Eternal Returns is a Thrash/Death/Groove Metal band from India formed in 2009. There is a lot of sound coming from this record. Lots of notes in rapid-fire succession, blast beat drumming, chugging guitar riffs, extended screams/growls, and thundering bass create a vast soundscape full of precisely delivered tones. This is a band that likes to explore societal issues and raise self-awareness about things that are important to them. Extreme Metal and social issues go hand in hand. Metal is often a form of activism, speaking truth into brutal riffs and powerful rhythms that create a voice and a force to be reckoned with.

https://eternalreturns.bandcamp.com/

Band Members:

  • Narendra Patel – Vocals/Lyrics
  • Harsh Makwana – Guitars/Composition
  • Shankul Chavan – Guitars/Vocals/Production
  • Viktor Litvinov – Drums

Release Date:

December 8, 2023 – WormholeDeath Records

https://wormholedeath.com/

Tracklist:

  1. The Wolf Among The Sheep
  2. Ravenous Shores: Whispers Of The Quarantine Island
  3. Siege Sombre
  4. Shackle The Savage
  5. The Crusade Of The Undismayed
  6. Conjured In The Nomad Land
  7. Broadcast 666
  8. Zrark: The Abyss Eater
  9. Aeon Will Fall

Eternal Returns is a band with a wide range of tones and styles. They wander through Melodic and Death Metal with their vocals and leads/fills while going Death/Thrash Metal for the riffs and rhythms. The opening for “The Wolf And The Sheep” is of special interest as it works to set the tone for the album as a whole. The gentle guitar lead over the chorus of vocalizations belies what is to come. Once the main body of the song kicks in, there is nothing Melodic about it; brutality becomes the theme.

“Ravenous Shores: Whispers Of The Quarantine Island” uses more of the Groove/Nu-Metal influences for the riffing and lead guitar work. Blast beats from the drummer and rapid-fire bass playing build a rhythm that can handle the weight of the guitar work and the harsh vocals at the same time. While there are the Groove/Nu-Metal influences in some sections, there is also a lot of heavier, Thrash/Death Metal thrown in as well, creating a Crossover sound that works well, sounding very natural for this band.

One thing to note, three of the songs on this album are over six minutes long with one topping seven. Eternal Returns likes longer compositions. It gives them time to expand the soundscape, even dabbling a bit in Progressive Metal. Their ability to weave together a tapestry of sound from such a variety of styles is impressive. While not every song hooks me, they all have clear skills present in how the music is written and performed. Those first two songs are just the tip of the iceberg. There is plenty to explore all through this album and you should give it at least five full rotations before even thinking about judging it.

I love a complex band and album, so this fits right into what I like to hear. Part of what I like is how they shock with clean vocals that appear out of nowhere in “Broadcast 666” before the harsh tones come crashing back in. There are surprises on every track if you take the time to listen carefully. There is nothing “straightforward” or standard about this band, they dare to explore and experiment and that makes them one of the better bands in the modern era.

MZ Ratings:

Musicianship:

  •             Guitars – 9
  •             Rhythms – 9
  •             Vocals – 9
  • Songwriting – 9
  • Production – 9

Overall – 9.00