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Timegate Anathema

    
       
       
       
     
             
Eternal Silence are a symphonic power metal band from Italy formed in 2008, releasing their first three albums over a prolific four year period between 2013 and 2017 - 'Raw Poetry' (2013), 'Chasing Chimera' (2015), and 'Mastermind Tyranny' (2017). The bands sound is characterized by dual vocals - female and male - courtesy of Marika Vanni and Alberto Cassina. Eternal Silence have toured all over Europe, sharing a stage with the likes of Temperance and Therion, and performed at the Under Dark Moon Fest in the Czech Republic. The bands fourth album 'Timegate Anathema' was released in 2021.    
             
Featuring ten songs over fifty minutes, the new album combines symphonic power metal with traditional metal, and is layered with oodles of the epic and glory styles too. The combination of the dual vocals, adds an intriguing dimension to the albums sound. An album that explodes into life with the barn storming opener 'The Way Of Time' - the traditional "foot on the monitor" gallop highly evident. The melodious intent tucked neatly into 'The Way Of Time' makes for a very infectious and pleasurable listening experience. An experience that continues in earnest with 'Edge Of The Dream'. Coming straight at you from a heavier standpoint than the albums opener, Eternal Silence adopt the foot stomping anthemic style of metal, throwing in multiple dashes of the symphonic metal sound too.    
             
Exquisite keyboards launch 'Ancient Spirit' into a spiral of symphonic traditional metal, powered by the thunderous oomph of mid tempo power metal. The mix of styles the band has served up over the opening three songs is incredible - with the album continuing to offer a myriad of metal styles as it marches on with 'Heart Of Lead'. A softer and more mellow opening progresses to become a hard hitting slice of heavy metal with a sharp symphonic edge. The soaring vocals of the duo Marika and Alberto are perfectly matched to this style of music, the album turning in a very infectious performance. And for the first time, all power and oomph is dropped in favour of the mellow and serene flavour of ballad territory - 'Lonely' enticing lighters to be held aloft and listeners to sway from side to side.    
             
And as soon as 'Glide In The Air' begins, every lighter is put away, with listeners swapping swaying gently to head nodding very hard. The energy level rises right off the scale, with the power and oomph following close by. 'Glide In The Air' is the fastest song heard so far, with a bombastic chorus highly infectious and sing a long-able. 'Rain' maintains the albums recent upturn in energy by battering the senses with a bombastic barrage of majestic melodic symphonic power metal. Adding touches of the epic and glory styles too, Eternal Silence deliver one of the albums major highlights.    
             
The bombastic barrage carries on in full flight with 'My Soul Sad Until Death'. A seemingly ballad title at first sight, 'My Soul Sad Until Death' is a million miles away from ballad territory, firmly ensconced in the gap between the classic sounds of traditional, symphonic, and power metal. The band still intent on mixing the metal styles so the listener never really knows what's coming next! At just a little over two minutes in length 'Firefly' is the shortest song on offer, and is a mellow wander through soulful vocals and serene melodies. The final song on offer 'Red Death Masquerade', is one of the albums heaviest hitters, pounding the senses with a bombastic barrage of symphonic power metal. A very good end to a very good album.    
             
Overall, a charismatic mix of traditional, symphonic, and power metal, coupled with dual vocals, makes 'Timegate Anathema' a very interesting, and infectious listen.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
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