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May 17, 2012 |
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ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW - Before The Bleeding Sun
Spinefarm (2006) |
8.5/10 |
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01. Sweet Lilith of My Dreams
02. Another Me
03. Red Dawn Rising
04. Upon The Moors
05. Sakura No Rei
06. Sinister Rain
07. Lost Rune of Thunder
08. Tar Still Flows
09. Angelheart, Ravenheart (Act I: Before the Bleeding Sun)
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After five years in waiting, one band breakup (and subsequent reunion) and a personal overhaul, quite frankly it didn't seem possible that ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW (ETOS from here on out) could keep their creative juices flowing at a high level, much less remain consistent with their own tone since 2001's "A Virgin And A Whore". How could they? Better bands have fallen apart after their second release without losing their lead guitarist and keyboardist. Here we are and they've done just that. ETOS has continued their splendid concoction of Melodic Death and Symphonic Metal with slight touches of Gothic background thrown in for good measure. When the lot of what they've included is taken in, it's difficult to justly classify their style without inevitably leaving something out (sometimes the keyboards will throw in something quietly Progressive at you, for instance).
ETOS has demonstrated again they are capable of slicing some fantastic shreds, great synths and the ability to improve upon their weaknesses. The guitar solos are almost always both competent and appropriate for the moments they are introduced. Their ability to balance out good riffing with some great synths and even better soloing should not be summarily dismissed. Having the capacity to create both complex works with just enough of a hook to reign in listeners with good technical ability is not something that comes along randomly. This version of ETOS sounds pretty much the same as before but one can tell that they've taken the time to mesh well as a unit and the result is stunning.
When "Before The Bleeding Sun" first spun, it was difficult to initially pinpoint the weakest link. Altti Veteläinen's vocals, both screechy and clean, may be rather unremarkable, albeit appropriate enough. Conversely, it seems that the band recognized this imperfection and recruited some backing vocalists that ended up going a long way in delivering much appreciated intensity and atmosphere delivered by some of the best names in Finnish Metal with the likes of Marco Hietala (NIGHTWISH), Tony Kakko (SONATA ARCTICA), with the virtual unknowns Miriam Renvåg (RAM-ZET, check out this strange and wonderful Norwegian act if you get the chance) and Jarmo Kylmänen (SCYRON) leading the way. In fact, it may have been more enjoyable if they offered a bit more of the backing vocalists. The bass is nothing special, but given that you have to strain to hear each note at times one may not even notice this. I could fill a newspaper column with Metal bands that have this problem, although the problem may exist in my Metal-damaged ears.
Finally, the keyboards have their thin moments (such as seventh octave string sample used in "Angelheart, Ravenheart" during the climax) and are sometimes too far back in the mix to be effective or try to incorporate a little bit more orchestration than they are capable of arranging during faster tempos. These failures are usually nothing more than small infractions and usually don't hinder the overall enjoyment much and instead serve only as momentary distractions.
No, it's the drumming that serves as the most vulnerable aspect of the album. It's not that they're unable to maintain a steady beat; the problem is that they fail to provide anything interesting to listen to. Petri Sankala's inability to play up to speed during faster tempos hinders the general collaboration, even though Sankala doesn't need to be anything but competent with his terrific fronting. There always seems to be a craving for Petri to do nothing more double the time for just a bar or two during a specific area in order to accentuate or heighten a particular moment when the rest of the accompaniment provide a chance with a break in the accompaniment with just a slight change in the rhythm pattern. The straightforward approach is not a great fix with the dynamic of the songs and requires becoming more involved in order to improve upon their sound, rather than hanging out in the back, asking when the next check is coming in.
After a dozen listens, along with being steeply stunned of ETOS's continued inspired efforts despite the long hiatus, it's good to know that there are still those out there that can rise above some of the higher levels of flux and hardship within a scene known for instability and continue to deliver quality material without complaining loudly about it. Better bands have crumbled under far less adversity and "Before The Bleeding Sun" demonstrates that the best can come out of a nasty situation. With first-rate tracks such as "Sweet Lilith Of My Dreams", "Red Dawn Rising", "Angelheart, Ravenheart" and very little filler material, this is one of the best releases at the halfway point of 2006. ETOS is a band deserving of higher acclaim than they've achieved thus far. This will easily make my end of the year top 25 albums of the year.
The main reason for the score not being higher than it is is that in the middle of the album the band seems to hit a lull that isn't quite up to par with the remainder of the album. If not for two, maybe three tracks, it would be easy to classify this as a complete album and something outside groups should take notice of, however they fall just short of reaching this threshold. Despite this, "Before The Bleeding Sun" continues to be a great listen throughout initial and repeated spins and is worth your time and money. A great comeback album that will hopefully lead to more great CDs by this band.
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