Eternal Storm - A Giant Bound To Fall (Transcending Obscurity Records)
I gave Come The Tide, the debut from Spanish band Eternal Storm a fantastic score when it was released, citing it as one of the best progressive death metal albums I'd heard back in 2019. So I waited in anticipation for a follow up which has now arrived, nearly five years later, but with very much appreciated. Eternal Storm don’t play music that is easy, much of what they do relies on heavy atmospherics, ambient keys and fretless bass weaving into some analogue synths to start a track such as There Was A Wall, as the heaviness builds into a crushing death metal rage, passionate lead guitar melodies behind as the death/black vocals work in union and into the arpeggiated moment and the solo proper, for a clean vocal chorus.
Technically speaking there’s so many layers going on but with Eternal Storm you can feel their music. It’s full of poignancy and power, the result of three multi-instrumentalists and a slew of session musicians, which includes a drummer, synth/keys and many vocalists. The core is Daniel R. Flys (vocals/guitar/keys/bass), Jaime Torres (guitar/vocals/keys/bass/fretless bass) and Daniel Maganto (bass/guitars/vocals), they create the scintillating soundscapes such as The Sleepers where there’s yet more intricate bass work that is melded with industrial electronics before the post-metal rage comes in, leading into the outright extreme metal fury that is The Void, where session drummer Gabriel Valcázar comes into his own with ferocious blast beat and Dan Swanö (the man who you could credit as starting this style of music) adds his vocals.
On their debut Eternal Storm came across as accomplished, here they are magisterial, having the ability to use emotion and depth against blasts of rage and aggression, creating vivid cinematic soundscapes where darkness reigns overall but there are glimmers of light dancing through the grey clouds. Much of this is due to the way these songs are composed and played, dynamics play a massive part to add nuance and density to the music, there’s not much that is artificial, the band trying to capture things organically from the instrumentation to the choral vocals and even the production which is raw enough to convey the introspection and emotion but feels vast and cavernous on the closing title track.
Technically speaking there’s so many layers going on but with Eternal Storm you can feel their music. It’s full of poignancy and power, the result of three multi-instrumentalists and a slew of session musicians, which includes a drummer, synth/keys and many vocalists. The core is Daniel R. Flys (vocals/guitar/keys/bass), Jaime Torres (guitar/vocals/keys/bass/fretless bass) and Daniel Maganto (bass/guitars/vocals), they create the scintillating soundscapes such as The Sleepers where there’s yet more intricate bass work that is melded with industrial electronics before the post-metal rage comes in, leading into the outright extreme metal fury that is The Void, where session drummer Gabriel Valcázar comes into his own with ferocious blast beat and Dan Swanö (the man who you could credit as starting this style of music) adds his vocals.
On their debut Eternal Storm came across as accomplished, here they are magisterial, having the ability to use emotion and depth against blasts of rage and aggression, creating vivid cinematic soundscapes where darkness reigns overall but there are glimmers of light dancing through the grey clouds. Much of this is due to the way these songs are composed and played, dynamics play a massive part to add nuance and density to the music, there’s not much that is artificial, the band trying to capture things organically from the instrumentation to the choral vocals and even the production which is raw enough to convey the introspection and emotion but feels vast and cavernous on the closing title track.
Releasing just two albums and both of them being incredible is a skill few bands possess, do not sleep on Eternal Storm. 9/10
Groove Therapist – Monologue (Self Released/Distrokid)
Progressive music, be it metal or rock, loves a concept album, there are so many legendary concept records in the genre, that releasing one is almost a rite of passage for any progressive band. Groove Therapist from Athens have taken this to heart and return with Monologue which is not only their second studio album but their second concept record, the first being 2015’s Mr Funker, The Myth. Featuring narration by Greek actor Konstantinos Kazakos, who also contributed the words on Manowar’s The Revenge Of Odysseus.
Monologue is the story of a man Kassandros who has only been given a short time to live and the album is a record of his moments leading up to the inevitable, living on what is essentially borrowed time. No fantasy warfare or epic stories to be told here, Monologue revels in the same maudlin darkness as The Wall (Pink Floyd), Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence/Scenes From A Memory (Dream Theater) or Mercy Falls (Seventh Wonder), the music brooding but technically impressive as all the emotions the protagonist goes through are displayed vividly by the instrumentation of Yiorgos Kalodoukas (guitar), George Konis (keys), Katerina Koti (bass) and Thanos Kalodoukas (drums) as well as the yearning vocals of Kleanthis Konstantinidis.
