The Eternal Dance

The first thing that caught my attention here was the stunning cover artwork. What a beauty! However, it’s mostly about the music and I am glad to say that “The Eternal Dance” being the second full length by Netherlands based doomsters Façade is a fantastic slab of intense and captivating metal.

The basis of the music is a viscous stream of very raw and filthy riffs accompanied by a stoic but absolutely crushing rhythm section. The guitars are thick and the main chords have a dark and very moody undertone which is underlined by the melancholic and hypnotic lead sections. The harmonies have a slightly depressive and bleak feeling but are really fascinating at the same time. After some consecutive spins the listener realizes that those riffs and subtle melodies had an impact he did not realize during the first listening session.

The main-tempo is one of a crawling zombie but there are some “speedier” parts ramping up the intensity. The song-writing is polished so that the single parts are always merged into fascinating songs and all tracks together form one piece of dark art. There is nothing really hooky or catchy on the surface but that does not mean that the music is overly complex. The instrumentation is on point with each song having small and very clever details making the music never sound too boring or samey which is always a risk when it comes to that kind of metal and average song lengths from 10+ minutes.

While the backbone of the music is firmly rooted in what is defined as modern (mainly Scandinavian) doom/death metal Facade do not shy away from implementing elements from other genres. Some haunting blackish harmonies can be found here as well as parts that have more of a hard rock and even slightly bluesy vibe. Small hints of stoner metal have been subtly woven into the overall sound without disturbing the whole picture by completely sounding out of place.

The production underlines the thick and forceful nature. The sound is crushingly heavy with a flawless mix that does not bury any of the small details despite the crunchy power of the guitars. The vocals are raw and brutal fitting like a glove and delivered with a lot of intensity. Overall “The Eternal Dance” is a not an album that can be consumed as background music. If you are in the right mood this record will draw you into its dark and eerie world and won’t let you go before the last second is played.

The Dutch doom formation, Façade, present their sophomore album called The Eternal Dance. This band has recently gained a lot of international attention from various metal e-zines all over the world. All the more reason to delve into the new record and find out why these metal e-zines are praising this album so much.

The album itself tells a story of the various cycles of life. It features the Hindu goddess Kali, who's role in mythology is that of both a mother goddess as well as a bringer of destruction. The album title was inspired by the idea that our lives, our ideas, and all the things that surround us are just small motions in a larger movement: a never ending dance that is the Universe. One motion ends, but a new one follows up to continue the dance. One life ends, but a new life is born. Each song on the album represents a phase in that cycle, both lyrically as well as musically. It starts heavy and energetic, and gradually moves into a more sluggish, dragging kind of vibe.

And boy, do they deliver! The first song, Unmade, starts with a very high level of atmosphere by using long, extended notes and minimalistic guitar riffing with a lot of effects on top. It spells a certain doom and gloom, but is somewhat calming at the same time. The tension is slowly building and around the 3 minute mark, vocalist Ben de Graaff can be heard for the first time. His hoarse style of deathgrowls sound really well when combined with the heavy guitars, the slow but bombastic drums and the overal soundscape. A very intense listening experience, but one that I truly recommend. One thing that also stands out in this track, is the subtle changes in the various layers and the extremely smooth transition between those layers. This is really well executed and definitely displays a high level of craftsmanship.

During the following songs (and cycles), the intensity drops a little, but the atmosphere and melancholy rises. With songs that have an average length of ten minutes, it is usually very difficult to have the listener's full and undivided attention, but with the subtle changes and very smooth transitions, Façade is able to reach just that! Also helping with this pleasant listening experience is the solid production: it's very clear and well filled. There are no gaps or unbalanced parts found in any of the songs, which is quite an achievement, considering they've done all editing, mixing and mastering themselves.

The stomping, drone-like Ego is definitely one of the most brutal songs on the album. Heavy guitar-and bass riffs blast through the speakers, the vocals sound grim and dark and there's even a (mini) blast beat played by Korijn van Golen. One of the most catchiest riffing occurs at the start of the song, Death. Long, nearly resonating chords (played in a way that Devin Townsend would do) start the epic journey and are later joined by the bass guitar and drums. With a beautiful, warm sound, the track carries the listener to a state of relaxation and melancholy at the same time. Definitely a favorite!

The last track is also one worth mentioning: Moksha. This track becomes instantly memorable by a speech that is given by 20th century zen philosopher Alan Watts, taken from a lecture about his thoughts on death. It's a captivating speech and immediately draws my attention. The instruments are really minimalistic during this speech, but once Alan is finished talking, all the instruments kick into overdrive and deliver a heavy and intense blow.

I completely understand now why the sophomore album, The Eternal Dance, gets so much attention from all over the world. It's such a solid record for those who enjoy doom/death of the highest level and the album also has a very strong storyline. Façade is definitely one of those bands to keep a close eye on, as I'm almost certain that great things will come their way very soon!