Eclipse Eternal – The Essence of Hopelessness (2012)

Delivering nine hectic hymns of powerful Black Metal with some atmospheric elements, today we have Canada’s Eclipse Eternal and their latest full-length release “The Essence of Hopelessness”. In this very diverse release, the band rips through very well crafted tracks that feature traditional BM sections accompanied with melodic passages that nicely change the pace of things and keeps the listener fully engaged with the band’s music.

After the traditional keyboard intro, “Ragnarok” delivers waves of furious guitar riffs accompanied by hellish vocals and some tight drumming, exactly what the doctor ordered. This song gives the impression that you will be listening to a very typical BM release with not much to offer, but as the album keeps going the band jumps into some very ritualistic and melodic passages that give a flair of European Black Metal that is more typical of labels like Prophecy Productions.

The middle section of “Deathbound” is the first indication of something else going on thanks to the acoustic guitars and very creepy keyboards. This melodic interlude helps the band stay fresh and make their ‘fast paced’ sections more effective through the song. After the furious “Ancient Voices on the Wind”, “Ode to a Long Time Gone” goes back into that melodic funk that nicely generates momentum for the all-out BM sections again.

Pretty much the rest of the album follows the same pattern of changes between super fast sections and brilliantly crafted melodic parts. This, for us, shows great the maturity and potential that Eclipse Eternal has in terms of crafting engaging music that separates them from the countless BM bands that lack imagination. Our favorite track of this release has to be the six minute epic “Noose”, a perfect blend of aggression and melody. The deep vocals are excellent and give an even creepier feeling to the already eerie music the band makes.

In terms of not sounding like everybody else in North America, Eclipse Eternal deserves recognition. The band is pushing forward with their own style, that while more popular in Europe, it is very refreshing to listen to something different coming out of this continent. If you are looking for a well balanced band that mixes melodic passages with hectic Black Metal, look no further and checkout “The Essence of Hopelessness”.

Release: January 14th, 2012

Country: Canada