ELDRITCH: Blackenday

Cover	Release	Style
	2007-04-20	melodic US style thrash metal
	Label
	www.limb-music.de / www.hardlifepromotion.nl / www.suburban.nl
	Website
	www.eldritchweb.com
	Contact
	-
	Playing Time	Cat. N°
	51:07	LMP 0704-100 CD / SPV 79392 CD
	Review by / Translated by	Rating
	Vera	8/10
nederlands	Review
I do not understand what the Italian musicians (with American singer) of Eldritch do wrong for being slaughtered in the press by some reviewers. Okay, we cannot call the mostly on American Bay Area thrash based metal of this quintet extremely original, but why do many of those Helloween imitating bands get a judgement of being fresh and fizzy, while this would not appeal to fans of a proper portion US thrash? This is pretty high level quality in a sure-fire production. I enjoyed all the previous Eldritch albums and the predecessor ‘Neighbourhell’ even made it to my album of the month in March 2006. And also ‘Blackenday’ – in the meantime their seventh studio album – brings me in a joyful mood. An acoustic guitar intro is followed by tight thrash riffs in ‘Silent Flame’, but the song also includes a fine distorted guitar solo. Very thrash-like and graced with a flashing solo is ‘The Deep Sleep’. ‘The Blackened Day’ where they have made a videoclip for, is more trailing and mid-paced. It is sung in a drawling way by vocalist Terence Holler and this calmer way of singing is used in more songs. It adds a grunge kind of feel. Anyway it all comes down on having any reminiscence with American metal like Metallica, Annihilator and Coroner, while the progressive influences have become negligible. The rebellious ‘Why’ keeps up a proper velocity, just as the heavy hacking ‘Black Rain’ that leaps to the eye by its roaring choirs and heavy rough vocals. A fluttering, lingering guitar solo isn’t missing either. The guitar tandem existing of Eugene Simone and Rob “Peck” Prioetti is once again at its best. In the power ballad ‘Broken Road’ they got some assistance of Ray Alder and Nicholas Van Dyk (Fates Warning, Redemption). One can even hear some industrial influences in ‘The Fire’, but also many passages with grunge-alike calmer vocals in the next tracks. Nevertheless with enough heaviness by mauling riffs and melodic guitar leads. This is once again a meritorious album of Eldritch. They will be present at the first Scandinavian edition of ProgPower this year in Copenhagen. The limited edition includes three bonus tracks and the videoclip of ‘The Blackened Day’.
Musicians
Terence Holler: vocals Eugene Simone: guitars Rob “Peck” Prioetti: guitars John Crystal: bass Dave Simeone: drums Guests on ‘Broken Road’: Ray Alder (Fates Warning, Redemption, Engine) and Nicholas Van Dyk (Redemption)
Tracklist
Silent Flame (4:47) The Deep Sleep (3:23) The Blackened Day (4:47) Why (3:38) Black Rain (3:29) Broken Road (4:53) Rumors (5:29) Frozen (4:28) The Child That Never Smiles (3:23) The Fire (3:45) Shallow Water Flood (4:32) Never Dawn (4:20)
Discography


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