Eternal

I’m sure a part of the following analysis is partially because they share the same name, but on their debut album (and in their demos), In Solitude from Portugal are like if Paradise Lost went a bit more towards power metal after recording Draconian Times. A combination of soaring solos, subtly complex rhythms and moody compositions all lend themselves to an interesting sort of gothic power metal sound. It doesn’t always hit a home run; however, when it does, it results in some banner fuckin’ good slabs of powerful gothic-tinged metal.

Really, when it all comes together, like in “Heart of Thorns” (which is the best song Unto Others never wrote, and it even comes with a damn slick solo at the end), “Winds of No Return”, “In Purple Skies” and “Children of the Dark”, it’s an utterly enthralling experience. The melodies may come across rather simply, but Sousa definitely knows his way around his fretboard. So, when he doesn’t throw out a moody guitar lead or a flashy solo, he’s got all these trad riffs with a keen emphasis on that downtrodden path and he’s putting that shit front and center. “Winds of No Return” showcases his sheer riffcraft the best with some rather hard hitters, although “Heart of Thorns” has him throwing out these notes like they’re going out of style. Yet it’s still contained within a more simplistic framework, as to convey that gothic vibe, but not without sacrificing the riffs’ power. The synths throughout the album, as well as Martins’ vocals (and the duets he has with guest vocalist Monica in “Winds of No Return” and “In Purple Skies”), convey a more dour landscape, but the magic of the album is in Sousa’s guitar-work. Not just with the riffs, but also the effective use of the leads to further convey that mood. I guess his solos are often a bit out of place as they are more flashy and virtuosic than moody, but ehh, let him have it – the solos are like that moment of hope amidst the gruff bleakness of the surrounding music. It even ends on those, like everything’s going to be alright!

At the same time, when the songs don’t have it all coming together for one reason or another, it does show the limitations of the sound they’re going for. It’s not to say that they’re bad songs – like, if “Ethereal Dream” tightened up its pacing, it’d be a great moody yet heavy song, yet it fucking drags in its current form. Its liberal use of synths gives it a fully convincing vibe that generally gets you to vibe with them, but the riffs lack the power to amplify them. Likewise, the other songs have this one killer part – a lead that’s as dreary as all get out, for instance – or this one really good idea that adds to songs that are merely fairly good. But what stops songs like “A Dream Within Me” and “My Daisy” from hitting the heights hit by “Winds of No Return” and “In Purple Skies” is an overall less compelling composition. The difference between the overlong “Ethereal Dream” and the actual ethereal dream “Horizons Loss” is the former having some genuine Paradise Lost-esque sections that don’t fit together, while the latter is a ballad whose synths, clean guitar lines and vocals send you off on a journey. I know I said the guy could string out some great fucking riffs; that his Midas touch gave Eternal life. The problem, however, is when Sousa isn’t belting out riffs like he means it, or when he just settles on a lazier riff and the song ends up not nearly as enjoyable nor memorable as a result.

It leaves Eternal in an interesting position because its best songs – particularly the ridiculously catchy “Winds of No Return” with hooks out the ass, and “Horizons Loss” for leaning the hardest on their gothic influence to create a perfectly downtrodden ballad – elevate it to a rather high level. First class, even! But the other songs keep it mired in second stringiness. It’s just one of those deals where half the album’s good but nothing special outside of like one bit, and the other half’s like Moonspell freebasing adrenaline and I wanted more of that but you know, it’s what it is. At any rate, this is certainly a good album and will satisfy the curiosity of anybody who’s here because they share the same name as the other, more well known In Solitude from Sweden.