Echoes of Eternity
As Shadows Burn
Rating
Style: Power Metal
Release date: September 25th 2009
 

Echoes of Eternity would back in the days when metal was still only a teenager have been categorized as speed metal, a genre that seems to have been absorbed by others and forgotten these days. This is pedal to metal and full speed ahead, going from zero to a hundred as fast as possible; pounding double bass drums and extremely fast guitar licks set the pace throughout the album.

A band that keeps popping up in my head when I listen to the sophomore release from these US speedsters is Powermad, probably best know for their small contribution to David Lynch's "Wild at Heart" (1990) movie, simply because they were also all about a high energy level and fast guitars and drums.

But that is where the similarities stop, because this is faster and a lot more ferocious! Vocalist Francine Boucher tries to give the band an edge and a contrast to the fast paced songs, something I think she fails to do on most of the album. But I do not put the blame on her, because she does have a good voice, but she is simply overpowered by the pounding drums, which are too dominant and up-front.

Speed all the way isn't the solution for Echoes of Eternity, and I wish they would slow things a bit down more often than they do, instead they fill in some grindcore parts, and the result of it is that it all quickly becomes monotone and repetitive. Technically speaking this is close to perfect, and man they must be drained after a show!

I am a bit torn because I respect them for their ability to play so fast but on the other hand I do miss some diversity. But they have kept the best for last; 'Funeral in the Sky' shows that they are fully capable of writing a diverse and interesting song that will keep your attention all the way, this little instrumental piece lifts this album up and makes me want to see where they are going in the future...


Tracklist

1. Ten of Swords (3:55)
2. Veiled Horizon (3:34)
3. Memories of Blood and Gold (3:46)
4. The Scarlet Embrace (4:10)
5. Descent of a Blackened Soul (5:19)
6. Twilight Fires (4:08)
7. Buried Beneath a Thousand Dreams (4:19)
8. Letalis Deus (3:33)
9. Funeral in the Sky (7:12)

Label: Massacre Records
Distribution: Target (Denmark)
Reviewed by: Kenn Jensen
Date: September 9th 2009
Website: www.echoesofeternity.net