Vera: When the Australian band The Eternal was touring in Europe in May 2007, they already had a promo CD with six new songs and in June 2007 you could read a first impression of that material here. Following a large number of live adventures that year - vocalist/guitarist Mark Kelson also did an American tour with Virgin Black - they started to work on the opulence of demo material they had written in the meantime. That is how ‘Kartika’ came into being, the third The Eternal album, more than fifty minutes mainly tranquil yet very beautiful music with a genuine touch.
On the first The Eternal album ‘The Sombre Light Of Isolation’ (2004) one could still find a few doom influences of Kelson’s former band Cryptal Darkness, but these were as good as gone one year later on its successor ‘Sleep Of Reason’. From now on sensitive melancholy was caught in accessible songs with a slightly gothic and progressive touch. On ‘Kartika’ they even go one step further in that direction. ‘Silence’ opens with atmospheric keyboards, heavy riffs and an engrossing timbre akin to The Tea Party. Clean, sonorous vocals complete it all, same vocals that give me a kind of eighties new wave feel for some indefinable reason: a clear yet warm-hearted voice. Piano and keyboards create a melancholic tinge, invigorating the generally dark mood of the songs. In tracks such as ‘Lost Our Way’ (a catchy song they have shot a videoclip for) and the instrumental ‘Kartika’ we hear magnificent string arrangements. Although some heavier and wilder soloing is prominent is ‘Self Inflicted’ and ‘A Pale Reflection’ (introspectively sung the Anathema way), yet the album is above all graceful and peaceful.
Catchy gothic songs like ‘Illuminate’ and ‘Means For An Ending’ instantly grab you, but the depth of the somewhat longer compositions impresses me even more. ‘Blood’ is such a gem. It unwieldy moves forward in a Led Zeppelin’s ‘Kashmir’ alike manner with oriental influences and massive keyboard layers. The mysterious centrepiece with mandolin and dark voices passes into a vigorous eruption. Another supreme moment is the amazing Pink Floyd-ish guitar solo and classical piano notes in ‘Sunshine’. Finally we find ‘Brighter Day’ at the end of the record. The enigmatic distorted vocals are slightly evocative of Mick Moss (Antimatter), but that musician is one of Mark Kelson’s musical heroes anyway. Without worrying about genres or styles, The Eternal has made a timeless album that achieved a transparent sound by the mix of Endel Rivers in Tallinn (Estonia). As guests we hear Duncan Patterson (ex-Anathema, ex-Antimatter, Ion) on mandolin, Nicholas Albanis (Dandelion Wine) on dulcimer and backing vocals of Russian female singer Emily A. Saaen. ‘Kartika’ will hit the shops January 14th, 2009. Do not hesitate to purchase it, for the first pressing includes a second disc with exclusive tracks and bonus material. All together it gives you ninety-five minutes intense, emotive music to get through these cold, dark winter days.
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