Eternal Breath - World Of Chaos
Eternal Breath is a heavy/thrash/melodic power metal band from Belgium. "World Of Chaos" is their second full length album and is released from Sliptrick Records 3 years after their self-released debut album "The Joker". "World Of Chaos" was recorded, produced and mixed during the second half of 2018 in Shellshock Studio (Knokke, Belgium). The thick and up tempo sound of the album can be largely attributed to the mastering work of Attie Bauw who has worked among others with bands like Domain, Epica, Fight, Gorefest, Melechesh, Scorpions, The Gathering (in their "How To Measure A Planet?" 1998 album), Halford (in his excellent "Resurrection" 2000 album) and Judas Priest (in the Grammy nominated and classic metal album "Painkiller" (1990) as well as in their excellent concept album Nostradamus (2008)).
Eternal Breath's songwriting is a solid heavy/thrash metal songwriting that has its roots in the 80's and 90's when this style was glorified and largely spread in the metal world. The band's performance is tight. The guitar work is nice for the genre they serve. It has a bluesy touch at times although remaining in the classic heavy metal to thrash fields. In general, I enjoyed Andy Polfliet physical mid range vocals. His attempts to get to some Halford-esque falsettos are justified by the band's style, but can be technically improved. I think Andy has a very emotional voice and this can be heard on 'Follow Your Dreams'. In my opinion, he can do great things.
What I would love to hear having more flow were the drums. Their sound on the tom drums, especially when rolling, is a bit of digital sounding maybe from over-editing. The snare sounds tight and physical. I would love to listen to the drums improvising a bit and you know "feel it" better. It doesn't always have to be perfect when a human does the job. There just need to be more feeling to it. The bass, although in no protagomistic role, it serves well the rhythm section needs of the band. Lyrically, Eternal Breath deal with everyday life's problems ('Hard Life', 'The Greatest Loss', 'Follow Your Dream', 'Never Surrender') and heavy metal favorite themes ('Need For Speed', 'Fight For Metal', 'Power And Glory').
Getting to the album on a track by track analysis, on the opening track 'My Redemption' I can listen to heavy Judas Priest influences ranking high. The production is clean (thanks to Attie Bauw) leaving the instruments free to breathe in and out during the song. The sound is closer to the dynamics of a thrash metal song. On 'Never Surrender' Metallica "Black" album influences on both riffing and vocal work do appear. The lead guitar work is beautiful with a nice use of the wah pedal. The chorus is memorable and will surely be a sing-along at their live shows. The message of the song is simple, thus effective "No fear, no tear, never give up, never surrender". On 'Fight For Metal', Eternal Breath bring out a feeling that could similarize the ancient, mystical and occult atmosphere Iron Maiden created on their "Piece Of Mind" and "Powerslave" classics. Just listen to the basic riff of the song to get my point. A great song to hear in a live show, I guess.
'Follow Your Dream' is a standout track for me. Possibly my favorite song of the album. In this one, Andy Polfliet voice is mesmerizing and sets you in from the very beginning of the song with the lyrics "Time waits for no one..." sung in an excellent and very emotional way. Later on he continues in the same manner "Spread your wings and fly... Reach out to the sky...". The lyrics of this metal ballad may sound simple or predictable, but they are straight to the point. The song is probably one of the best metal ballads I have listened to over the last years. Bands like Judas Priest, Helloween and Scorpions are all present! 'Follow Your Dream' carries the 70's feel of a classic. After the first half of the song, it breaks out getting faster and heavier only to return to the memorable chorus and close with the acoustic/clean guitar.
'The Greatest Loss' is also a great song. The female vocals used and guest piano performed by Tiffany Veys on this song are of great interest for me. Maybe the female vocals and the piano are elements that should be higher in the band's future agenda and possibly could be embedded in their sound. The orchestration is beautiful and makes out another excellent song!
Conclusively, I think Eternal Breath with their nostalgic approach will appeal to all the people who are into thrash/heavy metal or melodic power metal and bands like Iced Earth, Testament, Judas Priest. They surely did a nice job in "World Of Chaos" and the album has some solid performances and some great songs in it, but I think if the album was a bit shorter, by maybe omitting some filler songs, the result would have been tighter. I am looking forward for their next attack while enjoying maybe for the first time in my life the "World Of Chaos" we live in!
