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Into Eternity - Buried In Oblivion review



Reviewer:
8.5

189 users:
8.42
Band: Into Eternity
Album: Buried In Oblivion
Release date: February 2004


01. Splintered Visions
02. Embraced By Desolation
03. Three Dimensional Aperture
04. Beginning Of The End
05. Point Of Uncertainty
06. Spiraling Into Depression
07. Isolation
08. Buried In Oblivion
09. Black Sea Of Agony
10. Morose Seclusion

Hailing from Regina, Saskatchewan, are Into Eternity, a band for both progressive and death metal fans alike. Their sound is something which is unique, and distinct in the fact that there is over the top prog techniques being used, many clean/guttural vocal changes (with almost everyone in the band holding some vocal duty or other), and riffs straight out of the DM handbook. This album is their third release, and it is by far one of their most technical and thorough pursuits. The masters of many people's depression haunted minds really pulled off what could be called a prog masterpiece .

Into Eternity have a knack for creating music with a very desperate atmosphere. Throughout the album we see and feel characters go through some terrible anxiety and pain. With riffs that tend to drain the desperation directly from their souls and imbue it unto their instruments, we always see very real and euphoric depictions here. Their atmospheric prowess aside, these guys are beasts on the progressive aspect of things. Changes in meter, time signature, use of dynamics, all of it is just monstrous, and there aren't many tracks on this album that don't hold all of those qualities. Right from the first track "Splintered Visions" there is a ridiculously progressive intro/guitar solo that fluidly transitions into the rest of this very unpredictable album. The influence of Death Metal on this album is also quite apparent. In he songs "Embraced by Desolation" and "Isolation" we see low, intimidating growls, high black metal screeches, very distorted guitars, and intense work on double bass.

This album though, does have a side to it that isn't over the top progressive/melodic death metal. The two part title track "(Buried in Oblivion"/"Black sea of Agony") and "Morose Seclusion" are on he whole acoustic and primarily use clean vocal work. Of course these songs, like the rest on the album, are emotive and depressing, but they bring an entirely different aspect to the album. They are placed at good points and show a variation with their sound, not to mention that these songs are also quite heartfelt.

The only real criticism to be had for this album is how overly produced it is. A lot of the clean vocal work has too much layering over it, and as intense as it can be at times it seems like a little bit of the distortion 'crunch' per se has been taken out of it. Overall though for fans of prog as well as fans of Death Metal, this album is more than worth your time. Perhaps it's a bit more on the progressive side of things, but this album regardless is a genius witches' brew of sound.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 9
Originality: 9
Production: 8

Written by Arian Totalis | 23.02.2010




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.

Staff review by
Undercraft
Rating:
9.8
This is a complete surprise, and one of the greatest surprises of the year! Century Media pulled this one out of nowhere and damn what a fantastic release, I must say that I'm not familiar with previous releases of Into Eternity, and if you're not either, let me tell what's all the fuzz about.

Into Eternity plays Progressive Metal in the vein of Dream Theater or Shadow Gallery, with some neoclassical riffs here and there, fantastic drumming and some guitars right out of the ranks of Swedish Melodeath, all of this combine with multiple vocal choices, clean voice, a low, more gruff Death vox, and another more "shrieky" (a lá Black Metal if you like). The 3 vocals intertwine perfectly and the result is just amazing.

Read more ››
published 09.03.2004 | Comments (13)

Guest review by
Equilibrium
Rating:
9.5
The Canadians Into Eternity release with "Buried In Oblivion" their third album. The very good 2001 release Dead Or Dreaming offered already technical Death Metal with some Progressive influences, but they didn't get the breakthrough. Now with the second guitarist Rob Doherty, who supports Tim Roth, the song writing got even more complex and they are ready to conquer the play-lists of all metalheads.

Read more ››
published 00.00.0000 | Comments (0)


Comments

Comments: 7   Visited by: 53 users
23.02.2010 - 00:58
Bloody Rain
I Am The Night
This is my favorite album from Into Eternity. It's actually one of my favorite death/prog metal albums of all time. Your review of it was really good too.
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23.02.2010 - 02:37
Rating: 10
Arian Totalis
The Philosopher
Thanks, I really thought hard on this one
----
"For the Coward there is no Life
For the hero there is No Death"
-Kakita Toshimoko

"The Philosopher, you know so much about nothing at all." _Chuck Schuldiner.
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23.02.2010 - 06:58
RiouxMax

Great review, I also think this is their best album.
I love their vocal work; how he sings in harmony with the guitarist (who can achieve pretty high notes) has always impressed me.
And pretty awesome to see live too ^^'
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23.02.2010 - 11:47
Rating: 10
BloodTears
ANA-thema
Good review.

This is definitely their best album in my opinion. All the other fall short somehow. But, I like all of them, even "Into Eternity", that precocious pearl.

I think you're arguments were clear and you described the album pretty well.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
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31.03.2012 - 17:48
Rating: 10
BlindToNegotiate

Although I agree with most your review, I have to oppose the idea that the album was too overly produced. Even if it is so, I think it is done tastefully in a way that doesn't overpower any other aspect of the album.
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01.04.2012 - 10:17
Rating: 10
Arian Totalis
The Philosopher
Written by BlindToNegotiate on 31.03.2012 at 17:48

Although I agree with most your review, I have to oppose the idea that the album was too overly produced. Even if it is so, I think it is done tastefully in a way that doesn't overpower any other aspect of the album.

They can't play live. Their tracks are too layered and hold a different 'sound quality' so to speak than the live equipment. Perhaps puts them at a certain disadvantage then eh? A similar phenomenon has occurred with Dragonforce.
----
"For the Coward there is no Life
For the hero there is No Death"
-Kakita Toshimoko

"The Philosopher, you know so much about nothing at all." _Chuck Schuldiner.
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01.04.2012 - 19:29
Rating: 10
BlindToNegotiate

Quote:
They can't play live. Their tracks are too layered and hold a different 'sound quality' so to speak than the live equipment. Perhaps puts them at a certain disadvantage then eh? A similar phenomenon has occurred with Dragonforce.

Oh that's a very good point, I never took that into account. I haven't ever seen them live but that certainly sounds like a disadvantage they could have with over-layering.
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