ECHELON - Indulgence over Abstinence Behind the Obsidian Veil

Music Review : Echelon - Indulgence over Abstinence Behind the Obsidian Veil (2015, Metal Inquisition Records)

With frontman Dave Ingram (ex-Bolt Thrower and ex-Benediction) and Rogga Johansson of numerous projects on all instruments, Echelon is an old-school Death metal monolithic band of grand scale. The familiar Bolt Thrower vocals of Englishman Ingram are one thing that helps the familiarity of the sound of Echelon while Johansson pounds on the drums and plays all the instruments just as good as any four piece band.

Their first album, Indulgence over Abstinence Behind the Obsidian Veil, way too long of a title just like the Americans of Nile using paragraphs as their albums and songs titles, is an ode to old school Death metal. While Horrendous released Araneta this year and hit the middle of the target with their revivalist Bay Area thrash meets Death and in my mind as one of the best albums of the year, Echelon are not that far behind while revisiting England’s Death Metal. It might be one of the years gems and well kept secrets. In fact, before getting the promo I did not even heard about this band.

What surprises me the most is how old school Death metal sounds as actual as it was almost twenty years ago. The intensity of the album never stops and at 35 minutes it is well edited as well as the songs are well paced. ‘’Adversary’’ is a solid opener and at first it takes a few seconds to not compare immediately with Bolt Thrower’s grinding sound but after a couple of seconds and listens the magnitude of Echelon’s earthquake like destruction hits like a bulldozer and keeps on and on at every twists and turns.

Definitely, Echelon’s first album will make it to the end of the year’s best records if it’s not on my overall list it will make the best metal albums of the year.

8.0