review – Page 7 – Metal Eclipse Reviews

Voragoth – Storm Obey No Masters!

Milo Lane

Greetings, good folk — the prodigal son has returned, and he brings with him an offering worthy of reconciliation. (I swear.) It is Voragoth‘s debut Storm, Obey No Masters! This album found its way to my ears like a messenger from a long-forgotten land, and I cannot help but feel a deep pride for it. It carries more than just music — it carries the weight of folk spirit, of voices joined in comradery, of bonds forged through thousands of years of struggle and memory. Listening feels less like pressing a button that says ‘play’ and more like sitting in a circle where every voice matters, where melody itself is an entity, and a friend.

Umulamahri -Learning the Secrets of Acid

Metalcatto

When you see artwork like the one in Umulamahri’s Learning the Secrets of Acid, you might start wondering just how hard your face is about to melt. Will you even feel anything by the end? Calling this project Avant-Garde Disso-Death is almost an understatement. Its sinister and experimental nature promises a lot, especially since the minds behind it are masters of their craft. Now that I’ve set your expectations sky high, it’s time for this album to crush you, devour your carcass, and show us exactly what kind of secrets this substance holds.

Tales of Destiny – Ashes of Destiny

Elyna Kahn

It’s a pleasure to discover the depth of some Power Metal bands, whose musical fabric is composed of several layers, textures, nuances, and endearing sonorities. Tales of Destiny is a great example of a band that makes power metal not only a familiar experience, but a significantly deep and emotional one. Born in a small town in Quebec, the band emerged when five young teenagers came together to bring a musical dream to life. Feeling the call of metal and inspired by legends such as Iron Maiden, Iced Earth, and Children of Bodom, they managed to find their own sound, full of fury, passion, and conviction.

Arson Charge – A Dying Light

Metalcatto

Let’s return to the underground and pick up something unconventional, and by that I mean Arson Charge’s A Dying Light. Not every day do I get an album that sounds like a car crash between Thrash, Industrial, and even Nu-Metal. The real question is: are there any survivors of this massive collision? That’s what I’m here for—to take the bullets you’re too busy to take. Can this band impress us, or will it just make us scratch our heads? Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect just by looking at the artwork. Nothing wrong with it, but what does it make you feel? Maybe I don’t want to know. Let’s go!

Paradise Lost – Ascension

Metalcatto

When you’re a band like Paradise Lost, one that redefined a subgenre and balanced its deep emotional side with relative commercial success, it’s hard to surprise the world. And yet, the band has managed to do that time and time again. I honestly can’t remember the last time it released anything below a 3.5/5 in my book. Ascension has the impossible task of proving that the band still has the resilience and creativity to deliver top-quality Doom Metal. For once, I have faith in these guys—and can you blame me?

Ültra Raptör – Fossilized

Metalcatto

Fun isn’t usually my thing. In fact, this review is only happening because Metalkitten (my three-year-old) saw dinosaurs and lasers in Ültra Raptör‘s promo and said, “that one has dinos in, so it’s cool.” With such crushing logic used against me, I had no option but to comply and give this Speed/Heavy Metal ride a chance to prove that it could be more than silly entertainment for the late afternoon. You see? I might be old now, but I still listen to the youth here and there.

Vintersorg – Vattenkrafternas Spel

Metalcatto

I guess it’s time for us to get really folky! Vintersorg is back, and there aren’t many bands in the Black/Folk/Prog world that have managed to keep such a unique blend alive without turning into a parody of themselves. Vattenkrafternas Spel has the complex task of continuing the almost perfect run the band has maintained for so long. Also, I couldn’t find confirmation in the promo material, but wouldn’t this be the end of the elemental tetralogy? I mean, water was the only one missing, so it would make sense! I’ll admit it—I’m a sucker for long and high-risk conceptual endeavors.

Igorrr – Amen

Metalcatto

This has been a week dedicated to everything strange in Metal, so what better way to head into the weekend than with the weirdest of them all? It’s Igorrr, the embodiment of French weirdness. With a long career of unpredictable Avant-Garde, Electronic, and Classical influences, the project has stayed consistently risky as the years have passed. The real question now is whether Amen can keep giving us something new, or if we’re finally going to get fed up with the gimmick. I mean, there has to be a moment when this starts to feel like an AI summary, right?

Sölicitör – Enemy in Mirrors

Vicky

I don’t really know what I’m doing writing about this album. As you know, I’ve done reviews on quite a few LPs, but never on something belonging to the Speed Metal genre, even though I sometimes (actually, rarely, to be more precise) listen to this type of music. I hadn’t heard about Sölicitör myself before getting this album, so I’m feeling a little superior at the moment and I want to share some wisdom. Long story short, Sölicitör released their debut album, the quite cool Spectral Devastation, back in 2020, and this new LP is more dynamic and overall better. I’m not saying that, the band members are. I can’t really afford to make any comments here since I’m not exactly your average 1980s type of music aficionado.

God Alone – The Beep Test

Metalcatto

With a name like that, you’d expect God Alone to be some kind of depressing post-metal act. The reality is much more complicated. The Beep Test is yet another step that proves the band’s refusal to be categorized. How else would you describe a group that mixes Math Rock, Pop, and Prog Metal all in one? You see? It’s not easy to define, but I can guarantee you this: it won’t leave anyone indifferent. So, join me today as we explore this strange world of euphoria and loneliness. Uplifting indeed!