Eidolon - The Parallel Otherworld

*=Staff's pick	The Parallel Otherwold Arcturus #9 The Eternal Call* Ghost World Thousand Winters Old Spirit Sanctuary* Order Of The White Light Astral Flight* Shadowanderer The Oath (Merciful Fate cover)*

Genre	Prog. Power Metal	Nils K. Rue	Vocals
Tracks	10	Glen Drover	Guitar
Runningtime	68 Min.	-	Guitar
Label	Escapi Music	Adrian Robichaud	Bass
Release	16 June 2006	Shawn Drover	Drums
Country	Canada	-	Keyboards
Similar artists	Fates Warning, Savatage, Megadeth

After enduring the holy wars and triumphantly touring relentlessly with Megadeth over the last few years, the brothers grim, Glen and Shawn Drover, have finally released a new Eidolon offering unto the order of the white light. Now equipped with new vocalist Nils K. Rue, from Pagan's Mind, the parallel otherworld will soon be obtained and transversed. This CD an aggressive, progressive propensity, is itself a spangled spectre with intriguing lyrics, rakish rifffage, and soulful solos. This is the first time since the band's inception that Shawn has not penned his pedantic poetry. The brainchild brothers have concentrated all of their efforts towards creating the utmost memorable music. These apostles of defiance, therefore, have relinquished the horror epics to the twisted and protracted pagan mindful musings of Nils' surrealistic creations..

The CD initiates the listener with it's longest track - the album's namesake - a haunting, brooding brew of supernatural superlatives. Nils vocals are truly unique, elevating Eidolon to the next parallel. Nils stlye is similar to these semimal achievers: the Guardian Jon Arch, the Skeptic John Cyrris, and the Diamond King Kim Bendix Pedersen. I also notice just a hint and a tinge of the Savage Jon Oliva or the warning cry of Geoff Tate.

Some of the songs feature beguiling guest musicianship. Among the elite are Michael Romeo, Chris Caffery, Frank Aresti, and Kim Mitchell. The Eternal Call is an excellent exuberant example of this, as Chris and Frank trade off solos with Glen. The two most essential guest stars are to be found on the rendering of Merciful Fate's The Oath. This killer cover exhibits Hank Sherman and Michael Denner themselves playing all the guitar parts, except the closing solo, for which Glen does justice and honour. Nils delights the senses as he dresses his vocal aperture in white arrraignment, characteristically channels the King ever so puissantly. The discerning ear will wonder if this is indeed just a cover, or the magniloquent original itself.

Many critical comparisons have been idling along, with false witness bearing too many unwarranted accusations against Eidolon. They claim that there is a lack of originality, and with Nils singing, the music is just too similar to the sound of Pagan's Mind. In essence, given Nils nuances and vocal verisimilitude, I seldom detect any aspect of Pagan's mind music; but as I scrutinize more meticulously,, the sounds of classic Fates Warning, Savatage, Agent Steel, Psychotic Waltz, and Shadow Gallery presently come to mind. Obviously, one must not dismiss the Megadeth like silence, given the fact that Shawn and Glen has been engaged in the rustic service of selling peace . Each musician distinctly discovers his own direction and this serves to solidify Eidolon's indestructive innocence and immeasurable talent..

Once again, Jan Menninghaus has painted another ill-fated portrait of faith in sepia, with the sanguine sinner screaming out as he rises from the city beneath the surface. Eidolon cast aspersion upon any false idols of ignorance; especially for those lost souls of excoriation wandering aimlessly in the ghost world of modern critique. Here the shadowanderers have conducted and created their most versatile work to date, heeding the eternal call of spirit sanctuary on this astral flight tonight.

Production	Vocals	Compositions
7,5	7,5	8

Summary
7,5 chalices of 10 - Michael the MettleAngel