Eucharist
A Velvet Creation

July 2002
Released: 1993, Wrong Again Records
Rating: 4.7/5
Reviewer: El Cid

Hidden Gem Selection

Eucharist’s debut A VELVET CREATION is one of those albums that seems so different to everything you’ve heard but so akin to everything you love that you need to have it close to you. That’s my sentiments for this masterpiece from the Eucharist camp.



Though rawer than MIRRORWORLDS in both production and musical composition, A VELVET CREATION is still a masterpiece all on its own. This is a major guitar album, some of the most creative melody lines I have ever heard are contained herein. Daniel Erlandsson’s creative drumming is also a driving force that helps Eucharist move forth in their debut.



What makes this CD so great is the unashamed emotions that are woven into a beautiful pattern that remains heavily charged at all times. The emotions in this musical masterpiece are extremely realistic and thus the intense fury that is conveyed through the music is complemented perfectly by the listener’s own reactions to this huge emotional attack. What being legitimate when you write your music permits, is that even through all of Eucharist’s tempo changes the music is varied but the intensity is constant. This is what makes this album so interesting.



A VELVET CREATION reminds me a lot of In Flames’ debut album LUNAR STRAIN. Though you can compare both albums to what followed and realize that both THE JESTER RACE and MIRRORWORLDS are much more focused and refined than LUNAR STRAIN and A VELVET CREATION, you can’t deny the quality of both debuts and notice the progression from one thing to another.



I must tell you, this album is a lost treasure and you’re very unlikely to find it without some effort, but like its successor, it’s worth every cent you pay for it, every minute you spend looking for it and any amount of anything you spend looking for it. I guarantee when you find it, you will wish there was a new Eucharist album coming out.



Choice cuts: “Into the Cosmic Sphere” (****), “A Velvet Creation” (*****)