Eruption – Cloaks of Oblivion

After a 5 year wait, Slovenian thrashers Eruption are returning in 2017 with their third full-length record: “Cloaks of Oblivion”. This effort picks up exactly where “Tenses Collide” left off, and shows the band continuing their Bay Area-inspired thrashing sound. Over the course of 48 minutes, the band unleashes a cornucopia of high-speed, rhythm-intensive riffs. The main differentiating factor of Eruption’s music (as with most Bay Area-sounding thrash bands) is their unique vocalist. His range spans from the shrillest high-pitched screams (see “Drones"), to throatier, more aggressive barks. He spends most of his time singing in a melodic fashion, not unlike Russ Anderson of Forbidden.

Though Eruption is a newer thrash band, they’ve actually been around for well over a decade now, and this experience shines through on “Cloaks of Oblivion”, as the album is clearly a very polished product. Each musician is an absolute master of their instrument. From the blasting madness of “The Yearning” to the bass solo on “Sanity Ascend”, to the constant barrage of guitar solos, it is clear that Eruption’s musicians are a cut above. The title track shows opens with a masterful display of acoustic guitar playing, before moving into a crushing mid-paced headbanger.

The technicality of “Cloaks of Oblivion” is in some ways its downfall. The record overflows with great moments, but lacks great songs. Even after numerous listens, there aren’t many hooks that will have you returning. The primary strength of the record from a songwriting perspective is its diversity, and the fact that it doesn’t all blend together. Still, the band would benefit from incorporating more obvious choruses into their music, as well as putting a greater emphasis on speed and bludgeoning thrash. Bands like Heathen and Death Angel could experiment with melody and less thrashy moments because of their superior songwriting and focus on hooks, but Eruption doesn’t have quite as many of these. Of course, “Drones” is a major highlight, as it locks in an early groove and just doesn’t let go. Aside from this however, the album doesn’t have a ton of hits. 

This leaves “Cloaks of Oblivion” in a unique spot in the modern thrash world. It is leagues ahead of the countless imitators of thrash’s forefathers, but it also falls short of some of the bigger names in modern thrash. Major fans of the subgenre would be wise to listen to this record simply because of the quality of the riffs and the wild vocals. Though “Cloaks of Oblivion” won’t shatter many top 10 lists, it is a very worthwhile record!

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Highlights

"Cloaks of Oblivion"

"Drones"

Final Rating

3.8/5 or 76%. 

Written by Scott