Review Summary: Showing off some goth-tinged heavy metal gumption
The Night Eternal’s second album really seems to hone in on the gothic elements of their dark heavy metal style. The echoing production immerses the proceedings in a cavernous haze, the drum patterns have an off-the-cuff spryness, and the vocals dominate the mix leaning on a delivery that sounds like Satan’s Brian Ross doing a Danzig impression. There’s enough of that Mercyful Fate-rooted occult flair in the guitar playing to keep Fatale firmly grounded in metallic territory.
This style is reinforced by the songwriting’s take charge attitude and a consistently driving pace. The speeds on songs like “Prince of Darkness” and “Ionean Sea” have an almost danceable beat to them while the bookending “In Tartarus” and “Between the Worlds” are executed with ceremonial drama. “Prometheus Unbound” evokes the strongest sense of urgency with especially hard-hitting drums, tense gallops, and the album’s most striking chorus.
I might still prefer 2021’s Moonlit Cross by a hair but The Night Eternal shows some gumption with Fatale. Part of me wishes there was a bit more variation in tempos and dynamics, but the atmosphere is immersive enough for the listener to enjoy lingering as the hooks gradually take hold. Anybody who’s been on board for the wave of goth-tinged heavy metal (NWOGTHM?) can consider this to be up their alley; I think it comes the closest to capturing the spirit of In Solitude’s Sister more than any other group.
