On this new EP, which follows the band’s debut EP from 2010, Finnish power/trad metallers DIRGE ETERNAL have added ex-TURISAS bassist Hannes Horma to the mix, and, you know, I think someone somewhere is excited about that. Here, the band shows off their tight chops, opener ‘The Slaughterhouse’ being a meaty and choppy piece of symphonic, soaring mid-tempo heavy metal. It’s not flighty enough to be full-on power, but not quite gritty enough to be tried and true trad, so instead it’s in the middle, like a slick, castrated KING DIAMOND. The title track is up next, and the mid-tempo atmospheric metal has got that Witchery ‘Midnight At The Graveyard’ feel to it, which is impressive as that was a really, really good fucking song. Closer ‘Within The Dark’ steps up the balls/vice factor, and with that, steps up the pure metal factor. The melodic singing and slick axe work bring to mind ’80’s sounds in the best of ways. While trad or retro fans might find this to be a bit too polished and power (and I worry that power fans will find it a bit too trad), for someone who likes the loftiness of power but could leave the pomp at the prom, this is perfect.
