Eleine – All Shall Burn [EP] - Lyrical Spell Magazine

ELEINE

ALL SHALL BURN [EP]

Black Lodge Records

Release: November 22, 2019

Eleine is a Swedish symphonic metal band that is releasing their EP “All shall burn” on November 22, via Black Lodge Records. Their blend of heavy riffs, harsh growls, enticing vocals and beautiful symphonic arrangements has captivated audiences all over the world. Since their debut in April 2015 with their self-titled album “Eleine”, they have toured with Moonspell and Arch Enemy, released the well-received second album “Until the End”, played at Japan’s Loud n’ Metal Festival, and in 2020 they will tour with Tunisian oriental metal band Myrath.

Distancing themselves from other symphonic acts by adding oriental melodies to their music, their live shows never fail to deliver a captivating experience for the audience. The 5-track EP “All shall burn” mirrors a rough period in the band’s life, hence the heavier sound we hear on these songs. The band has taken a step into the darker and more aggressive side of the metal spectrum, while still managing to sound as seductive as always.

Tracklist:

Enemies

All shall burn

Mein herz brennt (Rammstein cover)

Hell Moon (We shall never die) (Symphonic version)

All shall burn (Symphonic version)

Even though there are only two new songs on this EP (“Enemies” and the title track “All shall burn”), the Rammstein cover “Mein herz brennt” and the symphonic versions of “Hell Moon (we shall never die)” and “All shall burn” add extra flavors to their music, making the EP diverse and entertaining.

Single “Enemies” opens the EP on a high note with heavy chugging guitar lines, pounding drums, and subdued violin lines. It’s a good song, packed with melodic riffs and some growls here and there for extra volume, but for the most part it is fueled by Madeline’s soft vocals, while the backing orchestrations give everything a very symphonic and elegant vibe. However, it feels a bit linear and simple, though the solo is pretty good. Up next is the title track “All shall burn”, which has a faster tempo and the symphonic arrangement seem to be more in the fore-front. The alternation between Rikard and Madeline’s vocals gives a nice dynamic to the song, with the sparsely used harsh vocals adding a darker, gloomier atmosphere to everything. I definitely like this one better than “Enemies”. On the symphonic version of this track, we get to hear the backing instrumentation better as the electric guitars are stripped down, and the vocals carry this song forward. It actually feels like an acoustic / orchestral track, and it sounds just as good as the heavier version.

“Mein herz brennt” is a well known title from German industrial metal band Rammstein’s impressive catalogue. Adding layers of violin lines to the main melody, they have given it more texture and depth, while Rikard (or Till ?)’s vocal delivery sounds menacing and grave, with Madeline’s angelic vocals sweeping in half-way through for a few lines. It’s a good cover but overall it sounds way to similar to the original. The symphonic version of “Hell Moon (We shall never die)” again feels like an acoustic / orchestral version of the 2018 original track, with a slower tempo to it, and more audible backing instrumentations, thus giving the song a lighter, more cinematic feel, while being just as fascinating.

Clocking it at 24 minutes, this EP is neither too long, nor is it too short, giving fans of symphonic metal something interesting to sink their teeth into, while waiting for Eleine’s third album to drop. The two new tracks are heavy and show a development of the band’s sound, while the other three offer intriguing interpretations of already existing songs (though I would have preferred some more original material).

Rating: 3.5 / 5

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By Andrea