review – Page 13 – Metal Eclipse Reviews

Omnium gatherum – May the Bridges We Burn Light the Way

Metalcatto

Full disclosure: I’m a longtime fan of Omnium Gatherum. I’ve been following them since The Redshift and still consider New World Shadows and Beyond to be Melodic Death Metal classics. (If you haven’t listened to them yet, stop wasting your time and go fix that.) So when May the Bridges We Burn Light the Way dropped, I was all in. That said, I’m not blind to the band’s controversies — It’s always been compared, sometimes unfairly, to its peers. With OG, you never really know what you’re going to get: a genre-defining masterpiece or a divisive curveball. Either way, it’s never boring.

Shades Of Deep Water – The Years On Borrowed Time

Vicky

Doom Metal as a whole is one of the most niche genres out there. It has a little something for everyone, and without a doubt, we all once found ourselves in a Doom Metal song – ranging from slightly less depressive (Candlemass deserves credit for coming up with “please let me die in solitude”), all the way to the even more mournful part (think of this: Swallow The Sun once sang “My old friend will you lay me back to rest? I’ve been suffering so long without you. Come and take me away from this pain”. If that doesn’t scream out Metal Dostoevsky, I don’t know what will).

Sun of the Dying – A Throne of Ashes

Metalcatto

I have a complex relationship with Melodic Death Metal. You see, I’m a sucker for all those Death/Doom sad puppy bands that make us want to go back to therapy — but that’s exactly the problem too. Originality is scarce in this niche. So, Sun of the Dying has the difficult task of impressing me in a year when we’ve already had some fantastic releases. However, A Throne of Ashes seems to promise a more varied experience that could break the shackles of old-school MeloDeath — and that’s always hopeful, right?

Primitive Man – Observance

Metalcatto

Anyone who’s been following this blog since its start might remember our fan-requested retro-review of Primitive Man’s Scorn. Even more than a decade later, the band remains one of the most brutal, heavy, and grotesque forces in Doom/Sludge Metal. Before diving into Observance, I’d genuinely recommend you to hold on tight — especially if a) you’re already severely depressed, or b) you’ve recently killed your goldfish out of neglect. Expectations are high, but let’s see if, for once, that makes sense with what we’ve got here!

Æternia – Into The Golden Halls

Elyna Khan

What follows dissonates with what I’m used to saying about music. I usually don’t write a single word if an album or a band’s work doesn’t fully connect with my sensibilities. But this time, I’ll make an exception: Æternia and their new album Into The Golden Halls. I’m doing it because sometimes we need to be sincere enough to admit that what first sounds like a great record… might not actually be one. And that it’s often smarter not to step into territories we haven’t mastered yet — no matter how much we want to experiment or push for artistic perfection, especially when we already do certain things really well.

Releases That Almost Fell Through the Cracks Nattfly, Crippling Alcoholism& Wolventhrone

Metalcatto

Every now and then, mistakes are made… by the interns, of course — never by me! Isn’t that their job? To take the hit for the brand? Anyway, there have been a few EPs and albums I simply didn’t have time to cover properly, or by the time I got to them, it was already too late. So here’s my attempt at redemption!

Jet Jaguar – Severance

Metalcatto

We have an interesting history with bands somehow inspired by Kaiju (just click here!). That said, the Heavy Metal act Jet Jaguar isn’t exactly what I review daily — usually, Elyna takes on all that uplifting stuff that makes my fur fall off. But Jet Jaguar’s Severance had that nerdy name that made the Metalkitten (my son) say, “Take the one about the robot that fights Godzilla!” I’m pretty sure that’s not what they were going for, but hey — I guess I need to experience different things before time runs out! Let’s begin.

Evoken – Mendacium

Pegah

The American death/funeral doom band Evoken returns with Mendacium, their newly released album steeped in medieval anguish. According to their Bandcamp, the record unfolds in the 14th century, following an aging Benedictine monk stricken with illness and confined to his monastic chamber. His unwavering devotion to God brings neither solace nor redemption. As his body withers and sleepless agony consumes him, the cover art vividly mirrors his torment — a visceral portrayal of suffering and spiritual decay. The spreading blood evokes a sense of sacrifice, as though he is being devoured by his own faith, while the stark contrast between light and shadow within the stone walls captures the divide between his inner torment and the unreachable world beyond.

Defigurement – Endbryo

Metalcatto

I’m feeling generous this week with all the debuts we’ve been reviewing for free. Defigurement presents itself as an experimental Grindcore band, and I’m honestly pleased to live in an era where Grind tries to go beyond the usual chaos we’ve come to expect. It’s not that the genre is too heavy—it’s that it often lacks innovation. However, Endbryo (yes, that’s an edgy title) promises to change the formula and offer something more than just relentless aggression. Before you get your hopes up too high, though, maybe you should read the rest of this review.

Wings of Steel – Winds of Time

Elyna Kahn

Winds of Time, the second album by American band Wings of Steel. Following its 2023 debut Gates of Twilight, the band founded by guitarist Parker Halub and vocalist Leo Unnermark delivers an album that combines a powerful and brilliant modern sound with music that honors the purest form of Heavy Metal, born in late 70s England.