Eternal Of Sweden - Heaven's Gate (2015)

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Eternal Of Sweden - Heaven's Gate (2015)

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Swedish melodic metal band Eternal (of Sweden) is back in business with the new thundering album Heaven’s Gate. The tracks on the album will take you on a journey through the best of the best in todays metal. From the roaring power-metal tracks Ruins and The purity inside to the more progressive Burning with pride and the emotional track Angel, we promise that if, whether you like old classic Metal or the modern dark side of it, you won’t be able to resist it. It’s an album raging with power and energy and carries the heritage from bands such as Nocturnal Rites and Pretty Maids.

~ phonofile.link

Returning after their 2012 album ‘Chapter 1’, Eternal (of Sweden) is back with the release of ‘Heaven’s Gate’. The five piece Scandinavian melodic metallers have been busy crafting their sound and style over the past three years developing what they had on their debut album. Those that heard ‘Chapter 1’ found Eternal to be a band that appealed to metal fans on a lot of different levels, from crunching head banging riffs, catchy melodies and straight up power metal. There were a number of excellent tracks to be found on the last offering, so have they been able to deliver something equal or better with ‘Heaven’s Gate’?

Kick-starting this ten track record is ‘Ruins’ a heavy introduction to this album which comes with all the elements that marks an excellent power metal anthem. After a synthesiser/keys intro, the drums kick in heralding a crunching guitar riff from Bjorn Andersson. The soaring vocals of Christer Gards give the track the kind of operatic edge that one would expect from Swedish melodic metal, especially when combined with the keyboard and guitar harmonies. Moving swiftly into the title track the band delivers the same hard hitting sound as the opener. There is no let up from the crunching riffs and pounding drums from Pelle Hinden, the use of string pads throughout give the track a real melodic weight.

‘Surrounded By Shadows’ is a shift in gear with regards to tempo. Eternal presents a fast paced synth led track with an extremely catchy vocal line in the chorus. The guitar solo is excellently crafted and much like the chorus is very catchy and hummable. ‘Angel’ provides a real stand out moment on ‘Heaven’s Gate’ with Gards showing off his excellent vocal range. This track is full of emotive passion whilst at the same time still being a full on metal number. With echoes of Yngwie Malmsteen ‘Evil Dance’ delivers an epic punch. The solid rhythm section of Hinden and Anders Sandstrom (bass) provides an excellent anchor for the keyboard work of Pontus Lekaregard and the interplay of the colossal vocals and guitar. With an extremely catchy chorus coupled with the head-banging riffs ‘Evil Dance’ really sets itself apart.

With ‘Heaven’s Gate’ Eternal have managed to deliver an excellent album. There are aspects of the metal genre that will appeal to many fans across the spectrum. With the likes of the opening track and ‘The Purity Inside’ there is all the harnessed power metal aggression that one could hope for, coupled with all the overblown pomp and circumstance that is part and parcel of melodic metal but executed brilliantly by the band. Soaring operatic vocals and precision musicianship give the music a grand edge on tracks such as ‘Freedom Now’ and ‘Evil Dance’ yet at the same time remaining extremely catchy, whilst the emotionally charged ‘Angel’ highlights the many levels that Eternal can achieve. Hopefully there will be much more to come from these guys and equally hopefully we won’t have to wait another three years to hear it!

~ Phil Cooper, Uber Rock

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Eternal Of Sweden - Heaven's Gate (2015)

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Eternal Of Sweden - Heaven's Gate (2015)

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Eternal Of Sweden - Heaven's Gate (2015)

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