Eldritch | Gaia’s Legacy
by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer —
Long-running Italian progressive power metal band Eldritch is back after a four-year absence with Gaia’s Legacy, their eighth studio album. Eldritch has never been a band to shy away from social issues, and Gaia’s Legacy continues that trend. The album is a conceptual piece based on Al Gore’s global warming documentary An Inconvenient Truth.
Eldritch’s sound has always been a bit hard to peg, especially in comparison to other Italian bands. They were always more progressive than bands like Rhapsody of Fire and more power-oriented than bands like Labyrinth. With Gaia’s Legacy, they continue to walk the line between the progressive and power metal genre’s, and with at least a nod or two towards thrash. This is a complex album with a huge keyboard presence and some very intricate guitar work that’s clearly coming from a Fates Warning influence (more on that later), but it’s balanced by a great sense of melody and soaring, crystal-clear vocals worthy of the best power metal bands. Factor in several moments where the riffs and rhythms are going at breakneck speed and you’ve got a very compelling overall sound.
Sounds like the recipe for a high rating, doesn’t it? Unfortunately the album’s core theme and the heavy-handed delivery of their message drags Gaia’s Legacy down a level. However serious their message, and however righteous their cause, listening to this album feels a lot like being preached at. The novelty of banging your head immediately after hearing a snippet from an Al Gore speech wears off quickly after you hear “the planet’s dying,” “it’s all your fault” and “we’re all doomed” for the umpteenth time. It feels like the global warming equivalent of an overly earnest Christian metal album, and while it’s easy to respect Eldritch’s commitment to their cause, it makes listening to Gaia’s Legacy almost a chore. By the end, the expertly-executed closing cover of the Fates Warning classic “Through Different Eyes” seems like a lifeline.
If you’re a die-hard Eldritch fan, you’re probably going to be more than satisfied with Gaia’s Legacy. In many ways, this is the band’s most impressive and accomplished album yet. Unfortunately the lyrical content may prove to be too much for many listeners.
Genre: Progressive Metal, Power Metal
Band
John Crystal (b)
Raffahell Dridge (d)
Rudj Ginanneschi (g)
Eugene Simone (g)
Terence Holler (v)
Gabriele Caselli (k)
Track Listing:
1. Gaia’s Anger
2. Deviation
3. Our Land
4. Vortex of Disasters
5. Mother Earth
6. Everything’s Burning
7. Thinning Out
8. Like a Child
9. Signs
10. Thoughts of Grey
11. Thirst in Our Hands
12. Through Different Eyes
Label: Scarlet Records
Website: www.eldritchweb.com
Hardrock Haven rating: 7/10