Review Summary: Head banging all the way to the bank, "Eclipse" showcases the unchangeable deathcore act at the top of their game.
Eclipse is not a bad album by any means. As is usual for Veil of Maya, polyrhythms abound, the drummer's double bass pedals ensue, and the guitarist thrashes his instrument about like a mighty masturbator. For fans of Veil of Maya, this is surely good news, because the band are as tight as ever. Sure, it would be a pleasant surprise to see them randomly evolve like a Pokémon, but considering the rate at which they have stayed consistent throughout their career, such an evolution is unrealistic. We have to face the facts - Veil of Maya are not changing, and perhaps that suits them best. Sure, they might throw in some swooping, mysterious synth pads now and then, but overall, Veil of Maya are the same band that you heard in
[id]. With that out of the way, let's consider just how good this album is.
In terms of proficiency in their genre (deathcore), there's no question that Veil of Maya are quite above average acts.
Eclipse is exciting at all times due to its forward momentum, never stopping for horrible breakdowns, one of the lame tricks that subpar deathcore bands employ. Consequently, the album is intense, and with slightly more interesting guitar riffs than were found in
[id] (at times),
Eclipse feels like a step up, if ever so slight. Also, it’s unquestionably fun, because the result of the band's technical skills is a fairly catchy album. This doesn't make it lightweight, but makes it possible for the listener to stay interested the entire time. Let’s also not forget the vocals, those mid and high range screams of pure brutality - this is the opposite of weak coffee.
In the end,
Eclipse isn't particularly special, but is another great album from Veil of Maya. Considering its surprisingly short running time of twenty eight minutes, Veil of Maya make the best of it - an album that never bores. As a follow up to
[id], it meets its goal with gusto, and some might say that it even eclipses
[id]. Either way,
Eclipse exceeds expectations, and is certainly one of their greatest albums.
