ECLIPSE – Wired

10/10

ECLIPSE - Wired - 10/10

10/10

Summary

Frontiers Music
Release date: October 8, 2021

[spoiler title=’Metal Express Radio – Ratings Scale’ style=’default’ collapse_link=’true’]

10.0: Cannot be improved! Perfect, instant classic! Essential in any record collection.
9.5 – 9.9: Fantastic, spectacular and outstanding!
9.0 – 9.4: Amazing release! It just lacks that little extra spice to make it perfect.
8.5 – 8.9: Exceptional release! Will likely rank among top ten albums of the year.
8.0 – 8.4: Great release! It has many different qualities.
7.5 – 7.9: Above average! It is an enjoyable release.
7.0 – 7.4: It is not brilliant, but has many strong points.
6.0 – 6.9: It has its moments, but is not that strong.
5.0 – 5.9: Slightly above average, does not stand out. Good outweighs bad by just a little.
4.0 – 4.9: Just below average, bad outweighs good by just a little.
3.0 – 3.9: Mediocre. There might be a song or a performance that is enjoyable, but that is it.
2.0 – 2.9: Very weak! There might be a light at the end of the tunnel, too many flaws.
1.0 – 1.9: This release gives the word “terrible” new meaning.
0.1 – 0.9: Awful! Avoid at all cost. There is nothing good to say about this release.

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User Review

7.38/10 (4 votes)

The Backstory

Sweden’s Melodic Rock powerhouse Eclipse released their first live album Viva LaVicTOURia [review] in 2020. Just one year later Eclipse is back with their 8th studio album Wired. The album follows the band’s highly successful 2019 studio outing Paradigm.

[Read our interview with Erik Mårtensson HERE]

The Album

Eclipse is wired with bombastic energy on the album’s opening track “Roses on Your Grave.” Magnus Henriksson guitar solo during the break is on fire. Pulsing keys introduce “Dying Breed,” but they are soon replaced with cutting riffs and Erik Mårtensson’s melodic vocals. “Saturday Night (Halleluiah)” is an upbeat party Rock anthem, plain and simple. “Carved in Stone” brings the energy down, but keeps the passion flowing. It’s a nice mix on acoustics meeting electrics.

“Twilight” is powerful in its delivery and ends with a surprise classical piece that compliments it well. Eclipse take a little bit of a darker tone led by meaty guitar riffs on “Bite The Bullet.” “We Didn’t Come to Lose” could be the background theme to a movie hero training for the big showdown with his enemy. There are different bonus tracks* depending on which version you have of this release. For the digital and CD version it’s “Dead Inside.” The track is full of the same intensity as the opening track.

* The bonus track for the vinyl version is “Ain’t No Fun.” The track was not available for review.

The Verdict

What makes a great Rock album? Relatable and easy to follow lyrics, emotional melodies and progressions, killer guitar riffs, easily recallable grooves, and harmonious and impassioned vocals. Eclipse delivers all of this on Wired. Each song on the album has its own identity and can be sung along with by the second chorus. Eclipse has such a powerful grasp of the Melodic Rock sound, they may need to rename the genre Eclipse Rock.

Tracklist

Roses On Your Grave
Dying Breed
Saturday Night (Hallelujah)
Run For Cover
Carved In Stone
Twilight
Poison Inside My Heart
Bite The Bullet
We Didn’t Come To Lose
Things We Love
Dead Inside (CD and Digital Exclusive Bonus Track)

Eclipse is

Erik Mårtensson – Vocals
Magnus Henriksson – Guitars
Philip Crusner – Drums
Victor Crusner – Bass

Author

George Dionne

George was a contributor here at Metal Express Radio, reviewing albums and conducting interviews, out of Massachusetts, USA. George has contributed to numerous music related websites and blogs, and even managed his own from 2004-2009. George's first assignment was covering a live show by the mighty GWAR. By contrast his later assignments featured Judas Priest, Van Halen, and Bon Jovi. George was also the front man for the South Eastern Massachusetts cover band Sound Tower from 2009-2015. Sound Tower played 300+ shows across MA and had two original songs on the Cape Cod radio station PIXY 103. George enjoys a good whiskey, scotch, and/or bourbon and fights crime in his spare time.
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