Dark Fortress – Eidolon

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Germany’s Dark Fortress have been slicing and dicing their brand of melodic black metal for the better part of twelve years. Eidolon is the quintet’s fifth album, second for Century Media Records, and finds the band fronted by a new vocalist. Original singer, Azathoth left the unit acrimoniously; they hired the single named Morean from obscure death-thrashers, Noneuclid. The change has done the band and their aural assault good. His ghoul-like vocals are just as intense as the chainsaw chorus that passes off as guitars. He commands attention and falls in perfectly with the brutal arrangements the players lay down for him. He joined by legendary Celtic Frost mastermind, Tom Gabriel Fischer on the almost catchy, “Baphomet.” I say “almost catchy” because I doubt that was on the band’s agenda when they wrote the track. But the chord changes and razor-sharp vocal lines are actually infectious here.

Other standouts include “Cohorror” and the pummeling “No Longer Human.” Guitarists Asvargr and V. Santura whip up some very nasty riff parties on Eidolon but they prove time and time again that they always keep the compositional power of the songs as the main priority here. I kept on being reminded of Naglfar’s better moments while listening to songs like “No Longer Human” with their speed-metal informed black-metal leanings. Seraph’s drumming anchors the material and with arrangements this busy, it could have come apart easily. He’s definitely in league with greats like Nick Barker (Cradle of Filth, Lock Up) and Trym (Satyricon) here. Hopefully these Germans can get to tour this album extensively as it’s their finest moment yet.