CoC : Ethereal Collapse - Breaching the Citadel : Review

Ethereal Collapse - _Breaching the Citadel_
(Independent, 2007)
by: Quentin Kalis (6.5 out of 10)

This is the independently financed debut full-length by the Pennsylvania based band. They perform a mix of Bay Area thrash and its more accessible trans-Atlantic derivative, Gothenburg death. They lean a bit too much towards the latter, as this album is just a bit too happy and upbeat for my taste, even when mitigated by edgier thrash tendencies. Their strength is clearly the interplay between the twin guitarists but I was surprised by the sheer number of leads on this album. Sure, he's no Yngwie, but then Yngwie is only of interest to guitar aficionados whilst Ethereal Collapse focuses more on song dynamics than virtuosity. The numerous leads additionally provide a sense of freshness when Ethereal Collapse venture into some of the more tired melodic patterns. Pity about that infernal snare drum, which sounds particularly hollow. This is a common symptom of inferior production, and I could hardly expect a glossy (and soulless) Tagtgren sheen on a debut indie album, but it's still annoying. It's not bad and twin guitar attack notwithstanding is an unremarkable entrant that could easily find a place on someone's shelf or outright ignored.

Contact: http://www.myspace.com/etherealcollapse

(article published 24/10/2007)

DEMOS
31/5/2005	T DePalma	3.5	Ethereal Collapse - Fallen Hope