Review: “Fervor” by Eave

Returning with a third album in seven years together, New England Black Metal act Eave have migrated from Maine where they recorded their last album “Phantoms Made Permanent” three years ago back to their home stage of Connecticut. An intriguing relocation, it is one that has seemingly inspired them with “Fervor” looking to shed light on the beauty and darkness that forever exists in mankind and its relationship to the natural world. Recorded by the band themselves before being re-amped, mixed and mastered by Colin Marston (Grief, Behold The Arctopus, Imperial Triumphant) in Queens, New York it seems amazing that vocalist and bassist Brian Tenison, drummer Caleb Porter, guitarist partnership Ian Stoller and Gabriel Shara would all be able to share that journey and remain intact…

A melodic almost 1970’s leaning Post-Rock meandering riff brings the first 60 seconds of “Past Pulses” to life before bursting into flames of spitting, snarling fury with Earth shattering blast beats accompanied by the caustic cathartic screams of Tenison. Sitting in the space between a blink and a tear with a sound that sits between Post-Hardcore and Black Metal makes for an intriguing soundscape of dark mystery wrapped in soul destroyingly bleak instrumentals in a similar vein to bands like The Hope Burden. After that savage requiem, as darkly beautifully as it is brutally ugly, “Chance is a Spectre” rises like a beast from the black depths of the blue lagoon. Swirling and brooding with some The Fall Of Troy style riffs and movements, the band paint in textures of sound, balancing out each and every moment of each on a knife edge in captivating fashion. Having vocal layers in the foreground and in the background works incredibly well, the deeper, darker growls at the beginning of cuts like “Mirroring” giving an extra weight and gravity to everything. The beauty of it is hard to comprehend let alone explain, shoegazing moments of utter despair interspliced with bursts of turbulent violence and vocal venom are the bands stock in trade and yet each burnt offering is remarkably different with new ideas and fresh vision.

Speaking of which, “Stale Ash” is nothing short of majestic with almost tribal drum fill moments from Porter adding to the slow cathartic burn coupled with vibrancy from the guitar work that feels like chinks of light bursting through black storm clouds overhead. Intricate and more technical riff moments are captivating at the beginning of “Bending the Light“, something which will keep listeners returning to this record time and time again, while Tenison sounds like an impaled beast with his shriller tones. Those are shattered by the brutal Death Metal style vocals from Shara who drives “Shards” forward as a shorter and more intense piece which may have been chosen as the opening cut. It cleverly offers a moment of respite from some of the longer and more drawn out meanderings allowing for the finale that is “Into Perdition” to shine like a diamond reflecting torchlight in the darkness. Encapsulating the sound of the album as a whole in one mammoth piece, it has moments of Black Metal punch that rise from the Post-Hardcore melodies in glorious fashion before falling back and rising once more like the tide. Moments which separate the two styles have been wonderfully executed and the final minute is an absolute dream [8/10]

Track Listing

1. Past Pulses
2. Chance is a Spectre
3. Mirroring
4. Stale Ash
5. Bending the Light
6. Shards
7. Into Perdition

“Fervor” by Eave is out 28th July 2023 via Bindrune Recordings with pre-orders available over at bandcamp.