ETERNAL FEAR – Killing Time (CD)

Swedish metallurgists Eternal Fear presents their fifth release, this time mixed by Blaze Bailey guitarist Steve Ray, and I do think this is the band’s best product when it comes to the production. The band mixes influences from classic heavy metal with touches of both Manowar, Metallica, Maiden and even some Falconer. It’s heavy and crushing, but Ove Johnsson’s vocals are neither your traditional high pitch power metal style, nor the Metallica style grunting. He’s somewhere in-between, melodic enough to attract the power metal fans and rough enough to attract the metal fans. Musically it’s sort of the same thing. Heavy enough, yet melodic enough. Songs like Black Country even verges on thrash but the vocals keep it on the metal side of the border. Killing Time takes it to Trouble territory, almost a bit doomy, while Halls Of Odin screams folk metal, a bit like Falconer meets Sabaton but with good vocals. A good piece of Swedish steel that should attract fans of… well… metal!

Janne Stark

Year: 2017

Country: Sweden

Label: private

ETERNAL FEAR - Embraced In Darkness (CD)

Swedish doom influenced rockers Eternal Fear did really good on their previous release, Evil Deeds, released in 2007. Now the follow-up, Embraced In Darkness is here. The line-up is still the same and style as well. The production on the new album is a bit coarser, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. When comparing it to its predecessor it feels a bit more rough and primitive, but after listening a while it sinks in and I really like the live-feel of it and the classic right-left stereo-panned guitars. However the song material, which was strong already on the last album, is a notch stronger. I really like the combination of the heavy riffs and singer Ove’s clear and clean voice. A band I can’t help comparing to, both sound and stylewise, is Trouble during their early days. Especially the title track with the classic harmony guitars, Piece Of Me with its Children Of The Grave style rhythm and heavy rocker Beast Within. The guitars does sound a lot like vintage Trouble as well. I shall however admit, I do like Ove’s vocals better than Eric Wagner’s raspy voice. His vocal style (not so much the vocal tone as the vocal style) reminds me of a young Bobby Liebling (Pentagram), which I definitely like. Great arrangements, great variation of the song material, cool feel and a damn fine album indeed! Definitely well worth investing in and enjoying!

Janne Stark

Country: Sweden

Year: 2011

Label: private

Link: http://www.myspace.com/eternalfearmetal