[embed]
Eternal Breath's songwriting is a solid heavy/thrash metal songwriting that has its roots in the 80's and 90's when this style was glorified and largely spread in the metal world. The band's performance is tight. The guitar work is nice for the genre they serve. It has a bluesy touch at times although remaining in the classic heavy metal to thrash fields. In general, I enjoyed Andy Polfliet physical mid range vocals. His attempts to get to some Halford-esque falsettos are justified by the band's style, but can be technically improved. I think Andy has a very emotional voice and this can be heard on 'Follow Your Dreams'. In my opinion, he can do great things.
What I would love to hear having more flow were the drums. Their sound on the tom drums, especially when rolling, is a bit of digital sounding maybe from over-editing. The snare sounds tight and physical. I would love to listen to the drums improvising a bit and you know "feel it" better. It doesn't always have to be perfect when a human does the job. There just need to be more feeling to it. The bass, although in no protagomistic role, it serves well the rhythm section needs of the band. Lyrically, Eternal Breath deal with everyday life's problems ('Hard Life', 'The Greatest Loss', 'Follow Your Dream', 'Never Surrender') and heavy metal favorite themes ('Need For Speed', 'Fight For Metal', 'Power And Glory').
Getting to the album on a track by track analysis, on the opening track 'My Redemption' I can listen to heavy Judas Priest influences ranking high. The production is clean (thanks to Attie Bauw) leaving the instruments free to breathe in and out during the song. The sound is closer to the dynamics of a thrash metal song. On 'Never Surrender' Metallica "Black" album influences on both riffing and vocal work do appear. The lead guitar work is beautiful with a nice use of the wah pedal. The chorus is memorable and will surely be a sing-along at their live shows. The message of the song is simple, thus effective "No fear, no tear, never give up, never surrender". On 'Fight For Metal', Eternal Breath bring out a feeling that could similarize the ancient, mystical and occult atmosphere Iron Maiden created on their "Piece Of Mind" and "Powerslave" classics. Just listen to the basic riff of the song to get my point. A great song to hear in a live show, I guess.
'Follow Your Dream' is a standout track for me. Possibly my favorite song of the album. In this one, Andy Polfliet voice is mesmerizing and sets you in from the very beginning of the song with the lyrics "Time waits for no one..." sung in an excellent and very emotional way. Later on he continues in the same manner "Spread your wings and fly... Reach out to the sky...". The lyrics of this metal ballad may sound simple or predictable, but they are straight to the point. The song is probably one of the best metal ballads I have listened to over the last years. Bands like Judas Priest, Helloween and Scorpions are all present! 'Follow Your Dream' carries the 70's feel of a classic. After the first half of the song, it breaks out getting faster and heavier only to return to the memorable chorus and close with the acoustic/clean guitar.
'The Greatest Loss' is also a great song. The female vocals used and guest piano performed by Tiffany Veys on this song are of great interest for me. Maybe the female vocals and the piano are elements that should be higher in the band's future agenda and possibly could be embedded in their sound. The orchestration is beautiful and makes out another excellent song!
Conclusively, I think Eternal Breath with their nostalgic approach will appeal to all the people who are into thrash/heavy metal or melodic power metal and bands like Iced Earth, Testament, Judas Priest. They surely did a nice job in "World Of Chaos" and the album has some solid performances and some great songs in it, but I think if the album was a bit shorter, by maybe omitting some filler songs, the result would have been tighter. I am looking forward for their next attack while enjoying maybe for the first time in my life the "World Of Chaos" we live in!
[embed]
1. My Redemption
2. Never Surrender
3. Need For Speed
4. Fire
5. Fight For Metal
6. Follow Your Dream
7. Power And Glory
8. Hard Life
9. The Greatest Loss
10. Revenge
11. Y.P.M.O
2. Never Surrender
3. Need For Speed
4. Fire
5. Fight For Metal
6. Follow Your Dream
7. Power And Glory
8. Hard Life
9. The Greatest Loss
10. Revenge
11. Y.P.M.O
