While many bands around the world claim to be melodic death metal very few actually deliver on that promise. Most lean towards the full death metal side of things and forget about the whole melodic side of things. That can’t be said though about German outfit Burn Down Eden who show with their debut feature album, Ruins Of Oblivion, that they have both sides of melodic death metal down pat.
Opening track, Serphent’s Deception, shows you exactly what you are going to get for the whole Ruins Of Oblivion album – lead singer, Kai, brutal style of vocals shine through strongly while the rest of the band complete the track with a strong melodic sound to the instrumentals.
Unlike a lot of modern day death metal though Burn Down Eden know to give each of their songs their own sound and identity. Omnivorous sees guitarists William and Tom show their worth with some strong playing that really stands out and makes the album something really special while Kai’s vocals on Whirlwind Purification have a real punk-like intensity to them. That intensity is then lifted to a whole new level on Kronossphere with some absolutely insane vocals and intense drumming from Robat that reaches a true melodic crescendo.
Artificial Exitus and Sons Of Isengrim are pure unblemished death metal where the guitar playing once again steals the show with Pandemonic Overture opens with some manic guitar playing and consists of some of the most brutal vocals on the whole album. I Dooms Visage sees Burn Down Eden reach their epic best while Nebula sees everything toned back for a bit as its stringed instrumentals becomes a near flamenco sounding track. The brutality returns for the final track, Cosmogyral Miscarriage, though before closing out the album with Burn Down Eden’s true melodic sound.
Burn Down Eden have delivered a magnificent debut feature album. With the right mix of death metal vocals and melodic instrumentals… plus some guitar playing to die for… this is a band that is going to get bigger and bigger over the years to come.
4 Stars
