Eonian release their debut album.
Four years after a highly accomplished debut EP, Jaume Antuñano (guitar/vocals) – accompanied by Nathan Cook (guitar), Jon Sachse (vocals), Carlos Muñoz (bass), Ricardo Figueroa (keyboards) and a host of other musicians – unveils Born From Ice.
The album opens with Invocation, an introduction that immediately reminds us of the project’s Symphonic roots, and leads into Blood of My Blood, a furious first composition where howls meet a fast-paced rhythm. The tone softens when Rosalía Sairem (Therion) joins the musicians before the guitar solo, then we move on to Born From Ice, which takes on epic tones and puts them at the service of rage, both instrumentally and vocally. Timo Tolkki (ex-Stratovarius) takes charge of the incisive solo, then the blast takes us to the final and on to For All the Nights to Come, where we find some devastating Black Metal touches between the various orchestrations. Hypnotic elements adorn the fast-paced rhythm, while Máthair offers us a moment’s respite with its gentle introduction that leads into new, imposing riffs where howls and keyboards answer each other in a way that is both savage and heavy. Soprano Giulia Pierucci creates a highly contrasting duet with the vocalist before ending in pure fury, followed by a moment of piano before The Emperor’s Hounds takes over, accompanied by Oliver Palotai (Kamelot) on keyboards and Grant Truesdell (Unleash the Archers) for the guitar solo, making this one of the most intense yet theatrical tracks. Oathkeeper allows us to breathe once more in the company of its ethereal melodies, then the musicians close the album with Lay All Your Love On Me, an Abba cover on which they welcome Christopher Amott (ex-Arch Enemy, ex-Dark Tranquillity) on guitar to operate the stylistic transformation from Disco to Symphonic Metal.
Eonian continue to evolve, integrating ever more grandiose elements into their devastating riffs, and the mix seems to be working! With the help of a number of outstanding musicians, Born From Ice‘s only drawback is its length.
80/100