CoC : Legenda - Eclipse : Review

Legenda - _Eclipse_
(Holy Records, 1998)
by: Pedro Azevedo (9 out of 10)

This second Legenda release is a successful attempt at perfecting the style of music found on their debut _Autumnal_, which is achieved essentially through the inclusion of three fast-paced songs that add more variety (_Autumnal_ was rather excessively uniform) and the improvement of their musical choices. The sound is very similar (recorded at Tico Tico again), and fortunately Luttinen hasn't forsaken his raspy vocals. The only track that features clean vox (performed by a guest singer) fits quite well within the album, however, although this particular song is too long for its own good. The music is still mostly mid-paced, sometimes doomy, and strongly based on keyboards. Some songs are guitar-driven, however, and these transitions are well achieved (i.e., you have to pay attention in order to notice it, rather than end up finding yourself wondering where did those keyboards go). Of the three kinds of songs found in _Eclipse_, my favorites are clearly the faster ones and the doomier ones, but the catchier songs are all still quite acceptable. The digipak only carries lyrics for the title track, which, if you think of most of _Autumnal_'s lyrics, probably isn't much of a loss. The main feeling throughout _Eclipse_'s 50 minutes is that it is a very smart album: smart melodies, rhythms and overall sound. Even though I might personally subtract a mark from the 9 out of 10 rating mainly because the album is still too song-oriented for my liking (the song structures aren't exactly challenging), credit must be given to Legenda for blowing away most of the softer dark/gothic metal competition with _Eclipse_.

(article published 19/11/1998)

ALBUMS
8/12/1997	D Schinzel	8	Legenda - Autumnal