Artist: Eternal Tears of Sorrow Album: Before the Bleeding Sun

Year: 2006
Duration: 0:0-1

A Review of Before the Bleeding Sun by Eternal Tears of Sorrow

Eternal Tears of Sorrow might not be a band name that immediately springs to mind, but if you're a fan of melodic death metal or symphonic metal, then you should definitely check them out. The Finnish band has been around since 1994, and their sound has evolved over time. One of their most popular albums is Before the Bleeding Sun, which was released in 2006. This album represents the band's shift away from straight-up death metal and towards a more symphonic sound. In this post, we'll take a critical look at the album, highlighting some of the standout tracks and the most innovative parts.

Before we get into the album, let's talk a bit more about the band. Eternal Tears of Sorrow is based in Pudasjärvi, Finland, and they were one of the early pioneers of the Finnish metal scene along with bands like Amorphis and Sentenced. Like many Finnish bands, they've gone through some lineup changes over the years, but they've remained a popular and enduring presence on the metal scene. In the mid-2000s, they started incorporating more symphonic and electronic elements into their sound, which you can hear on Before the Bleeding Sun.

The album opens with Sweet Lilith of My Dreams, which sets the tone for what's to come. The song starts off slow and atmospheric, with keyboards and acoustic guitars creating a dreamlike atmosphere. But soon the drums and electric guitars kick in, and we're off to the races. One of the things I appreciate about this album is how well the different elements of the sound are balanced. The keyboards never overwhelm the guitars, and the symphonic elements never feel out of place.

Another standout track is Red Dawn Rising, which has one of the catchiest choruses on the album. It's a more straightforward song than some of the other tracks on the album, but that's not a bad thing. Sometimes you just want a good solid metal song with a memorable hook. The Day, on the other hand, is a slower, more atmospheric track that builds to an epic crescendo. It shows that the band is just as skilled at creating mood as they are at writing riffs.

One of the most innovative parts of the album is how well the electronic elements are integrated into the sound. Lost Rune of Thunder is a good example of this. The song opens with a synth riff that sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, before the guitars kick in and the song turns into a full-on metal assault. The electronic elements never feel like an afterthought, but are instead an integral part of the sound.

One of my criticisms of the album is that some of the songs feel a bit too similar to each other. While there's no denying that the band has a distinctive sound, some of the tracks start to blend together after a while. This isn't a huge problem, but it does mean that the album might not be as memorable as some of the band's other releases.

All in all, Before the Bleeding Sun is a strong album that showcases Eternal Tears of Sorrow's ability to seamlessly blend different elements into their sound. While there are a few tracks that feel a bit too similar, there are also plenty of standout moments that make this album worth recommending to fans of melodic death metal and symphonic metal. If you're not familiar with the band, this is a good place to start.