AN NCS PREMIERE: ESCHATON — “HELLFIRE’S WOE”

cover artwork by Dave Melvin

(written by Islander)

Here we have a lineup that looks mighty impressive on paper and screens. To quote from Transcending Obscurity Records:

Technical death metal band Eschaton return after a gap of six years with a reinvigorated, star-studded line-up that undoubtedly elevates their sound to hitherto unexplored heights. They have none other than Christian Münzner formerly of Obscura and Necrophagist accompanying the band founder Josh Berry on guitars. For the vocals, they have enlisted the services of Mac Smith of Apogean and Abyssalis, and for the bass, they have brought on Scott Bradly from Inanimate Existence, while Darren Cesca of Pillory and formerly in Deeds of Flesh and Arsis continues to hold down the fort on drums.

Yes indeed, very impressive. That description might remind people (of a certain age) of a line from the movie The Dirty Dozen, in which Donald Sutherland’s pretend-general reviews ranks of well-dressed troops and comments to their commanding officer, “Very pretty, Colonel, very pretty, but can they fight?” We shall see….

…and in fact we shall see today, because we’re premiering a song from Eschaton‘s new album Techtalitarian (a title that hits the nail on the head) in advance of its May 30 release from the aforesaid Transcending Obscurity.

Of course, many of you have already seen, because three other songs from the album have already premiered, so we’re left kind of horizontally hanging on to the back of a musical bullet train that’s left the station and is already moving at top speed.

In “Hellfire’s Woe” Eschaton do move damned fast. Even in the song’s symphonic intro phase a classically influenced piano performance ripples rapidly, and then, when the song-proper kicks off with a big grunt all those star-studded names show their stuff in eye-popping fashion.

As the vocals quickly tag-team between monster growls and hair-raising screeches, the fretwork and drum patterns deliriously cavort. The exultant interplay of crystalline-toned guitars is particularly magical, but everything that happens is head-spinning, including the overflowing cornucopia of wild guitar machinations, the ever-riotous percussive adventures, the sudden starts and stops, and the swift changes in tempo.

The addition of quick piano arpeggios is also a very nice touch that calls back to the intro, and, as if the spectacle weren’t spectacular enough, soaring choral voices near the end make it even more glorious.

Probably needless to say, as dazzling (and even bizarre) as the individual performances are, they’re machine-precise in the way they lock together while spinning like a top. But necessary to say, this isn’t a blinding gale-force blizzard of notes and beats: Meticulous care in the music’s elaborate construction is quite evident, because so many of the musical motifs prove to be as catchy as they are mind-boggling, and thus it’s a very memorable escapade, not the kind of one-and-done thing churned out by a lot of tech-death bands whose songcraft isn’t in the same league as their performance skills.

So, yes, they can fight.

In case you haven’t caught up to those three previously released songs from the album — “Blood of the People“, “Devour the Contrarian“, and “Antimatter” — you’ll find videos for them below. Also below, you’ll find links to all of T.O.‘s many offerings for the album and a way to follow Eschaton‘s future activities.

PRE-ORDER:
https://eschaton-label.bandcamp.com/album/techtalitarian
http://transcendingobscurity.aisamerch.com/
http://eu.tometal.com/

ESCHATON:
http://facebook.com/eschatonmetal