From the Ashes

There are a countless number of bands that try to mimic the sound laid down by the genre's pioneering artists but end up only sounding like uninspired copies that aren't nearly as good as the original. Eternal Storm is not one of them. Eternal Storm's "From the Ashes" is a solid, powerful, and engaging execution of the melodic death metal sound set by the genre's monoliths At the Gates and In Flames. They deliver a familiar style of melodeath in its full glory, but unlike most bands, their execution of it is on par, and sometimes even surpasses its predecessors. Unfortunately, they're not doing anything new or groundbreaking, but that doesn't stop them from being good quality.

Although executed well, there's not much to say about the album itself unfortunately. This is your typical-yet-interesting Swedish modern melodic death album with ATG and In Flames riffs, acoustic interludes, and powerful drumming and vocal work. Lyrical content is nothing the likes of power metal hasn't already explored with phrases like "Defy! The winds of despair" or "With strength,the fire runs again!". Although all tracks are mostly solid here, "From the Ashes", "Picture in the Dark", and "Grey Skies" are the standouts in this EP. "From the Ashes" is a powerful opener track coming after the calmness of "Unfading Memories", boasting an aggressive verse riff that keeps its excellent, heart-pounding drumming all the way to its chorus with some -core esque but undisruptive breakdowns glittered through. "Picture in the Dark" has song structure that is reminiscent of Amon Amarth with its mid-paced drumming and tremolo picked riffs, along with an super-melodic chorus. Last but not least, "Grey Skies" is probably the best track on this album, which follows closely to the structure of the album's title track, but in a much more aggressive form which makes the album's main tracks end in a bang while leading out into an acoustic ending track.

Overall, I agree with the other reviewers of this album that "Eternal Storm" is not giving us anything new with this release, but I do disagree that this makes them a skippable band. Their execution of this sound alone makes them not necessarily a metal staple, but a worthwhile listen to any hardened fans of melodic death. I recommend this solid display of the modern Gothenburg sound to any fan of the melodic death metal genre who enjoys classics like "Slaughter of the Soul", and I also specifically recommend Arcane Sanctum's "Veritas Odium Parit" and "Fidus Achates" because those albums and "From the Ashes" are very similar in sound, and anyone who likes "From the Ashes" will most likely enjoy the albums.