Live Review : Eye of Solitude/Marche Funebre/Betraeus/Reign of Perdition, Satans Hollow, Manchester, UK, 30.01.2014

Seeing a band at Satans Hollow is something I had never done. The circular dance floor that is usually reserved for the immensely popular club nights was transformed into the stage, and helped provide a intimate surrounding in the middle of the clubs hellish decor.

Reign of Perdition kicked off proceeding's to the gathering crowd. The three piece played a short but devastating set that had a good mix of styles with some tremendously harsh vocals throughout.

Manchester's Betraeus ploughed through their set with great swagger and a sound which tested the limits of the foundations of Satan's Hollow. The onslaught of their set was punctuated by much more harmonic and melodic moments which provided some respite amongst a mass of buzz saw riffs. This mixed with some great soloing, made for a great set.

Belgium's Marche Funebre took things to a far deeper level than the opening duo of bands. The riffs altered between tempos that were slow and crushing, to more death metal style territory. The vocals strayed between an exultant shriek and a guttural roar. Unfortunately the band were a member down for the evening but this did not detract from the power of the band.

Eye of Solitude took the stage dressed the part; another notch on the rack for the grandeur that the band possesses. Throughout their set, in support of their latest record, Canto III, the band treat the audience to an emotional journey through dense riffs, slow tempos and earth shudderingly deep vocals. Whilst the louder/heavier parts of the bands compositions are utterly devastating, the band has a knack for using more harmonic tones to create an uncomfortable mood. The cover mount sticker on the bands latest release lauds them as the finest UK intense orchestral doom/death metal band. It's hard to disagree with this statement based on the show that the band put on.

The only downside of the evening was the size of the crowd. On a night when there were several other metal shows on in Manchester, it seemed this one got pushed to the side. That being said, the privileged crowd got treated to four bands who gave their all for the show.

Finally, thank you to Andy at Deathwave for being a thoroughly nice chap and for putting together a great bill.

Words by : Dominic Walsh

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Eye Of Solitude - Canto III (Album Review)

Album Type :  Full Length

Date Released :  25/11/2013

Label : Kaotoxin Records

Canto III, album track listing :

1). Act I: Between Two Worlds (Occularis Infernum) 14:08

2). Act II: Where the Descent Began 10:19

3). Act III: He Who Willingly Suffers 13:02

4). Act IV: The Pathway Had Been Lost 08:50

5). Act V: I Sat in Silence 10:40

6). Act VI: In the Desert Vast 08:56

The Band :

Daniel Neagoe | Vocals

Indee Rehal –Sagoo | Guitars

Chris Davies | Bass

Adriano Ferraro | Drums

Mark Antoniades | Guitars

Pedro Caballero Clemente | Keyboards

Review :

Any band that divides their tracks on an album up into 'acts' has grandeur on their minds.

Eye of Solitude's Canto III certainly has more than an element of grandeur to it. Act I: Between Two Worlds (Occularis Infernum) opens with a synth led section before a wall of guitars grabs you by the jugular and repeatedly batters you in the abdomen, and quickly into submission. The whole track is unrelenting in its delivery. The doom/black elements are superb and become a permanent fixture of an epic record.

Act II: Where The Descent Began, picks up where Act I left; crushing and uncompromising. The mid part of the track has a particularly haunting section which is backed by the sound of crackling middle section that simmers excellently. When the section ends, the blast beat drumming and snarling vocal take the track to black metal territory. It is furious and bludgeoning. The track closes with a doomier segment with more guttural vocals that are despairing and claustrophobic which really show the Act's name off; a descent into some extremely dark place.

Act III: He Who Willingly Suffers shows the band opening with a melancholy piano section before a riff so heavy and slow it makes you wince. Over the riff is a higher pitched guitar that offers some, just some, light. A haunting, lone voice and the same melancholy piano line makes up the middle section of the track before being bookended by another horrifically heavy ending, punctuated by a great solo and some more great blasts on the drums.

Act IV of the album starts in more upbeat fashion with another dense wall of guitars but a more standard drum beat. Again the track breaks for more despair with the vocals reaching new levels with a near weep. The solo on this track is a lonely one that enhances the weeping nature of the vocals.

The album closes out with the final two acts following the same path. Act V has a mantra like vocal to really bringing the title; I Sat In Silence, to life. This track is one where the bass seems to have more of an impact in the mix of the album too. Again, this shows some good variation. The mix of drum, bass and soaring solo elevates the track towards the end.

The final act of the album; In The Desert Vast, opens with a quicker pace. The music towards the end of the track feels vast and sprawling. In keeping with the albums tone, a suitably cinematic ending is signalled by a less than cheery piano.

Lengthy albums are sometimes hard work. This album won’t be for some people, but if you like long, doomy epic stories told through heavier than hell music, this is for you. It would seem like an endurance test, however Eye of Solitude manage to break things up with different facets to their sound which make the album more interesting than arduous.

Words by : Dominic Walsh

You can buy it here

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