Epping Forest - "Everblasting Struggle"

[Demoniac]

‘Epping Forest’ saw the light in 1998 {wrong... viu a luz em 1997... but... proceed}. ‘Everblasting Struggle’ is their first full length album. What can one expect from a band from Portugal? Sweet lovely metal the ‘Moonspell’ way?... I’m curious. After skipping the intro, ‘Epping Forest’ steps in to high gear with ‘Merging of body and Soul’. Furious fast guitars and blasting drums the way ‘Marduk’ did in their ungodly days. With some low tunes their appreciation for the metal of death can’t be denied. Howling cries make way for some old fashion grunting. After listening to this track I must admit the capture the Scandinavian essence quite well. Evil, grim and frostbitten tunes from the sunny lands of Portugal . The next track ‘Bad Omen’ knows in some way to move me like only immortal could in those ‘Battles in the North’ days. Those riffs were so so cold! Again these guys are from lands with a golden sun. On the entire album they know to keep up the grim, dark and brutal nature of black/death metal. ‘Epping Forest’ uses a keyboard in their music. I’m not a real big fan of this instrument of lameness. Most bands use it the create some Hollywood B movie atmosphere. There are few bands who can get away with the use of a keyboard. The mighty ‘Gehenna’ is one of these bands. ‘Epping Forest’ on the track ‘Devouring Soul’ has some keyboard parts that remind me of some of the parts of ‘Seen through the veils of Darness’... In conclusion. ‘Epping Forest’ is a promising band. As it is said on their site, they play metal with a Scandinavian essence. For a band with a lot of sun hours they play it well.

In Burning Misery [The Netherlands]

My personal note: best quote ever "For a band with a lot of sun hours they play it well."

Desculpem lá......mas esse critico é um anormal de primeira.

Primeiro......teclados/piano é um instrumento lame ?? Esse gajo é realmente retardado e nunca pegou num instrumento na vida (ou saiba-o tocar minimamente).

Sem-me querer perder em mais detalhes.......mas pq caralho todos pensam que Portugal Inteiro é como o Algarve ?

Triste.....

[Otaner]

My personal note: best quote ever "For a band with a lot of sun hours they play it well."

Achei piada a esta: "Sweet lovely metal the ‘Moonspell’ way? "

Sem-me querer perder em mais detalhes.......mas pq caralho todos pensam que Portugal Inteiro é como o Algarve ?

Triste.....

Praí 95% dos cámones que cá vêm só conhecem o Algarve
Mas ya, comentário triste.

[Vogon [RIP 2013/06/29]]

Engraçado que é um comentário comum. Tenho ideia de ter lido algumas reviews de SiriuS, há já uns tempos, também com alusão ao sol e/ou à luminosidade. E lembro-me de uma entrevista de Morbius, de um holandês, que elaborou uma pergunta sobre o suposto facto.
É assim uma espécie de mítico pêlo no lusitano sovaco feminino.

[MysticCosmoS]

Eu curti a review pela abordagem cómica é fixe ler sobre a ignorância das pessoas de outros países, mas ainda mais fixe é ler que só os morcegos é que se podem considerar capazes de compor musica obscura.

[MysticCosmoS]

I wasn't aware of the existence of 'everblasting' as an adjective before today, but it's a good job Portugal’s Epping Forest introduced me to the term, as it's just the ticket for describing their black metal racket....

In short, a brand of ferocious yet symphonic black metal which has, as the band themselves point out, a distinctly Nordic feel. In fact, we can be more specific than that- "Everblasting Struggle" sounds, in many places, a good deal like Dimmu Borgir. The co-existence of the blasts and the overblown, jangling, enormous synths on tracks such as "Merging of Body and Soul" and "Devouring Soul" evokes "Death Cult Armageddon", and this act share a theatrical, sky's-the-limit kind of scope with the Norwegians.

Simple but interesting additions make Epping Forest's sound their own, however. While there is no core concept informing this album (more a case of 'throw a bunch of references at it until something sticks'), the tracks "Bad Omen" and "Sphinx's Riddle" have eastern themes, with the latter introduced by traditional horn music, and the former featuring a twisting solo that would not be out of place on a Melechesh album. The guitar work also contains more variety than a simple copy of Dimmu's powerful stomp; a slight-but-noticeable thrash vibe colours "Merging Of Body and Soul" and "Epping Forest", which also features in its many layers some excellent, original keyboard atmospheres that add real majesty.

