Review: “The Onset of Eternal Darkness” by Climate of Fear

Formed from the ashes of a number of bands in 2017 and most notably featuring the vocal talents of former Desolated frontman Paul Williams are Climate of Fear. The bands debut EP “Holy Terror” was released in 2017 and we’ll received by fans and followers alike. Now it’s time for the band to spread their collective wings for a full length with “The Onset of Eternal Darkness”.

A dark and atmospheric piece of piano work accompanied by a choral vocal harmony brings album opener “Rapture” to life. Some slow and brooding riffage make way for blast beats and uncleans as the band elevate a Thrash core sound into something that touches on Melodic Black Metal in places. A song about seeing the darkness in our time is lyrically on point while it’s old school sound is remarkably well captured. “The Cult of Retribution” brings with it some heavier Trivium riffage while the whammy bar and kit get a seruose work out. The quality of the production and mixing is apparent from the start with the bands drum sound being captured at its finest. Make no mistake, Climate of Fear are a Technical band and that element relies upon the engineers to do their finest work. “Shadow & Flame” is a song with a heart of darkness as it leans on the Black Metal sound a bit more as it progresses. In fact there are points where you might mistake them for Cradle of Filth if you didn’t know better, such are some of the shrill vocal tones Paul Williams manages to achieve.

“Centuries of Torment” keeps the balance between the bands pair of styles with some electrifying lead riff chord progressions, blast bests and caustic vocal rants that break back into technical Thrash for a slower, neck breaking headbanging verse. “Storming The Heavens” has a gang chant sing-a-long opportunity in amongst a set of storming riffs (no pun intended) that threaten to tear any beast limb from limb. A glorious pick slide is one of several throughout the album that give it an older, more majestic quality. That same quality is present in “De Conflctu Noctis Aeternae Obruat”, an instrumental that builds off a Metallica “Master of Puppets” era riff into the earlier Technical Thrash guitar work with some glorious leads.

“Slaves of Capitol” ushers in the final third of the album with a faster tune that is a shorter affair with some raging lyrics to accompany the brutal vocals. As the gangchant of “This Means War!” appears, if you aren’t signing along, then you need another beer! “From Enslavement to Extinction” is a Cradle of Filth song title if we ever heard one and for a 4 minute track to have a 60 second intro that isn’t out of place is phenomenal. The verse vocals show some signs of strain with their cleaner (not clean) bark but as soon as the usually vicious uncleans kick back in they evaporate. “Divide & Conquer” has some classic Metal stylings with some Middle Eastern inspired acoustics that build into a rise and fall Thrash riff with some menacing overtones. Lyrically questioning the freedom of speech with political awareness, it’s a thought provoker after it’s headbang ability wears a little bit. Slowing things down for a final chugger of a breakdown after a moment of silence is a final masterstroke. There should be no doubting the quality on offer here, Climate of Fear have created an album full of quality material that never rests on any of its successes and instead builds on the solid foundations. It’s deserves to be heard on the biggest of gatherings as in the live arena it should be huge [7.5/10]

“The Onset of Eternal Darkness” by Climate of Fear is out now and available over at bandcamp.