Eclipse Eternal

Eclipse Eternal play straightforward black metal with some very light folk influences, the way that the iciness of classic BM can often take delight in black branches against stark white snow. Based in Toronto, ON and recently signed to Sudbury's Archaic North Entertainment, their third record, The Essence of Hopelessness, displays a raw, organic sound and is quite under-produced, placing itself firmly within DIY black metal recording principles that integrate sound degradation and impurity into the music. This recording style is, unfortunately, not kind to Voldamares' voice, which stands out as tinny and weirdly harsh, at times, while at others it's far too guttural to match the instrumentation. There are some compelling moments in the music, such as "Deathbound," which has a swooping quality to the guitars that's successful. The moments on The Essence of Hopelessness where the sound is bleak and stark often work well. However, the album as a whole doesn't grab the listener and isn't united by a cohesive narrative that might draw the listener in. This is an album that brushes against the ear, but doesn't succeed in hooking or holding the listener.