HARDWARES

From its inception, Dark Fortress has been guilty of choosing one of the cheesiest band names in metal, and that fact has probably turned off more than a few potential fans who just couldn’t get on board with the moniker’s level of inanity. And that’s too bad, because Dark Fortress has put out some good material over the course of its almost 15 years of existence and new record Eidolon is no exception. Though grounded firmly in black metal, Eidolon’s sound is a lively one that is accentuated by one of the best production jobs/mixes I have ever heard, courtesy of whoever was manning the boards at the band’s own At The Crypt studio. So, yeah, things aren’t grim nor necro here, but these songs are excellent insights into what happens when you take black metal as a foundation but then expand into warmer lands fully equipped with the ability to branch out (while at the same time not treading too far away from the central pillar). Eidolon is a real feat for Dark Fortress, these Germans outdoing themselves in every way: this record has the potential to impress a lot of people and, while the band’s name might still be a hindrance, Eidolon makes a strong enough case to just forget all that and scream along.