This would most likely be the most glorious way to create a colossal masterpiece. After 35 years of waiting, the ETERNAL DARKNESS followers are finally rewarded with an album that surpasses the heights and depths of their earlier classics. The 38-minute-long album that would transport the listeners on an endless voyage through the emptiness of life and into the ark of death. An ultimate end that would cement the band’s name in the cult of the underground Metal for their triumphant arrival and the victorious departure. The album is opened by three intimidating tracks: ‘The Beyond’, ‘Pungent Awakening’ and ‘Funeral’. Every chord is so massively sounding and majestic through everything in its wake. The vocal and guitar riffs are utterly terrifying. It is somehow depicting that there is a dark force beyond the realm of beauty in the land of Sweden that the common man has never encountered. The next two songs, ‘Grief’ and ‘Into Crematory’, seem to have some inexplicable organic connections or lethal patterns. Either the composition or the atmosphere, the direction is as clear as crystal, conjuring crushing tones over brooding melodies. These slow-paced crushing songs definitely would swallow those who are not prepared to embrace their engulfing darkness. ETERNAL DARKNESS retains the same formula for their upcoming assaults ‘When Life Ends’ and ‘Death Above All’. And this would be the ideal adornment to trap your listeners in the neverending abyss through melancholic soundscapes in the uneasy experience of doomy Death music. The inexorable void that they have delivered to the world of man would be the true meaning of “the emptiness is alive” as their shadows creep in from every direction. This debut album ends with the longest track, entitled ‘Til Death’. Much like the other offers, this one perfectly presents another large dose of heaviest brutality and funeral paces. It also sounds like it covers otherworldly territories over its lengthy duration compared to the other tracks. Perhaps the initial impact of this final offering is often driven by the raw power of the dynamism of the song structure itself. The aura of their music is truly suffocating, like travelling through a labyrinth of vast underground caverns. Furthermore, the sound production of this debut album by Peter Bjärgö is beyond greatness. And probably it’s what makes ETERNAL DARKNESS such a titan in the most crushing entity of Death Doom Metallers. The production is completely flawless. Every instrument sounds awfully monumental, like this is probably intended. That immense guitar tone, cavernous vocal, torturing bass and drum sounds – each instrument complements each other with a clarity that is more than enough to showcase the true sound design of death. And the staggering visuals from Skiftinge Darkness truly add more to the description of this album as desolate and majestic at the same time. On a deeper level, it is a welcoming listen and sight that is truly ecstatic if one allows the cover album to play a role as an immersive way to enter their gateway of doom and darkness. In conclusion, there is no insufficiency of the heaviest riffs, deadliest atmosphere, or eerie melodies on ETERNAL DARKNESS’ first and last album. This band should be the essence of the genre for many years to come. I could sing praises of this album until darkness swallows me whole. Head over to Pulverised Records if you want to hear more of ETERNAL DARKNESS. www.facebook.com/eternaldarknessswe, www.facebook.com/pulverisedrecords