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Once
again a fresh supply for the Melodic-Death-sector, but this time
itīs huge... whereas it was about time for the swedish combo
Eventide, after eight years, tormented with some songwriter
issues and obgligatory line-up changes, to finally release their
debut album "Diaries From The Gallows". But patience,
so much I can say already now, is well than rewarded... but letīs
start at the beginning.
Already
the first notes from "Diaries From The Gallows" show
the direction and the archetype of the band in all its clarity.
The opener "Into Illusion" is carried by an In
Flames-like riff and typical swedish melodies, nagging,
sometimes growling but never too brutal vocals, and a nice short
solo bundled with a good rythumsection. "Killing What Can't
Be Handled" starts acoustically, followed by a melody which
could be found on "Reroute To Remain", the chorus is
performed with clean vocals and growls, which makes it quite
intense. The band is open to modern influences like small
electronic gimmicks, but avoid to create overflowing
Soilwork-like refrains; Eventide rather prefer a more quiet and
melancholical version.
"My
Closest Demon" is monster of a song, which could have been
released on "Colony", this time opened with clean
vocals, and provided with a thrilling chorus which can only be
written in Sweden. In a short interlude you can hear a violin
playing. This track with its dramatic-melancholic composition
reminds the listener to Dark Tranquillity.
This
interplay between melody and density can be found in all of the
songs. Highlights are especially the great work on the guitar
(in "This Curse" a solo from In Flames is taken almost
exactly taken over, only to vary in an interesting instrumental
closure), the variability of the rhythmsection in the well
arranged tracks and the charismatic voice of Jacob Magnusson.
Whatever
song you pick - "No Place Darker" with its great
vocals and innovative melody, "Standards Of Rebellion"
as a homage to Dark Tranquillity, "The Skeleton Who Sold
Its Skin" with the great refrain and one of the best
instrumental breaks this year (listen to the song at 2:32),
"I, Enemy" with its again Dark Tranquillity flavour or
the final "Confinement", a dark intense song which
bursts out to a Death Metal monster - the choreography, the
overall class in the performance, the expertise in handling the
instruments, the transparent production and the cover by Niklas
Sundin, all of this leaves a lasting impression.
And
with "Indifferent" Eventide have also a great speed
track on the album, again with a nagging chorus and a smart
variation in the tempo. The very nice, almost EMPYRIUM-like
instrumental "Vargavidderna", in which you can hear
the violins again, makes the sonic journey through "Diaries
from the Gallows" complete.
This
album grows with each time you listen to it, the more, the
better it gets. As said in the beginning: Patience was rewarded.
A great end to this musical year.
9/10
Translated by
Torsten Maibohm
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