Review Summary: Eths are ready to take over the world.
Having heard (and loved) Eths' previous efforts 'Soma' and 'Tératologie', I was both hopeful and apprehensive about the release of 'III'. A few listens have confirmed that this is by far the band's most accessible album, although arguably the most 'mainstream'.
Immediately the most apparent change in the band's sound and style is the almost complete conversion from Nu-Metal to a more modern metalcore style. Gone are the climbing Korn-esque riffs and in their place are chugging breakdowns and crushing, immense guitar lines. Do not, however, be put off by the label of metalcore, as this band provides an album that is far more innovative and interesting than the standard chug-a-lug core act.
With the exception of 'Gravis Venter' and the arguably pointless instrumental track 'Praedator', this album is extremely heavy from start to finish. Opener 'Voragine' blasts the listener with crushing waves of sound broken up only by the sweet, almost child-like singing of Candice in the verses. The tight musicianship and fantastic production make this song one of the album's highlights, although certainly not the album's most interesting track.
Vocally the album is almost perfect. Petite and attractive lead singer Candice not only provides sweet and slightly unsettling lullaby-singing, but also roars like a pissed-off lioness for the duration of the album. Her scream is one of the most interesting and fantastically executed of any singer I've ever heard, from a male or female vocalist. In tracks like 'Proserpina', the albums second longest and most varied song, she proves that she is more than capable of providing beautiful and haunting cleans when they are required. After a fairly generic verse-chorus opening this track breaks into an achingly pretty acoustic section, almost alone on the album, before evolving into an epic swirl of synths over crunching guitars, followed by a truly unsettling choral breakdown complete with creepy reversed-french vocals.
Speaking of french, the fact that the songs are sung in the band's native language language is both a blessing and a curse. In my opinion the french makes the songs infinitely more interesting, as the beautiful language perfectly compliments the style of the music in this album. However many non-french speakers may be put off by the lack of understandable lyrics, although there are 4 songs provided in English on the album's international edition.
All in all this album is a fantastic third release from an immensely talented band. They proved in their previous albums they had the direction and creativity to stand out and carve their own musical style, now they are ready to leave their homeland and become known around the world.
Recommended tracks-
'Hercolubus', a fantastically heavy and incredibly creepy song with a cacophony of overlapping screams in the disturbing 'chorus'.
'Inanis Venter', the album's well executed and interesting experimental track.
'Adonai', strong lead single with a fantastic chorus.
'Anatemnein', the album's epic closer that incorporates some fantastic orchestral and choral elements into the music.
