LARS ERIC MATTSON

Lars Eric Mattson is a very prolific artist. Having released numerous albums over the last decade he has managed to create a loyal fan base that eagerly await his next release. The fact that he releases an album almost every year without fail means that fans always get their next Mattsson fix sooner rather than later helping to keep the fan base loyal. The brings us to 'Eternity' which is one of Lars' earliest albums dating from 1988, this however is a brand new recording of the album. Lars explains "Eternity was my first album, originally released in 1988 in Europe and Japan. The recordings were of extremely low quality due to lack of money and knowledge. We recorded and mixed the album ourselves without really knowing what we were doing. Even though the album was received well I was always quite unhappy with the sound and some of the performances. Since there have been requests for a re-release of Eternity I decided that the material would need a serious upgrade. This is why you are holding a totally new version of Eternity in your hands". The vocals this time are courtesy of Bjorn Lodin who I have read a few negative comments about in various places but I have no real criticism with. Maybe he does not have the range of vocalists normally associated with the neo-classical genre but the gravely edge to his voice give the music an original quality, although his limitations do get a little grating occasionally. The style of this album is best described as melodic neo-classical metal, with influences ranging from Malmsteen to Rainbow, but with the odd traditional metal styling ala Dio and Black Sabbath. The material is surprisingly strong and sounds fresh despite getting on for 15 years old.

'Break Your Chains' begins with classical nylon guitar before a heavy power riff comes in with a slight medieval flair. Nice chunky riffs make the impact tight before Lars fire off his first solo on the album, a nice classical sounding melodic piece. The verse sees a quite original melody while the chorus has a nice dark feel to it. The track has an extended solo from Lars that showcases his talent rather nicely, a strong opener that sets the tone for the rest of the album.

'Let It Rock' is more of a traditional metal number, parping keys collide with the commercial yet heavy riff. The chorus sees the sound drop to what is best described as classic Scandie rock type sound before the uplifting chorus brings the track back to harder edges, a superb melody from Lars separates the end of the chorus from the verse and it is very soulful, another strong track.

'Where Do We Go?' starts off a bit like Yngwie's 'Dreaming (Tell Me)' but rather than stick to the heavy classical nature of that classic this track travels down a more haunting path reflected by the dark fantasy esque lyrics. Lars delivers a solo that sort of fuses Yngwie with Blackmore but also a little Vito Bratto as well, a nice mix, a highlight of the album.

'Mujahedin Warrior' starts with Lars giving us a workout on the sitar before an almost Brian May type lead bit, the forms the start of the track proper which progresses into a rather good instrumental track, obviously this gives Lars the chance to stretch his fingers and overall its a nice tune with strong melodies and not just shred.

'Can't Go On Without Your Love' begins with a swirling classical organ part that is very majestic. Pulsating guitar then enters before a nice verse which blends early Europe with more commercial Rainbow. The pre chorus has a riff that is a bit like Yngwie's 'You Don't Remember...' and the chorus sees this feel also. A track that starts well but tends to not maintain the quality.

'Devil in Your Mirror' is back to full on heavy neo-classical metal and its a bit of a stomper. A strong riff fuses nicely with Landin's gruff vocals while the keyboards adds a strong atmosphere to the proceedings. Lars delivers a good solo although his vibrato gets a little too Axel Rudi Pell in places [not good!] but the classical sections work within the dark context of the track - a highlight.

'Eternity' is the second instrumental and its slightly heavier in nature than 'Mujahedin Warrior', it is another good instrumental.

'Love Is The Answer' sees the sound travel back to melodic neo-classical territories and again Yngwie springs to mind. The verse is strong whislt the chorus sees some traditional textures come into the fold, overall its a track where Mattsson and Lodin combine well again.

'Tales Untold' is another instrumental, it starts with a keyboard part similar to Alcatrazz's 'Kree Nakoorie' before changing to a moody Blackmore type piece with nice melodies from Mattsson that are pretty soulful, the strongest instrumental on offer. As a bonus Lars has given us 3 bonus tracks.

'Waiting For The Night' is a mid tempo track that is slightly more prog sounding that the rest of the material on offer fusing metal with an almost reggae style verse over which Lodin throws down some more gritty vocals, a good original track that stands out because of its originality.

'Midsummer Nights Dream' is the final instrumental and starts off acoustic before Lars thick tone comes in with another melodic Blackmore-esque melody, the track has several themes that all work well with each other and make for an enjoyable listen.

The final track is 'Children Of The Night' which according to the liner notes is a track that should of been on the original version of 'Eternity' but somehow never made it. Luckily it is included here as it is quite possible the best track on the album, a strong Malmsteen pomp feel is prevalent throughout but the combination of Lodin's vocals and Mattsson not quite so OTT fretboard antics make its come across as no rip off. The pre-chorus is super melodic and works a treat over the rocking backing before the gutsy 80's chorus kicks in, this chorus would not be out of place on any Dio album. An excellent way to end the album.

Overall 'Eternity' despite not being an eagerly awaited rerecorded classic is a solid enough slab of neoclassical metal. Lars obviously has always been a strong songwriter as this essentially 15 year old material is testament to. All though it is not an essential purchase by any means, it is worthy of investigation for anyone into the neo-classical or traditional metal scene. Lars' guitar work is very strong showing a good ear for structure and melody whilst the rest of the band contribute strongly.

RATING
7.4

HOT SPOTS: Break Your Chains, Where Do We Go, Tales Untold, Children Of The Night.

BOTTOM LINE: Not a classic by any means, 'Eternity' is however a solid neo-classical album.

Review by Andy Craven

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