Reviewed: April 2018
Released: March 23rd, 2018 / Scarlet Records
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Reviewer: John Haseltine
Italy’s premier progressive metal veterans are back with their 11th album to date, CRACKSLEEP. For those who have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of this gem, you wait is obviously over. It has been three years since their last release UNDERLYING ISSUES.
CRACKSLEEP carries along in much of the usual Eldritch fashion. This is a dark yet, atmospheric power metal opus that has been a pleasure to be introduced to. Lyrically, the album is actually a conceptual album based around insomnia. Okay, I can see that there are many ups and downs of such a disorder. I can relate as I too have issues with that old Sandman visiting me as well.
Eldritch’s menacing sound of power fueled progressive metal is mixed just right for me. The tracks are never too drawn out, too melancholy or too fast. A perfect recipe one might say. There are some moments of a twinge of thrash in there as well like in the track “Aberration of Nature”.
Overall CRACKSLEEP is a solid outing by one of the most solid bands of their style. Fans of Dream Theater, Evergrey, and Conception will enjoy Eldritch. As for their current fans, you know that this one already stacks up above the rest.
