Album Review: Astralborne – Eternity’s End (Self Released)

Astralborne saw its inception in the winter of 2016 when bandmates Derik Smith and Jayson Cessna of Hammer Horde teamed up with Paul Fuzinski of Blood of the Prophets to embark on a new musical journey. This project was formed to serve as both creative outlet and vehicle for the trio’s aggressive melodic sound and a homage to their musical influences.

Astraborne’s debut record, “Eternity’s End” is a fusion of black, thrash, and melodic death metal. The outcome is an uncompromising tribute to melodeath’s forefathers, with enough modern-day aggression to satisfy both old-school and new-school listeners alike. It will be released on November 22nd 2019.

Mournful and eloquent, Eulogy in Black is a great intro that flows perfectly in the heavier riffs of Attending the Funeral. This is exactly what Astralborne are, a fast moving beast with melo-death power in the instruments and used to the best of their abilities. Not much in the way of nonsense, just sharpness and effective technicalities.

Transcendence of Flesh keeps the flow going with a very guitar-centric track while Paragon Amiss blazes at a speed that can rightfully be called ‘intense’. A track that is way more focused on the death side of Astralborne’s melo-death sound. Whereas the wonderfully rhythmic Centuries (In Agony) showcases the band’s deft touch when it comes to combining heavy-hitting riffs and soaring melodies.

A personal favourite of the album. Although there are plenty more tracks on the second half of the album that give it a run for its money. Architect of Suffering, Inglorious 20XX and Reflections to name just a few. In fact, there really isn’t much in the way of flaws throughout and certainly not a bad track.

Be Astralborne focusing on a more refined effort (the title track) or just going all out to decimate (The Obliterators) they nail it. The former of those two is something truly special. The glorious melding of crushing metal and melody perfected across 12+ minutes.

Astralborne – Eternity’s End Full Track Listing:

1. Eulogy in Black
2. Attending the Funeral
3. Transcendence of Flesh
4. Paragon Amiss
5. Centuries (In Agony)
6. Architect of Suffering
7. Inglorious 20XX
8. The Obliterators
9. Eternity’s End
10. Reflections

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