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Band: The Eternal Fall
Album title: MM-MMXII
Release date: 20 April 2012
Label: AF-music
Spain must have it's prime representative for gothic rock and dark wave in The Eternal Fall, I suppose. The band is active since 2000 and have released nine albums so far, and if you don't know them yet and you love melancholic goth music then shame on you. The Eternal Fall are actually one man band now, as the mastermind Sol is doing everything by himself, he has only one live member helping him for that purpose. But please, don't get to enthusiastic, because this is not a new studio album from The Eternal Fall, but kind of collection of their songs that are often presented on their live shows and having a certain groove in them. As the title of this compilation reveals, we will witness to songs from the bands beginning in 2000 till now.
If you are among those who haven't heard The Eternal Fall music yet, let me explain that the whole atmosphere around their music is deeply anchored in the chilly waters of what The Cure were doing on albums Pornography, Faith and on some of their earlier releases. Of course it's not that simple, because there are a lot of other musical supplements from dark wave and classic gothic rock in the vein of The Sisters Of Mercy, Nosferatu and even, more melancholic early Love Like Blood. Melancholia and sadness are obvious feelings present in the songs, sometimes giving some resemblance even to Clan Of Xymox or Ikon.Though don't be misleaded by the names that I wrote, because The Eternal Fall are offering the sound that is somehow unique and yet modern anyway, but the influence from those bands is also evident. Each of those songs can be counted as something better inside this genre regarding everything that was done in last ten years. Once you get into the special atmosphere of "Dead Dream" from their last double album Emptiness released in 2010/2011 you get druged with it's special gloomy guitar catchiness and dark, clean picturesque vocals from Sol. Then "Dead Man Alive" from album A Part Dies released back in 2008 with the start where some distorted vocals are used and later powerful approach really deserves multiple listens, just like "The Scar" where you can almost feel someones pain . Use of special electronics in some songs adds kind of mystical veil and the use of electronic drum beats, together with moving rhytmic section that danceable feeling. I'm always impressed by the song "Salvation" taken from album Alone, where female vocals are used in the background constituting with one more sonic dimension to the overall ambiance. This is the song that has nothing to hide before the greatest gothic rock hits and it's not the only one. "Just With You" from the same album builds upon the riff in an early Fields Of The Nephilim like guitar sounding style and everybody who found Robert Smith still too happy on "One Hundred Years" should try this one. Dark wave touches are present almost everywhere, but most noticeable in a rather psychedelic "Frustration" and in slow but vocally strong "Into A Dream". This compilation closes with the oldest song up here, possible club hit "I Fed Up" from The Sadness released in 2004, where electronics and drumbeats make this song almost synthpop or EBM like.
Pretty impressive compilation of fifteen tracks, although I missed something from their first album released in 2002 and from The Ninth Sphere released in 2007. Nice front cover somehow reminded me to the artwork of Fields Of The Nephilim album The Nephilim. Even if you own everything that this band released so far it's a good thing to have this compilation as it offers a nice selection of songs on one place, but if you are new to The Eternal Fall then this is a right start to get into their music. Still, beware, this is not music for sunny days, but for late fall and cold depressive winter time.
Review written by: T.V.
Rating: N/A
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