Over the last 10 years, Swedish rockers Eclipse have been reaching an ever-growing audience with each album release thanks to their stellar songwriting and high energy performances. Starting with the very Whitesnake-leaning ‘Are You Ready to Rock’, an album that was so good it was released twice, first in 2008 and then again in 2014, Eclipse, led be frontman Erik Martensson, have flown the flag for hook-laden, 80s leaning bludgeon riffola.
Martensson has been one of rock’s hardest working writers in this millennium. He’s fronted three other bands in Nordic Union, Ammunition and W.E.T. and collaborated in the studio with the likes of Chez Kane whilst also being a kind of ‘staff writer’ for record label Frontiers at various points in his career too, so Eclipse’s pedigree is a strong one.
Their last tours have brought them to stages in Japan, Australia, America and all over Europe including some of the world’s largest heavy rock festivals such as Wacken Open Air, Graspop and Sweden Rock. At its core, Eclipse is a heavy rock band with massive hooks, and with an appeal that transcends genres. In addition to their numerous headline tours, Eclipse has also opened for a wide range of bands over the years including Aerosmith, My Chemical Romance and Scorpions.
‘Megalomanium’: a word that well describes the grandiose sound and plans that the band has for their new music. The album offers the joyful, hook-laden and guitar oriented sound of Eclipse at its absolute purest and finest. It also gives a nod to a social / political theme that runs all the way through the album like lettering through a stick of rock as Martensson vents anger about greed, the rich and corporate organisations that are plundering society. Social unrest and Rock music are not typical bedfellows but there has been a punky, ‘oi’ side to Eclipse’s music in recent years that would embrace those themes and ideals.
Across ‘Megalomanium’ you’ll find Eclipse doing what they do best. Huge riffs, searing guitar solos and an interesting mix of 80s style hard rock / heavy metal mixed with a Scandinavian heritage and punky attitude. Tracks like ‘Got It!’ and ‘I Don’t Get It’ exemplify this intriguing mix of styles. The former melds classic 80s fiery fretboard action with the middle finger vibe of early Motley Crue whilst ‘I Don’t Get It’, a big anti-capitalist anthem about greed that references ‘pools, yachts, mansions and perfect wives’ is a kind of call to arms that feels lyrically more at home with the Sex Pistols and bands of that ilk but is driven by classic rock guitars and pounding drums.
A couple of other songs echo the sentiments found on ‘I Don’t Get It’. ‘The Broken’ finds Martensson telling us, ‘Don’t ever let them make you fall into line’ and conceptualises us all as ‘the broken’. There’s a Scorpions-esque feel to this number as we dip back into Eclipse’s influences whilst ‘So Long, Farewell, Goodbye’ has more references to greed and feels like what would happen if Billy Bragg joined Whitensake! A little snippet of Zak Wylde’s guitar solo on Ozzy’s ‘No More Tears’ song is thrown in here as an easter egg for old rockers who know their stuff! ‘One Step Closer to You’, meanwhile, finds Martensson singing about bringing down the elite on a slightly more nuanced song than some on this intense album.
Elsewhere on ‘Megalomanium’ you’ll find some cracking 80s leaning rock music with a Scandinavian edge. ‘The Hardest Part is Losing You’ has a direct genealogy right back to the glory days of ‘Are You Ready to Rock’. Great energy and some ferocious riffing are the order of the day here on a song that is going to be a monster to play live. ‘Anthem’ begins with some eerie Celtic guitars before a kind of Black Sabbath ‘Headless Cross’ era drumbeat kicks in. Imagine a cross between Thin Lizzy and Manowar here and you’d be somewhere in the ball park, particularly when Martenssson sings the line ‘Forever carry on,’ which could be a direct nod to the Manowar song of (nearly) the same name from their iconic ‘Fighting the World’ album. ‘Children of the Night’, meanwhile, echoes similar reference points as it begins with a Tommy Iommi style doom-laden riff before segueing into something akin in ‘Holy Diver’ era Dio with its powerful imagery, driving drums and a scorching guitar solo on the most 80s leaning song on the album. ‘Forgiven’ closes down the album in the same vein with some more classic Thin Lizzy riffing before it explodes into something altogether more like a Scandinavian version of Judas Priest. ‘Can we be forgiven before the fall?’ Martensson questions, riding that wave of social inclusivity and pointing a finger at the rich and greedy again.
Eclipse do take their feet off the accelerators a little in other parts of ‘Megalomanium’ but there are certainly no ballads to be found anywhere on this high octane album. ‘Hearts Collide’ barrels along on a wave of heavy melodic joy before ending with a bang in its final third on a crescendo of gang vocals and riffage whilst ‘High Road’ treats us to a big, singalong chorus that makes you want to pump your fist in the air, evoking memories of classic Whitesnake in terms of sound and style. Bassist, Victor Crusner helms the vocals on this track but there’s no dropping the ball or weakening of Eclipse’s core sound or values here at all.
‘Megalomanium’ is another fine and worthy addition to Eclispe’s ever growing catalogue. It doesn’t break any new ground in terms of sound or style although the theme of social justice is an interesting one in a genre often ridiculed for it’s cliched lyrics and overblown pomposity. Here we find Eclipse doing what Eclipse does best and showing us all why they are one of the finest modern Rock bands around. Alongside bands like H.E.A.T. and Crazy Lixx, Eclipse have forged their own fan base, building upon the shoulders of the rock giants that went before them. Martensson & co have added in their own style, though, and should not be considered imitators. There’s a punkiness at play here and when that’s mixed with the bands’ Scandinavian roots it all adds up to something of the highest quality that should delight and entertain rock fans all over the globe.
Track list: 1. The Hardest Part Is Losing You 2. Got It! 3. Anthem 4. Children of the Night 5. Hearts Collide 6. I Don’t Get It 7. The Broken 8. So Long, Farewell, Goodbye 9. High Road 10. One Step Closer to You 11. Forgiven Release Date: September 1st Record Label: Frontiers Buy ‘Megalomanium’ here
This article contains an affiliate link. Purchases through this link may result in us earning a commission.
