ECLIPSE

With a few notable exceptions such as "The Godfather Part II", "The Empire Strikes Back" and Tom Cruise action franchises, sequels are rarely as enjoyable as their predecessors. Most are uninspired cash grabs and/or paint-by-numbers imitations of the originals, as "22 Jump Street" cleverly parodied ("It's always worse the second time around… if you guys just do the same thing, everyone will be happy"). Every so often, though, a "Terminator 2" comes along — something that not only adds to the foundation of what came before, but enhances it in exciting, unexpected ways.

"Megalomanium II", the 10th studio album by Swedish melodic hard rockers ECLIPSE, comes into the world just 12 months after the release of its namesake. Sonically, the two records share much of the same DNA — that is, more hooks than not only the proverbial tackle box, but the entire Bass Pro Shops chain. But whereas the initial "Megalomanium" maintained a high energy level for the majority of its 38 minutes, its similarly timed successor is unquestionably a more diversely paced collection of songs, as evidenced by the album's four advance tracks: the sneering and driving "Apocalypse Blues"; the infectious, sugar-coated "Falling To My Knees"; the urgent and irresistible "The Spark" (the EDM/AOR mashup we never knew we needed!); and "Still My Hero", a midtempo love letter to vocalist Erik Martensson's late father.

This isn't an unfocused assortment of sonic goulash, however. Instead, "Megalomanium II" not only sounds precisely how an ECLIPSE record should sound, but it's almost like a greatest hits album composed of songs that were simply not yet released, which together admirably capture all 31 flavors of the band's career to date. Take "Divide & Conquer", which feels like a kindred spirit of 2008's spunky "Wylde One". Or "All I Want", which recalls the uber-melodic urgency of "Megalomanium" standout "Got It!" Or "One In A Million", their latest demonstration of metallic prowess a la previous doom-stompers "Black Rain", "The Masquerade" and "Children Of The Night".

And then there's "Until The War Is Over", which nods not only to past ECLIPSE songs (namely, "Run For Cover" and "Dead Inside" from 2021's excellent "Wired"),  but also one ("Wrecking Crew", to be exact) by AMMUNITION, Martensson's knockout side project with WIG WAM vocalist Age Sten Nilsen. As with that song, it's aural flypaper that sticks in your head long after the album's final notes fade away.

Perhaps most significantly, unlike "Megalomanium", whose jaw-dropping "Anthem" was its only track that could be described as even a borderline ballad, "Megalomanium II" tugs at the heartstrings more frequently. In addition to the aforementioned "Still My Hero", which sees Martensson approach his father's passing in a far more personal manner than he did on the "Armageddonize" classic "The Storm", the album also features two other songs that musically fit the criteria of a ballad, but which intriguingly are thematic opposites. While "Dive Into You" sees Martensson sing of the importance of loving before it's too late, "To Say Goodbye" poignantly captures the end of a romance, as he's brilliantly done on past lighter-wavers such as "When The Winter Ends" and "Hurt", as well as more up-tempo kiss-offs like "Bleed and Scream" and "Killing Me". This was the biggest missing piece of the puzzle on the first "Megalomanium", and while it might seem like overkill (or at least overcompensation) to slow the pace multiple times on "Megalomanium II", the album packs a deeper punch as a result.

Even rarer than a good sequel is a band's 10th album that's arguably one of their best. With "Megalomanium II", ECLIPSE expertly manages to deliver both.