Solitude Aeturnus | In Times of Solitude
by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer
It’s been five years since we last heard from American doom metal legends Solitude Aeturnus, and with singer Robert Lowe busy in Candlemass it may be even longer till a proper follow up to 2006’s very underrated Alone is released. In the meantime, the band has delivered In Times of Solitude, an “odds and ends” collection of demo material that has been previously released, though never before collected.
The main attraction of In Times of Solitude is that it includes songs from the band’s 1988 And Justice For All demo (yeah, they beat Metallica to the punch with that one), which features Kris Gabehardt on vocals instead of Lowe. Honestly, Solitude Aeturnus without Robert Lowe just doesn’t seem like Solitude Aeturnus. Gabehardt is a decent enough vocalist, but he (briefly) stepped into some shoes that just couldn’t be filled.
The rest of the songs on In Times of Solitude, while interesting, really aren’t anything even the most devoted fan would need to hear twice. It is cool to hear the rougher early versions of some of these songs at least once, if for no other reason than to witness the sheer differences between these versions and the final product. The overall quality varies from song to song. The And Justice For All demos sound pretty good, but the quality of the other demos and the live track range from acceptable to downright awful.
While it’s nice to have these demos collected in one place, In Times of Solitude just doesn’t have that much to offer anyone but the most dedicated Solitude Aeturnus fans. A more comprehensive collection that included the various cover songs and other b-sides would have helped. As-is, this just isn’t that noteworthy a release, and that’s not something that is often said about a Solitude Aeturnus disc.
Genre: Doom Metal
Track Listing:
1. It Came Upon One Night (demo)
2. Transcending Sentinels (demo)
3. Into Battle (demo)
4. Sojourner (demo)
5. Where Angels Dare to Tread (demo)
6. Remembrance of a Life (1987 rehearsal session)
7. And Justice For All (live, 1988)
8. Sojourner (1988 rehearsal session)
9. Mirror of Sorrow (1988 demo)
Label: Massacre
Website: www.myspace.com/solitudeeternal
Hardrock Haven rating: 6/10