AS EDEN BURNS

I recall setting this one to the side after a brief listen when the last batch of releases from Willowtip arrived, thinking I just wasn't in the mood for Americanized Swedish melodic death metal (ala THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER) at the time. The style has been beaten bloody and continues to cling to life in a ditch somewhere on the side of the road. Having recently picked up "The Great Celestial Delusion" for a spin again, I must say that Houston's AS EDEN BURNS are on the verge of great things, even though they've not broken the mold.

The playing on this sucker is driven by a genuine ferocity that is lacking from so many AT THE GATES and THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER clones. There is a fire in the belly that may not take the band off the beaten path, but definitely sounds more convincing than the host of bands still carrying around that tattered flag. And it really comes down to the guitar performances from Harrison Jacob and Chris Borsheim, which are first rate, particularly in the twin-lead and solo departments. The fusing of melody with superior firepower is damn impressive. It is truly a joy to hear these guys destroy with their axes.

Those only giving the album a spin or two might start the argument over the song distinction issues that often plague these kind of groups. There is only a sliver of truth in that on "The Great Celestial Delusion". The group whips up some full-bodied compositions here, the dynamic "The Golden Age" probably the best example, followed closely by "Lost Counsel and Untimely Doom". Vocalist William Hesser's hoarse-throat screams (interspersed with well-placed growls) suffer slightly due to a largely unchanging delivery and his patterning could use some work. Otherwise, "The Great Celestial Delusion" is one of the better albums I've heard from a band taking the Swedish melo-death approach. And that's saying a lot, given that I had gotten totally burned out on this stuff.