Eternal Descent- The Phantom of the Opera

ARTIST: Eternal Descent

ALBUM: The Phantom of the Opera

LABEL: Incendium Records

REVIEWER: Matthew J.

DATE: 1-25-09

This limited edition from comic book-inspired metal act Eternal Descent sees the band's stage characters Loki and Lyra (guitarist Llexi Leon and singer Elisha West) stepping into the roles of the Phantom and Christine from Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical. While the comic book aspect of this project will be of interest primarily to previous fans of the band, this is definitely an interesting musical exploration, keeping the feel of Lloyd Weber's original but taking it in a much more metal direction. The familiar pipe organ theme transfers surprisingly well to electric guitar, and West's soprano vocals are as lovely as Sarah Brightman's in the original cast recording. Eternal Descent's version is melodramatic, over the top, and a bit campy, but certainly no more than the original version, and it's done with a great deal of aplomb. Even more interesting are this single's two bonus tracks, both instrumental except for wordless vocal flourishes by West. "Legends" opens with baroque piano and classical guitar, with electric leads and a crunchy programmed rhythm creeping in beneath West's soaring voice, and "Fallen" is more cinematic and ethereal, Leon's guitar flashy as ever but softened somewhat by a rich strings arrangement that gives things a much more ethereal quality. An intriguing if brief set of pieces, this single will probably appeal mainly to Eternal Descent's existing fans, but it's bound to pique the curiosity of newcomers as well.

Visit www.eternaldescent.com for more information about this project.