review – Page 26 – Metal Eclipse Reviews

Grima – Nightside

Stargazer Scholar

The wind sighs, and the forest weeps, oblivious and wise. The wind howls, and the snowfall turns into a blizzard. The icy tears mourn no human tragedy; the wooden limbs feel no fleeting warmth. Slowly, painfully, an exhausted wanderer labors through endless snowdrifts. It won’t be long before he succumbs to the freezing clutches of death, but for now he trudges on, all sense of direction and purpose lost. It won’t be long before he finally lies down and stares at the crisscrosses of black crooked branches barely discernible through the shimmering veil of white. It won’t be long before the forest stares back, indifferent and majestic…

As The World Dies – Nebula

Well, this was a mistake! I was supposed to review this next month, but I mixed up dates and ended up listening to it now. I assume As The World Dies won’t mind getting an early review of Nebula. With the risk of getting repetitive, here we have another release that doesn’t necessarily fit any traditional mold in Death Metal aside from the space Metal one, which, as we know, becomes much harder to define with each passing year. So here we are, trying to put labels on this untamed beast with little success if you ask me, but let’s keep trying!

Vermillia – Karsikko

Stargazer Scholar

The world was a different place seven years ago. At least when it comes to its currently troubled corner that I happen to inhabit. No joys of pestilence, no thrills of societal cataclysms, just life in all its glorious bleakness and naive hopefulness. It was a genuinely decent time. I’ve seen worse. And it was in that relatively peaceful summer of 2018 that I stumbled upon an album premiere video by a certain one-woman Pagan Black Metal project from Finland. The artist’s name was Vermilia, the record was entitled Kätkyt, and it took me about a song and a half to fall in love, pause the stream, relocate to her Bandcamp page, and click “order”. That’s how I became a fan. Years rolled by, and here we are in 2025, with Vermilia’s third LP fresh from the metaphorical oven and waiting to be discovered.

Sacrifice – Volume Six

You know what we haven’t done this year? Review some fresh Tmehrash! I don’t know when the genre died again, but not so long ago, it was booming with ideas. At least last year, we got this beast. However, Sacrifice – Volume Six seems to aim for the more traditional side of the genre, where relentless pummeling and intense energy are the name of the game. You could even say they don’t make them like this anymore, so how about we dive into this modern relic?

Sleep Paralysis – Sleep Paralysis

It’s time to reach for that battery acid left in the garage and take a few sips (notice I said sips). Sleep Paralysis is here to replicate that near-death experience in the weirdest ways possible, of course. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what Sleep Paralysis is about, but your humble servant would be satisfied if this wacky thing is at least entertaining. That’s usually the case with anything Avant-Garde, but as the genre suggests, you never really know what you’re getting into.

Scare – In The End, Was it Worth it?

Is it just me, or does that cover art look like it came straight out of The Seventh Seal? You know I’m a citizen of the world, but you can always hit me in the home department and gain an advantage. Scare is a band that, from the get-go, lets us know it cares little about our petty opinions. That’s the real Punk/Hardcore spirit running through In The End, Was It Worth It? Also, probably the title of your last breakup. Anyway, you’re here to find out if this scary-looking album is worth your precious toilet break time.

Dawn of Ouroboros – Bioluminescence

It’s a difficult task to define what type of Metal Dawn of Ouroboros likes to play. There seems to be a constant exchange between Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, and Djent loudness values, all going hand in hand with songwriting that sometimes mimics more commercial acts. Hence, I was both puzzled and excited to jump into its newest release, Bioluminescence. Rarely has an album name been more fitting for the level of colorful chaos this album is about to throw at us. But is it good stuff, or are we going to feel overwhelmed by so much glitter?

Abduction – Existentialismus

Abduction is clawing its way up the food chain, ready to become a recognized name in the underground—not just lurking in the depths of the scene. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what makes the band unique since you can feel influences from all areas of Black Metal. However, Existentialismus (what’s with that name? Seriously!) proves that the band at least has the ambition to become the next hot thing in Black Metal. The real question now is: does it have what it takes? Stick with this sinister trip to find out.

Decline of the I – Wilhelm

I hate being late, but what can I do when all the bands want to release something cool on Valentine’s Day? (so much for being evil music!) Having said that, Decline of the I is probably the last thing you want to put on to set the mood. Wilhelm is an album with layers and horrors that aren’t for that kind of atmosphere (unless you’re reading this carefully, in which case you love anything disturbing and strange). I’ll do my best to even try to define what the album is going for, because this is a wild animal, and I’m not sure we can tame it. But how about we try!

Dawn of Solace – Affliction Vortex

Last year, we already had Saukkonen visiting us with Wolfheart, but this year, Dawn of Solace is back with Affliction Vortex, promising a tempest of sadness and melancholy with the signature Finnish sound. I don’t know how this man stays so productive, but we’ve learned that the more pressure and projects he has going on, the better the product. Also, since Dawn of Solace’s duo returned, they’ve probably been the most consistent of all his projects. Hence, I do have some discrete expectations. Don’t blame me—this is my guilty pleasure!