Ewigkeit
Radio Ixtlan
6.5
What to make of this record? It is mid paced, keyboardy, and a bit drab. It has a certain oomph, though. I really don’t know what “style” it is. It’s a tad industrial, a tad doom, a tad black. The vocals go from blackened scratchy to hollowed out clean, distant vocals. The drums sound like a machine, which they might be. This seems to be a one man operation, but as I scanned the website I found pictures of drummers and stuff. The band has a “live” line up, which suggests it’s a solo deal. It does sound like one man’s effort, a basement job. I just can’t tell if it’s on purpose or not.
Not that it matters in the end. The production of this record is what gives it the drabness. The drums are so canned that it almost sounds like they are a child’s drum synth, the kind my son had when he was three, built into a toy keyboard. The guitars have a fairly heavy sound, but they do not blend with the drums well.
The songs are a mixed bag. The underlying ideas are very good, sometimes. Sometimes less good. When you find yourself getting into an idea, the idea floats away and is replaced by something that makes you want the original idea back again. The production distracts so much, though that it’s hard to decide if you would like the music otherwise. The theme may or may not be based on Carlos Castaneda’s Journey to Ixtlan, but some of the in between soundscapes suggest it might. If so it’s all far over my head.
I don’t think I can recommend it to the general metal populace. It’s not a bad record but it’s got a lot of issues that it needs to overcome. If you like out of the way records by people with potential, this might be for you. I know I spent the entire time imagining how I would have done things had this been my recording. I DO believe there is a very good record in Ewigkeit, and I will be keeping an eye on this guy/band’s releases. For now, purchase only with my misgivings.
Related
EwigkeitConspiritus
9/29/2005