Eternal Storm – A Giant Bound to Fall
Release Date: 16th February 2024
Label: Transcending Obscurity
Bandcamp
Genre: Progressive Metal, Melodic Death Metal.
FFO: In Mourning, Insomnium, Omnium Gatherum, Be’lakor.
Review By: Carlos Tirado
In 2019, Eternal Storm released Come The Tide, and unexpectedly, it emerged as one of the best MeloDeath albums of the year. It felt like the second coming of In Mourning, boasting epic intensity, crisp production, cold riffs, and intriguing songwriting. Undoubtedly, it spearheaded the MeloDeath revival of that year. Now, with the privilege of reviewing A Giant Bound to Fall, my expectations are sky-high. So, does it deliver?
“Epic” defines the album. Eternal Storm delves deeper into progressive territory than ever before, with songs approaching typical Dream Theatre lengths and transition styles. The onslaught of riffs never tires, making it ideal for those in colder climates. It’s evident that Eternal Storm enjoys experimenting with unique sounds and melodies. Across all tracks, there’s a constant exploration that may pay off in the future, expanding into areas few MeloDeath bands venture. While there’s always been a flirtation with electronic music, Eternal Storm boldly diverges from convention without forsaking its metal roots.
Admittedly, I struggled with the album’s first half. While I appreciate its components, the abundance of ideas may feel overwhelming at times (especially in An Abyss of Unreason). I longed for the raw emotion Come The Tide offered. Thankfully, the second half focuses more on evoking feelings (Lone Tree Domain, The Sleepers, and The Void stand out). The album avoids repetition, offering tremendous variation in guitars, bass, vocals, and drums. These musicians unequivocally showcase their technical and compositional prowess.
The sheer magnitude of A Giant Bound to Fall posed a challenge. Its extensive runtime demands significant investment—it’s not for the faint-hearted. It’s not a coincidence that my favourite tracks happened to be the shortest ones. With around 70 minutes of extreme metal, maintaining focus can be challenging. Some may find the inclusion of clean singing cringe worthy or cheesy, although I believe it works well for the most part. It may, however, prove divisive.
This review has been among the most difficult I’ve undertaken. Not only due to the album’s length and complexity, but also because I believe Eternal Storm (along with Aeternam) is the next big thing in MeloDeath. So, I didn’t want my expectations to be unrealistic. Time will reveal if this new release can surpass Come The Tide, but perhaps it’s a giant too big to fall.
(4 / 5)
