Worship Metal Album Of The Week – Eclipse – Monumentum

Source // Eclipse - Momentum

The 80’s were great weren’t they! Hair was big, metal bands were bigger and cheesy, fist-pumping melodic rock/metal was king! Do you miss it? Do you long for the days of big songs, drenched in synths, sung with passion and not one ounce of shame?

Well, pine no longer as Swedish 80’s metal-lovin’ kings Eclipse are here to scratch that three decades old itch with an outstanding collection of songs. With plenty of “Woah, Oh, Oh, Oh” moments, with Monumentum pure pleasure abounds. You know the drill; lighters (or fuckin’ phones) in the air, arms aloft, mile-wide grins and a sense of fun that’s still laced with enough grit to make this ‘metal’….it’s all here and it’s all delivered with serious aplomb.

Opener “Vertigo” is a high-octane blast of pure melodic metal while “For Better For Worse” and “Night Comes Crawling” let loose with huge vocals, chugging riffs and a sense of grandeur and ambition often lost in today’s scene.

“Hurt” is so Bon Jovi, that Jon Bon himself will be pissed he didn’t write it himself and it’s the kind of foot-stomping, elaborate gesturing, perfectly pompous rock ballad that makes women wet in the knickers area and men feel like poodle-haired lothario’s who could give mid 80’s David Coverdale  a run for his money!

The best is saved for last however. Epic closer, “Black Rain” goes balls-out heavy, unleashing the kind of keyboard-backed thunder that ruled the 80’s airwaves. Featuring scorching solo’s, a catchy as hell chorus and oodles of atmosphere, it’s a seriously top, top tune that anyone with a love for the cream of 80’s hair metal bands will instantly adore!

Featuring cheesy lyrics about running like a bullet train, and something else about hurricanes, just adds to the charm and alongside Europe, Coldspell and their ilk, Eclipse are fearlessly channelling the 80’s without once sounding passé. Just like a solar eclipse, these guys are blindin’. 8/10