eclipse_2015_03

» Eclipse 2015 03 04

Reviewed by Mozzy
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Date: March 4, 2015
City: Stockholm, Sweden
Venue: Debaser venue
Support: Adrenaline Rush
Eclipse set length: 80 minutes

Eclipse

With their new album Armageddonize released two weeks ago, Eclipse start their tour to promote it tonight. The reviews have been tremendous and the Debaser Strand venue is well-visited. After the intro, the cheery Swedes run out and set things off with the two first songs off the new one, I Don't Wanna Say I'm Sorry and Stand On Your Feet, both irresistibly catchy.

That the fans have embraced Armageddonize is instantly clear as the lyrics are sung with much enthusiasm. The emotive The Storm is a monster live, with loud singing taking place, and Blood Enemies and Wide Open are other highlights. In the end, no less than nine of the eleven tracks on Armageddonize are played, all of them going down great.

It is obvious that the band are thrilled with the reception and they put in an ambitious performance. Erik Mårtensson shows excellent frontmanship, being very energetic onstage and connecting superbly with the crowd, while his vocals are strong.

Aside from some brief acoustic guitar by Mårtensson, all guitar parts are handled by Magnus Henriksson, who delivers kick-ass riffing as well as sublime melodies and solos. Aside from the awesome hooks and melodies, there is also a fair bit of punch and heaviness to Eclipse's music, not least in a live setting where bassist Magnus Ulfstedt and busy drummer Robban Bäck provide a very solid foundation. Ulfstedt, once the drummer in Eclipse actually, is composed in his new role.

The expression "all killers no fillers" is fitting this evening as Eclipse perform a glorious dose of melodic hard rock/heavy metal, selected from the three latest classy albums. To Mend A Broken Heart, recently covered on record by super group Revolution Saints which Mårtensson proudly mentions, and Bleed & Scream bring the atmosphere to jubilant levels and the encores S.O.S. and Breaking My Heart Again finish it all on a high.

This is a memorable evening where we in the audience enjoy ourselves immensely, and it feels special to experience the live debut of the Armageddonize material. With more touring in the pipeline than what has been the case in the past, plus the impact of said album, Eclipse should be on the verge of their real breakthrough. They are the best Sweden has to offer in their field of hard rock the moment, something that speaks volumes in itself.

Performance: 9 chalices of 10
Stage sound: 8 chalices of 10
Best: To hear the brilliant new songs live.
Worst: The set could well be a bit longer, to fit a couple of more quality tunes from the past.

Setlist:
I Don't Wanna Say I'm Sorry
Stand On Your Feet
Wake Me Up
The Storm
Battlegrounds
About to Break
Breakdown
Blood Enemies
Love Bites
Live Like I'm Dying
Wide Open
To Mend a Broken Heart
Ain't Dead Yet
Bleed & Scream
All Died Young
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S.O.S.
Breaking My Heart Again