| Written by Alex Stojanovic TRACK LISTING Apocalypse Blues The Spark Falling To My Knees All I Want Still My Hero Dive Into You Until The War Is Over Divide & Conquer Pieces To Say Goodbye One In A Million Release Date: September 20, 2023 Label: Frontiers Music srl Website: www.eclipsemerch.com www.facebook.com/EclipseSweden |  |
ECLIPSE IS:
Erik Martensson - Lead vocals & guitars / Magnus Henriksson - Lead guitars & backing vocals
Victor Crusner - Bass & backing vocals / Philip Crusner - Drums
Erik Martensson - Lead vocals & guitars / Magnus Henriksson - Lead guitars & backing vocals
Victor Crusner - Bass & backing vocals / Philip Crusner - Drums
Over the years, albums with two volumes have become a bit more common. The two biggest examples of this include Guns 'N Roses with Use Your Illusion, and Metallica with Load and Reload. Last year, Swedish heavy rock favourites Eclipse released their ninth studio album Megalomanium, which they claimed was their most ambitious album to date. When I heard it, I honestly didn't really hear anything ambitious about, but another collection of songs following the standard Eclipse formula. However, when they announced that they were releasing a second volume of Megalomanium with another 11 songs, I now see where the ambitious claim falls into place. While there may not be anything ambitious in terms of sound or direction, I will say that the second volume is stronger than the first. There are way more hooks and memorable moments to be found here than on the first volume honestly.
If there's one thing that's always flowing in the Eclipse camp, it's the creative juices, proven by their consistent track record of releasing a new album every two years, as well as Erik Martensson writing and recording new music for his other projects too. The guy never sleeps! As a songwriting team, Erik Martensson and Magnus Henrikkson are masters when it comes to crafting infectious melodies and monstrous hooks that will sweep up any crowd from the smallest club to the biggest festival, even if some of them sound rehashed from time to time. I mean, there's no way your blood and adrenaline levels can't get flowing when you hear the stadium-type choruses of tracks like "The Spark", "Falling To My Knees", "All I Want", and "Until The War Is Over". As great of a song as "Apocalypse Blues" is, I feel it should've switched places with either "The Spark" or "Falling To My Knees".
"Still My Hero" is the most personal song, as it's another one written as a tribute to Erik's father, who passed away a decade ago and how he still inspires him to this day. While my own father is thankfully still alive and healthy, I can't help but feel the emotion in the song because my dad is like a brother to me. I won't lie when I say that the song almost made me shed a tear. "Until The War Is Over" is another particular favourite of mine because with the main melody mixed with clean guitars and a flute, it gives it a strong vibe of eastern European folk music. As a result, speaking from my own perspective, it reminds me of some of the classic Serbian folk songs I used to listen to when I was growing up.
Closing out the album is "One In A Million", which is the most epic song on here, and it might just be the best song Eclipse have ever written. With the potent combination of multiple riffs, a stomping groove in the verses and an epic grandiose chorus, coupled with some fast riffing for heaviness and a little double bass in the bridge thrown in for good measure, it feels like a track that summarizes the best elements of Eclipse in one song. Usually songs with so many changing riffs and parts tend to be a bit self-indulgent and hard to keep up with, but as a songwriter, Erik knows where that balance point before it starts getting unreasonable. It's a song that just BEGS to be played live.
As far as flaws are concerned, there aren't really any flaws to be found. Some songs hit better than others, but after taking a slight dip with the first volume of Megalomanium, Eclipse come back swinging and hitting harder with the second volume just a year later than Michael Myers with his knife. There's a reason why Eclipse have been a big influence on my own songwriting. Let me just say that everyone is in for a treat when they hear this record.
If there's one thing that's always flowing in the Eclipse camp, it's the creative juices, proven by their consistent track record of releasing a new album every two years, as well as Erik Martensson writing and recording new music for his other projects too. The guy never sleeps! As a songwriting team, Erik Martensson and Magnus Henrikkson are masters when it comes to crafting infectious melodies and monstrous hooks that will sweep up any crowd from the smallest club to the biggest festival, even if some of them sound rehashed from time to time. I mean, there's no way your blood and adrenaline levels can't get flowing when you hear the stadium-type choruses of tracks like "The Spark", "Falling To My Knees", "All I Want", and "Until The War Is Over". As great of a song as "Apocalypse Blues" is, I feel it should've switched places with either "The Spark" or "Falling To My Knees".
"Still My Hero" is the most personal song, as it's another one written as a tribute to Erik's father, who passed away a decade ago and how he still inspires him to this day. While my own father is thankfully still alive and healthy, I can't help but feel the emotion in the song because my dad is like a brother to me. I won't lie when I say that the song almost made me shed a tear. "Until The War Is Over" is another particular favourite of mine because with the main melody mixed with clean guitars and a flute, it gives it a strong vibe of eastern European folk music. As a result, speaking from my own perspective, it reminds me of some of the classic Serbian folk songs I used to listen to when I was growing up.
Closing out the album is "One In A Million", which is the most epic song on here, and it might just be the best song Eclipse have ever written. With the potent combination of multiple riffs, a stomping groove in the verses and an epic grandiose chorus, coupled with some fast riffing for heaviness and a little double bass in the bridge thrown in for good measure, it feels like a track that summarizes the best elements of Eclipse in one song. Usually songs with so many changing riffs and parts tend to be a bit self-indulgent and hard to keep up with, but as a songwriter, Erik knows where that balance point before it starts getting unreasonable. It's a song that just BEGS to be played live.
As far as flaws are concerned, there aren't really any flaws to be found. Some songs hit better than others, but after taking a slight dip with the first volume of Megalomanium, Eclipse come back swinging and hitting harder with the second volume just a year later than Michael Myers with his knife. There's a reason why Eclipse have been a big influence on my own songwriting. Let me just say that everyone is in for a treat when they hear this record.
FINAL RATING
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