The Pitch: Argentinian band Mortuorial Eclipse combine blackened death metal with dark, exquisite symphonic compositions a la Fleshgod Apocalypse and Septicflesh. Pick it up now in physical format through Black Market Metal.
What I Like: I love grand fusions of classical orchestration with hard-hitting black and death metal, so Urushdaur was right up my alley. A few years ago it seemed like everyone and their mother was incorporating symphonic additions into their sound, but lately it's harder to find the quality on display with Mortuorial Eclipse. The first thing that struck me about this band was just how tightly focused they work as a unit. Each band member contributes polished, impressive performances in their own rite while also maintaining a larger emphasis on the compositions as a whole. As a result, this album is pretty airtight. There's no filler; every second of these 36 or so minutes has something to offer.
Breaking the elements down a bit more beginning with the vocals, this guy is just plain brutal. He possesses a similar snarl to the Polish death metal sound popularized by Behemoth's Nergal on classics like Demigod. The one-two punch of the guitars and orchestration, however, are very much in line with Fleshgod Apocalypse. As opposed to other extreme symphonic groups like Dimmu Borgir and Septicflesh, there is still an emphasis on technicality, with the distortion acting as a full participant as opposed to taking a back seat. As for the strings and piano themselves, they are every bit as fetching and well-produced as any of the bands above. I also like how they shake things up with the very Eastern-sounding "Beyond The Sands Of Perdition." Rounding things our are the drums, which are truly catastrophic. The endless cataract of toms on "Ophis Martys" gives me arthritis just listening to it.
Critiques: I hesitate at using the word "generic" here, as it can imply poor quality. To the contrary, the quality of this release is very high; it's just that if someone were to play this band in the midst of others like them, I don't think I'd be able to easily pick them out of a lineup. Further differentiation is in order.
The Verdict: Despite lacking some in individual personality, Urushdaur is a fantastic album possessing the finest qualities of both orchestral and death metal music. It is incredibly consistent and devastatingly heavy. Mortuorial Eclipse can face off with any of the bestter known bands in the genre, and with your support I expect that is just what they'll do.
Flight's Fav's: Arcane Legacy Of Astral Numina, Ruin Empire, In Extremis
- Review by FlightOfIcarus
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