So, ECLIPTIC VISION return with self-titled album number two (out now, self-released). Truth be told I never got the chance to take in their debut, 2016’s Dissimilar Dimensions, but there was something I liked about these guys right from the start. Combining brutality with technical prowess the band hits hard exactly when and where they should. Deep, dark death growls and violent screeches abound over a sea of riffs that will please most fans of Death Metal. The fact that the music isn’t all blast beat, blast beat, blast beat is also refreshing. Not that there’s anything wrong with them, but some bands overdo it (you know who you are!), and it’s too much.
Anyway, onto the music. Opener “Anthropophage” gets the ball rolling and “Cosmicosm” keeps it going. The steely groove of this one definitely made it an instant favorite. Fuck, these guys are heavy. And by that I am not only referring to the guitars and brutal vocals, I’m also talking about the rhythm section. When you can feel the bass lines and kick drums in your chest because it’s so damn thick you’ve just gotta love that, right? “Lobotomizer” is a perfect example of what I’m on about, and you guessed it, it’s another winner for me. Especially just past the halfway mark. Just listen and you’ll get it.
Coming out of ambient interlude “Interdimensional Tides” we are then treated to the head crusher “Cephalic Anomaly” followed by “Crux of Infliction” yet another exercise in brutality. I even detect a hint of Digimortal-era FEAR FACTORY on this one. Which is fine because that’s my favorite record from them. Another interlude is next with “Reduced to Dust” and the vibe carries over for the first 30 seconds of “Fear the Horizon”before we get back to the headbanging and asskicking. And believe it or not, this tune is actually catchy, not something you get that often in Death Metal. Meanwhile, like an M-16 going from semi to auto the rat-a-tat-tat drumming of “Dark Flow Remnants” might have you hitting the deck and fast!
The last full song of the disc is “Alientity” and on this one the programming is a little more prevalent than on the others, but this only enhances the tone of the song rather than detract from it. And then “Adrift in the Celestial Void” closes things with one last interlude. So overall I can say that I definitely enjoyed my first trip on the USS ECLIPTIC VISION, and you can be sure I’ll be sticking around to see what’s next for them. It’s Death Metal for sure, but it’s got a unique quality to it that gives them their own identity. More bands should try this at home.
STANDOUT TRACKS: “Cosmicosm”, “Lobotomizer”, “Crux of Infliction”, “Dark Flow Remnants”
RATING: 8.5/10
