Customer Reviews

Downfall

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am a huge fan of them, in truth my favorite band of all time. This is just another great set of songs. I own all their cd's and constantly listen to them all. If your into Doom music, then must listen to this band.

This album does tend to grow on you as you listen to it a few times, indicating that it is more complex than your average metal recording. This is the third album from this group I bought, first was Through the Darkest Hour, then Adagio, then this one. I'd have to say Darkest Hour is the best of the three, but this one is a close second. Both show off the power of the vocalist - in my opinion, one of the best singers since Ronny James Dio. He has quite a range and is able to sing with feelings and power. The guitar work is mostly chords, but like Darkest Hour, there is enough solo work and other variations to prove the skill of the guitarist. The whole band works well together, and creates a set of melancholy but powerful songs that stand the test of time. No cliches in any of them.

My biggest disappointment is with the recording quality. Adagio is the best recorded of the three, with immense drums and ferocious guitar sound. This album sounds like it was recorded in a really cheap studio because everything is kind of dull, with no dynamic range at all and poor clarity. Of course, Solitude probably didn't have the money to burn on a high quality studio since they weren't well known, or at least weren't well played! I was lucky enough to hear them once or twice on DirecTV.

I read an interview with the guitarist and he said the other guys in the band all have day jobs so they don't tour much and it takes a while for them to make a CD. My advice to them - quit your jobs, make a new CD with no filler (like parts of Adagio) and good sound, and prepare to take over the metal world. These guys could be stars.

Solitude Aeturnus is not a gothic metal band (recent gothic metal bands include Theatre of Tragedy and Tristania), but is rather a doom metal band inspired by the likes of Candlemass, Electric Wizard, and of course Black Sabbath. Themes deal with isolation ("These are the Nameless"), religion ("Chapel of Burning"), and melancholy states ("Concern"). Some of the songs are even inspired by Edgar Allan Poe ["Only This (And Nothing More)" is a reference to Poe's poem "The Raven"]. Musicwise, the bass takes center stage, with the guitar work complementing the low notes. The tempo is slow, sardonic, and at times even plodding. If you like doom metal, you will enjoy this band.

I bought this album a couple years ago. I listened to it once and it bored me. More recently, while I was angry with all of my CDs that suck, I decided to give them another try. I was surprised to notice that it is actually very good. It has a sort of eighties metal feel to it, but it is definite goth metal. It is the kind of album that grows on you alot after you've heard it a few times. It is much more melodic and mature than their older stuff. For some reason it reminds me of Paradise Lost and Iced Earth... or does it?