Eldritch
Underlying Issues

November 2015
Released: 2015, Scarlet Records
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Metal-Rules.com UK Team

Eldritch is no slouch when it comes to releasing a making music, with this being their tenth album. With it, they bring forth 11 new tracks clocking in at just under 58 minutes. Although they have made this album with more technical prowess and progressive elements than their previous album ‘Tasting The Tears’.



The whole album itself tends to fall into the mid-tempo range, which is usually a staple for bands of the Progressive-Power ilk. This does make the songs have plenty of room to show off the chops of the band members which is always a good thing to hear on an album like this. Although, with most of the songs being in the mid-tempo range, it tends to blend in from song to song on a first listen. The album does lend itself to multiple listens, but this does allow for the album to truly show the fruits of its labor. Case and point is the drumming. Although it never really takes center stage on any of the songs, it does give the sense of technical playing as well as a solid rhythm section for the songs played.



Songs that do truly stand out on the album are Slowmotion K Us (which may have one of the oddest names for a song title), The Light and To the Moon and Back. These songs are the ones that tend to break the mold of the mid-tempo range and stand out on a first listen, but also on repeated listens. If there is one thing that bugged me was the fact that nearly every song has a breakdown before it gets into the solo. After hearing it once or twice in songs it’s nothing to worry about, but when this tactic is used on nearly every song, it gets quite annoying. You would rather just get into the solos instead of these odd breakdowns. The solos, however, are nothing to scoff at as they are all worthwhile and make it a reward to get through the breakdowns on those songs.



The album itself is one that does deserve multiple listens as stated earlier, it does allow the listener to hear everything that’s going on that one listen may not allow. I do feel that if one or two tracks were taken out or cut down, this would be a much better album. An easy pick would be All and More, which tends to be the slowest song with the least memorable chorus on the album. Otherwise, it is hard to argue the talent here as well as many of the other songs that appear on this album.

Eldritch
Underlying Issues

March 2016
Released: 2015, Scarlet Records
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: JP

I always admire a Metal band that can release 10 albums. By my calculations only 1-2% of bands every hit that milestone and Eldritch the progressive Power Metal band has done just that.



After an uncharacteristically quick turn-around time from last years TASTING THE TEARS, the band are back and still with Scarlet Records. Not much has changed although John Crystal has departed to be replaced by ex-Windrose bassist, Alessio Consani. The album cover art is pretty neat, the image tying in with the title nicely although there is no appearance of the bands iconic ‘steel grill’.



After 20 years and ten albums there is not much departure to the signature sound, if anything the album is shade heavier and darker than TASTING THE TEARS. After I started writing my review I realized the good people of our UK division reviewed this album so I’ll keep it short.



Terence’s voice holds up and the riffs are fat and the guitar is nice. Keyboards take a bit of a backseat to some elegant and understated soloing. The album surges along in the mid-tempo range giving it some good heft and strong pace. UNDERLYING ISSUES really no underlying issues that I can complain about making it another recommended Eldritch album in an ever-expanding and respected catalogue.