Review Summary: A Giant Bountiful
I wear my Eternal Storm tee all the time in tribute to their “Come The Tide” record, which I’m not hesitant to say is one of my favourite albums of all time. “Come The Tide” was a progressive melodeath high-water mark (excuse the pun) that appealed to all my senses of quality metal, in songwriting and atmosphere, to soundscape subtleties but also the necessary ferocity.
It’s been 5 long years since my AOTY in 2019, and the long gestation to the follow up has ended, we have new Eternal Storm. Out of Madrid, these guys have taken their time, and great care has been invested in constructing this new album piece by piece. But I’m sensing too much expectation and my early spins of “A Giant Bound to Fall” sounded like a giant bound to fall. It was good but difficult not to utter the dreaded “not as good as their last one”.
But that’s shortsighted and unnecessary as it only takes the epic opener to realise what we have here is another imposing work. “An Abyss of Reason” has an initial waves-rolling-in synths effect and drums fade-in made famous by Metallica’s “Orion” before congealing with thundering double bass and an intent they mean business. The song is a lot to unpack as it meanders through various stages with influences emerging such as Enslaved for complexity and later Meshuggah for chugs. “A Dim Illusion” is Eternal Storm in their element, with the whole gamut of their identifiable sounds on display including stand and deliver riffs, effortless segues and contrasting vocal styles.
Whilst being distinguishably Eternal Storm, they share sound traits and progressive sensibilities to other leading like acts An Abstract Illusion and Be’lakor. Slow burner “There was a Wall” is a showcase of their signature guitar playing that’s pleasingly flowed through from the last album. The band’s continuity of sound is more impressive noting the changes in personnel undergone since “Come The Tide”. Gone is Kheryon who was the lead singer and bass player and in comes Daniel Rodriguez Flys in his place, with also a new session drummer in the seat. Guitarists Jaime Torres and Daniel Maganto remain centrally involved with a host of guest appearances also contributing. Of note also is Daniel’s latest venture with Persefone’s new EP Lingua Ignota Part 1 fulfilling vocals duties on that excellent release.
An undoubted highlight is “The Last Refuge” which label Transcending Obscurity released last year to give the band some momentum into this LP. With the engaging comes the contemplative and the mind does tend to wander on the interlude “Eclipse” but that’s the point - it’s music to ponder and dwell on. There’s a deep sense of melancholy and yearning throughout the album in songs like “Lone Tree Domain” and “The Sleepers” which is a key trait of progressive melodeath bands like Eternal Storm and contemporaries Insomnium and In Mourning. Later “The Void” crackles before the sweeping melodies lead to the title track, a more subdued reflection, a closing expression of honour.
But for all its quality, there is a lingering sense of ultimately falling short of its predecessor, for one or probably two of the longish songs could have been deemed surplus and despite this minor runtime-trade off gripe, in the final wash up “A Giant Bound to Fall” turned out to be A Giant Bountiful - for many a metal fan.
