Review by Tomek on July 31, 2013.

Argentina. Till I checked the net I couldn’t really remember any bands that come from down there. I can’t believe I was forgetting so many great names that created so many great titles. I have to find time to dig few of them out and spend some time properly headbanging to all of them. But right now let’s concentrate and steer our attention into a direction of Mortuorial Eclipse and their debut album “The Aethyrs’ Call”.

From the very beginning passion, anger and darkness are oozing from every composition on this album. What could be loosely described as relentless assault of Blackened Death Metal heavily soaked with orchestrations and topped with ferocious vocals is just a bunch of words in comparison to what happens here. It isn’t a new combination by any means and I don’t think they aimed for that but it’s done well and with a lot of thought put into it. Let’s take lyrics for example. Instead of using verse/chorus formula that plague most of the releases in the genre, what we have here are more invocations of ancient spirits, Babylonian spells summoning the darkness and calling out ancient gods. Mysticism entwined with archaic themes and then mixed with extremes of sound.

Recipe that those guys came up with seems quite simple. Combine majestic orchestrations with dynamic and diverse guitar work, add rumbling bass, have vocalist scream his soul out, do it in every song on the album and you’re gonna have an album that is full of power, aggression and chaos which are compulsory considering the length of most of the songs. Very much is happening guitar-wise on this album and it’s very rich and exposed so there is no need to stick your ear to the speaker. Energetic and masterfully played with breakdowns and occasional solos guitars create devilish moods and twists. Orchestra driven atmospheres are also ever-present on this recording creating grandiose theatrical aura, bringing the whole album close to a symphonic opus. It moves the album a little bit into a soundtrack territory, but it is eerie and evil sounding and it raises overall feeling of the album a notch up. That album is one monstrous beast and there is no way really to point to any particular songs, but if I had to - I would choose ‘At The Gates Of The Marduk’s Shrine’ and ‘Orion’s Progeny’ which somehow stuck in my mind a little more than the others.

“The Aethyrs’ Call” is an album that needs to be listened loud. Some of the most intriguing parts come to the surface when volume is past eleven, but also because recording sounds a little muddy. It could be deliberate, could be accidental, but in times of digital recording - very noticeable. It did not bother me at all and this album is one of my favorite albums in the last couple of months, but I figured that it needs to be said. Nonetheless I recommend this one to anyone with a fix for some fresh and interesting Symphonic Black Metal.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 9
Production: 7
Originality: 7
Overall: 8

Rating: 8 out of 10