By Albert Mansour
California gothic /progressive metal outfit Echoes of Eternity return with nine new tracks on their second full length album As Shadows Burn. Led by French-Canadian born female singer Francine Boucher, I am sad to report there is not much happening on this album. The record is pretty dull and boring overall, with a style reminiscent of bands such as Delain, Nightwish and Epica, albeit on a lower scale. The band loses a good part of their steam in the second track “A Veiled Horizon,” which has vocals that sound like a carbon copy of Pat Benatar. The album’s final track, the all-instrumental “Funeral in the Sky” leaves me with the same kind of pain I’d imagine you’d get from driving a railroad spike into your ear canal. It’s just not really my thing. Produced By Logan Mader (Divine Heresy, Cavalera conspiracy), if you like your goth/prog to have a softer touch, this might be worth a listen but approach with caution.
(Nuclear Blast)
