous beatdown it can deliver. And what if I told you this is a “debut”? Could you believe a new band would compete in a year plagued with great Tech Death releases? Except Mondestrunken wasn’t written by amateurs. It features former members from Defeated Sanity, Psycroptic, and many others, which actually gives Evilyn the feeling of being a discreet superband. Cute, but Tech Death lives and dies by how exciting it is. Can this album stand out? We’ll see!

Har – Curse Creation

When you feel anger, despair, or just good old desolation, it’s hard to find the right soundtrack. I hear you! There’s a lot of heavy bands out there, but not many can truly capture the feeling of being utterly lost in anguish. Har is here to offer something hideous and immoral. You could almost call it Curse Creation. Before you start salivating in a Pavlovian manner, keep reading to find out if this is what your broken spirit needs to accept its inability to recover and live a functional life. Too dark? And we’re only getting started!

Hammerfall – Avenge the Fallen

Elyna Kahn (long version here)

Greetings from the South of the world, dear siblings in Power Metal! I’m excited to announce another big release emerging from Sweden, where the hammer and the sword resonate powerfully: Avenge the Fallen, Hammerfall‘s thirteenth album. After such a long career can the band still have a few tricks left? You’ll have to stay with me to find out!

Scald – Ancient Doom Metal

Many moons ago, a tiny yet mighty Doom Metal act from Russia gave us a 5.0/5.0 album that redefined what Epic Doom could sound like. Will of the Gods is a Great Power (I sense some Russian grammar in this title) is probably the best Viking Epic Doom album ever made. However, it had been overshadowed by 27 years of inactivity and the tragic demise of Scald‘s original vocalist. And now, here we are decades later, and out of nowhere, a miracle has happened! Ancient Doom Metal is out, and with all sorts of mixed feelings, I wonder: Can Scald touch the sky again? Are you ready? Because I’m not!