It’s savagely emotional and musically impressive the band massively influenced by Dream Theater, they even have a drum solo called Inner Turbulence, but you can hear the style of DT in all the songs with the stop start of A Second Chance or the a jaunty SITC-like keyboard riff (which I admit caught me off guard) that closes Denial or the brilliantly melodic Time To Bow. It’s all about the interplay between the guitars and keys, with virtuosic rhythm manipulation from the bass and drums, on Touch Of Hades, the instrumental, you can hear it the best but throughout the album, the music is brilliant progressive metal in the American vein of DT, Queensryche, Fates Warning and Shadow Gallery.
Dramatic and daring, Groove Therapist have the cure for anyone waiting impatiently for a new Dream Theater album. 8/10
Electro Charged - Reign Of Deception (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]
From Lividia City in Greece, foursome Electro Charged channel post Black Album Metallica (Servant & Kings) and Testament (Lord Of Sickness) on their debut album Reign Of Deception. Founded by Michael Sagiannis (vocals/guitar) in 2021 he worked with Bob Katsionis at his Sound Symmetry Studios and the nucleus of Electro Charged was formed, the duo bringing in Chris Dempegiotis on bass and drummer Thanos Karalis to make this a muscular foursome that straddle two decades of thrash/heavy metal (80's/90's).
Michael's vocal drawl is very Het meets Billy, but with Greek edge. His riffs locking down with the rhythm section on the mid paced Release The Hounds and the faster strains of Innocence's Dead. Katsionis not only producing but providing lead guitars and keys, though bassist Chris adds a guest guitar solo as well showing the talent of this band.
Musically as I've said they take on some of the biggest thrash bands but adding modern styles too, not limiting themselves to just full on impact getting an atmospheric stomp on tracks such as Circle Of Life which is reminiscent of Slayer, the lyrics surrounding human psyche and introspection used well here. They do speed up though on Into The Pitts Of Hell so their billing as a thrash band can't be denied.
Ultimately Electro Charged are a band who pay homage to some of the greats, but never steps on their toes, having enough of their own skill and creativity to make this album a great listen for thrash/metal fans. 8/10
Throne Of Thorns – Converging Parallel Worlds (ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records) [Matt Bladen]
Give a man a riff, he’ll listen for a day. Give a man a great prog power metal album, he’ll have enough riffs for a lifetime. I’m going to say it, Converging Parallel Worlds is a great prog power metal album. The debut from this Belgian band is boisterous, bombastic and builds worlds brilliantly, influenced by Blind Guardian, Fates Warning, Firewind and Stratovarius, there’s classical guitar/keyboard runs, dynamic vocals, massive choirs, galloping rhythms, changing time signatures and more political ideologies than you can shake a stick at, all delivered with pitch perfect prog power metal.
Formed by guitarist Thomas Jethro Verleye, who contributes all guitars, bass and orchestral arrangements, he is joined by Wim Rotthier on keys, Baruch Van Bellegem on drums, Josey Hindrix on vocals and Guy Vercruysse on backing vocals, production and mixing. All the members are veterans of the Belgian scene create magic when together as part of Throne Of Thorns, it’s an album that brings progressive touches from Scandinavia, the heavier riffs of America and classic power metal workouts from Europe.
So into the album itself and there’s a stirring intro, which I’m sure some of my colleagues would hate, but I like an intro as its about atmosphere, but we go from here into the near 9 minute Storm Maker, the virtuosity of the band clear from the opening 30 seconds, as this storm whips up to be a hurricane of riffs, mellowing towards the end. Atomic Retribution brings twin leads galore. There’s some Celtic themes that come through the drumming on Underworld, as Throne Of Thorns serves as an interlude to the gigantic final song Fire And Ice. Musically tight across these 8 songs, the drama increases for Black Diamond which is another guitar workout. The title track is the second longest of the album, Throne Of Thorns doing their best work in the longer format.
I’m astounded this is a debut as Converging Parallel Worlds sounds as if it should be a third or fourth record. Throne Of Thorns impress with this first shot. 8/10