Reviewed by Greg Sammons

Sitting somewhere between symphonic black and gothic progressive metal it's clear that this duo from Hertfordshire wanted to create big sonic landscapes. Imagine if Dimmu Borgir were asked to write the film score for Lord Of The Rings or if Alton Towers asked Turisas to write the tune you listen to whilst waiting in the queue for their newest ride. It's huge, it's epic, it's layered with a rich orchestral score. . . and it's written by two British students! These unlikely lads have enlisted the help of a couple of impressive names, Azahel of Frost Like Ashes and Eugene Dodenhoeft from Far Beyond both lend their vocals with Eugene helping with the mixing and mastering too. The delicate intro for this five track EP takes us into "Warmageddon", featuring a wonderful Latin chant juxtaposed with black metal shrieks. "Immortality" features Spanish guitar and "Anthem For The Brave" provides a haunting encouragement for our Christian walk and includes the narration of Gabriel Neale's dad John. Considering this is their debut Ecthirion's Gabriel and Simon really have landed on their feet with a breathtaking first attempt picked up by Soundmass and rightly applauded by many in the European metal community. Set aside half an hour, stick this in your CD player, sit back, let your mind wander and go on an adventure!

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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