PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Finland’s Gothic masters return with an album full of energy and passion.
Eternal Tears Of Sorrow must be doing something right, you don’t get to just short of 20 years in the business by luck alone. The band have been true to their Gothic roots throughout their career and this, their seventh album, shows no sign of tampering with the tried and tested blueprint that has been their backbone.
‘Saivon Lapsi’ is perhaps destined to be known as their finest hour, 45 minutes of glorious Symphonic/Gothic Metal that encapsulates all that is good in this genre.
The atmospheric build up given by opening instrumental track ’Saivo’ sets the scene and mood of what is about to come to perfection, leading into the crushing riffs of ’Dark Alliance’, its menacing Death Metal tinged vocal serving only to cement the sense of forboding and malevolence. ’Legion Of Beast’, another track of grandiose construction, conjuring thoughts of Pagan hordes riding through mist draped forests, the voice of Altii Veteläinen again driving the track along to great effect.
The whole album is pretty much unrelenting, a cascade of sublime symphonic passages serving to accentuate the power and feeling displayed in the bands musical delivery.
‘Dance Of December’, again, is a track of pure quality, combining growl and clean vocals to maximum effect, all wrapped up in a cocoon of awe inspiring music that is a pleasure to absorb. Indeed, when the band choose to include the dual vocal styles it is then that they are at their most commercial, giving an excellent balance of subtlety and unbridled power. Taking the point further, ’Sound Of Silence’ combines male and female vocals, the latter courtesy of the wonderful Miriam Renvåg of Ram-Zet fame, which results in a truly magical lighters in the air power ballad of jaw dropping intensity.
Production wise, the album is nothing short of immense, benefiting greatly from the contributions of Mikko Karmila (mixing) and Mika Jussila (mastering), both with Nightwish connections from previous years.
This is an album that really should catapult the band way up the ladder and turn some heads on its travels. I’m almost tempted to call it career defining, it really is that good but if E.T.O.S. can come up with material as strong as this, who’s to say what the future will hold.
Album highlights are of course a very personal thing, people tend to latch onto different elements of different songs but for me, the band save the best until last in the form of the epic seven minute plus ‘Angelheart Ravenheart’, a song that is as grand and impressive as anything you will come across, a song that would grace any album in the Metal genre, every aspect you would want or need is contained within this track, thundering riffs, growl and clean vocal, soaring operatic backing, piano passages and some seriously good guitar solos, stunning.
This is an album that you should own, that’s all you need to know, don’t question why, just do it.
Rating 10/10.
Track Listing;
1. Saivo.
2. Dark Alliance.
3. Legion Of Beast.
4. Kuura.
5. Dance Of December.
6. The Day.
7. Sound Of Silence.
8. Beneath The Frozen Leaves.
9. Swan Saivo.
10. Blood Stained Sea.
11. Angelheart Ravenheart.
Eternal Tears Of Sorrow are;
Altii Veteläinen – Vocals and Bass.
Janne Tolsa – Keyboards.
Juho Raappana – Drums.
Jarmo Kylmänen – Clean Vocals.
Jarmo Puolakanaho – Guitar.
Mika Lammassaari- Lead Guitar.
Out now via Massacre Records.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leXpn9_pi8A&w=560&h=315]
