Review Summary: A self aware melodic metalcore throwback and everything that comes with it.
Montreal metalcore outfit Eternal Closure seem to understand the value of a good throwback. Their sound is one that hearkens back to the early 2000s melodic metalcore scene, pioneered by bands such as Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall, and All That Remains. This style isn’t going to win the band any awards for originality, but the assumption that this was done as some sort of tribute attempt adds just a bit more enjoyment to
Ad Primum’s formula. Sixteen minutes of nostalgic old school melodic metalcore, with hints of modern flair and other experimentation, await anyone willing to take a chance on Eternal Closure’s debut EP.
The band’s lineup is noteworthy due the strong balance of talent throughout, with no member that really seems to stand out too high above the others. The guitars provide nifty riffs and plenty of great lead work (including solos, something missing in a lot of modern metalcore). The drum work stays varied and interesting, despite a clicky kick pedal. The bass mix could do with a bit of a sharper tone, rather than the slightly overpowering one that muddies the mix a bit, but it actually does a bit more than simply adding low end to the sound. Several of the more melodic sections showcase more adventurous bass passages to illustrate my point. The screamed vocals are well performed, with a strong and fairly varied delivery, and clean vocals soar during choruses and intertwine nicely with the screams during a few bridge sections.
Ad Primum is tightly condensed, with only four songs to divide up the short, but sweet runtime. The quality of the EP is fairly steady, each song bearing its own weight. “Unsure” is a standout due to the surprises it contains, with heavy doomy chords breaking in half way through that wouldn’t sound too out of place on a death metal record. Breakdowns are well utilized; the songs use them sparingly, although rather than coming off as crushingly heavy, most of them simply sound catchy. That could be taken in either a positive or negative light, depending on the listener. The snare syncing up with the chugging guitar buildup in “Belligerence” is another example of how the band takes more from melodic metalcore than modern counterparts. While most of the riffs came straight out of Killswitch Engage’s back catalog, there are a few that sound more akin to something from modern post hardcore. All in all, the mixture of sounds is interesting and effective.
Excluding the general lack of originality, there aren’t that many negatives. The songwriting is strong, but the muddy mix weakens the effect a little bit. The lyrics aren’t exactly poetic, but they also aren’t the worst thing to come out of the genre by a fair margin (considering genre peers such as Asking Alexandria). Treating this as a completely self-aware throwback to 2000s metalcore is definitely the way to go with Eternal Closure. The band knows their craft, and if they can manage to inject some real character into their performance, and vary up their songwriting, a full length record could be quite promising in the future.
