Eternal

Previously known as Crystal Darkness, Australia’s the Eternal has reinvented itself with a new name and a fresh start. The Sombre Light of Isolation serves as an introduction to what this new identity represents. Onto firm doom metal foundations, the Eternal has drafted a structure that is overwhelmingly drenched in goth rock. When it’s not tormented, The Sombre Light of Isolation is downright catchy and nearly danceable. Amidst the heavy brooding and the darkness the Eternal goes for some classic rock’n’roll clichés and other than some vocals that whine a little too often, the band’s mingling of doom and goth is deliciously melodramatic. The album is at its best when the songs are at their most evil, like the great horror moments in the title track, or the menacing doom that dominates the closing song, but some of its more melodic songs, like the gloomy "Down,” carry their own weight as well. Aside from a few ventures into foot-on-the-monitor sonic posturing, The Sombre Light of Isolation is the kind of album that gets better the deeper into it you go.