Ekpyrosis - All You Can Eat
Self-financed

file under heavy / power metal

Vera: Ekpyrosis is an Austrian band founded in 1989 and I like to mention vocalist/guitarist Christian Gruber as the pivotal man with perseverance, since he is the only musician who survived all the line-up changes through the years. The starting point of Ekpyrosis’ music is intelligent arrangements, heavy powerful riffs, harmonious vocals with a touch of melancholy and from time to time any fine acoustic passages. In the past this quintet released albums on a sub-label of Nuclear Blast and through Belgian Mausoleum Records label, but for this double album they chose a self-release.

The previous album ‘Irrational’ came out in 2005. In the meantime they played a lot as support act for bigger bands in Austria and Germany. Because they had so much new material, they decided to make a double album and it was October 2008 before everything was ready. This opulence of ideas suits the funny, gorging title ‘All You Can Eat’ though it also invokes images of American fast-food restaurants, but okay. Having said this, this double album happens to be a copious meal with many courses as well. Not every dish is superior, but Ekpyrosis commands respect with this do-it-yourself effort (recordings, production and mix were done by the band too).

Ekpyrosis plays powerful no-nonsense metal with any thrash influences, but they add very much melody. Guitarist Christian Gruber is not a top notch vocalist - in some parts he may sound a bit forced for some of you - but he sings with so much dedication and conviction that we draw a veil over it. The songs are very riff oriented while beautiful plucking guitars or salacious, catchy keyboard melodies regularly pop up, though the latter are snowed under by the gorgeous guitar heaviness now and then. Songs like ‘Neuralgia’, ‘Earth-Bound’ and ‘Madhouse’ with its punky chorus, have a proper speed and brim with energy. On each CD one can find a moment of rest, represented by a ballad. ‘My Hands Are Tied’ has many vocal harmonies and sounds as a lament, but it includes a beautiful guitar solo as well. ‘Dear Sophie’ of CD two is a distinct love declaration. The band is very skilled in fetching melodies. The chorus of ‘See You Again’ for instance, is rather poppy but very welcome in between the multitude of heavy, tight guitars. Even so in ‘The Art Of Living’ and ‘Yellow Eyes’ there is such a fragment that instantly hooks me. The best example however is ‘Behind The Mask’ with its super melodious one-liner ‘Looks like heaven, but it feels like hell’. This song gets a semi-acoustic sequel on the second disc. Though I catch the band on many good ideas on the second disc as well, the first disc pleased me more. But maybe it is just a feeling of satiation looming up during a double album. Though there is still room for improvement, ‘All You Can Eat’ is a work I truly enjoyed. Very passionate and heavy, yet not afraid to insert any sensitive moments.

Rating 78/100 (details)

http://www.ekpyrosis.com