The speed invested by the furious, relentless percussive assault also makes it easy for Epping Forest to showcase their more raw, primitive roots, such as on the gritty title track, but they also steer their ship towards 'blackened death' with some really heavy, classic death metal riffs and guttural grunting, for example on "Bad Omen". Overall, then, a multiplicity of influences and flavours, brought together with a degree of success by the overarching symphonic style. A more strident, coherent character will no doubt emerge on consequent releases, as the technical ability is certainly there.

In Vampire Magazine (UK)

[Soul_of_Darkness [RIP]]

Bem, estou a ouvir o álbum pela primeira vez...

Brutal mesmo, está diferente desde a última vez que os ouvi/vi ao vivo... mais melódico, na onda de uns Dimmu Borgir... prefiro muito mais assim...

Sim sr., excelente trabalho, continuem assim que vão longe...

[MysticCosmoS]

Bem, estou a ouvir o álbum pela primeira vez...

Brutal mesmo, está diferente desde a última vez que os ouvi/vi ao vivo... mais melódico, na onda de uns Dimmu Borgir... prefiro muito mais assim...

Sim sr., excelente trabalho, continuem assim que vão longe...

Thx

[MysticCosmoS]

A few years ago, when I first heard a few songs from Epping Forest’s live recorded promo of 2003, I was really intrigued. The sound was extremely rough, and even then it was outdated. But I’ve eagerly been waiting for them to properly record something, and here it finally is. Everblasting struggle is the band’s debut, and it was way overdue.
The “blast” part of the album title sure doesn’t kid around, ‘cause this is a full-on onslaught of blazing speed. Absolutely hammering drumming accompanied by quite melodic string-work, but adding a brutal touch to by lacing the black metal with doses of death metal. There’s a hefty use of keyboards here, but instead of turning into a symphonic black ensemble it just enhances the melody, and gives it a mythic aura. They seem to be influenced by Norse, Greek and Egyptian mythology, which is sometimes reflected in the music as well as lyrically. The vocals is sort of an upside down Behemoth, meaning screams layered with growls, though keeping the screaming dominant unlike said band.
The majestic black metal can be compared to the early works of Cradle of Filth (before they totally wimped out) and the later works of Dimmu Borgir. But despite the quite melodic tunes they brutalize it with a healthy dose of death metal, not unlike previously mentioned Behemoth. The musicianship is absolutely top notch, as well as the writing which shows a lot of diversity and complexity. And no matter if it’s raging speed or slower breakdowns Epping Forest manage to keep it brutal and melodic at the same time.

In My Last Chapter [SWE]

[X-FrEaK]

Ainda nao ouvi, mas será concerteza um album a ouvir, se soa a Dimmu Borgir deve ser bom, exceptuando talvez o ultimo deles :X

[MysticCosmoS]

Ainda nao ouvi, mas será concerteza um album a ouvir, se soa a Dimmu Borgir deve ser bom, exceptuando talvez o ultimo deles :X

Não serei a pessoa mais correcta para confirmar ou não isso, já que Dimmu Borgir não é tido como influencia, nem consigo encontrar algo que realmente me soe a eles. De qualquer das formas posso aconselhar a comprar

[X-FrEaK]

Ainda nao ouvi, mas será concerteza um album a ouvir, se soa a Dimmu Borgir deve ser bom, exceptuando talvez o ultimo deles :X

Não serei a pessoa mais correcta para confirmar ou não isso, já que Dimmu Borgir não é tido como influencia, nem consigo encontrar algo que realmente me soe a eles. De qualquer das formas posso aconselhar a comprar

Pah, nas criticas que leio vem la sempre o nome de Dimmu, so mesmo por isso lol

[Bronze [RIP]]

é a Noctis Lunariis que tem um instrumento igual ao Mustis

[X-FrEaK]

é a Noctis Lunariis que tem um instrumento igual ao Mustis

Ah tudo explicado entao

[Wisdoom]

Realmente de DB EF nao têm nada,felizmente têm algo de unico,nao sendo por isso,mais uma copia das muitas que por aí andam.Para nao falar do Death Metal bem injectado la pelo meio.

[MysticCosmoS]

é a Noctis Lunariis que tem um instrumento igual ao Mustis

Ah tudo explicado entao

Por acaso o álbum foi gravado com um Yamaha SY22 o Phantom 8 é pós-Everblasting ehehehehe