Eruption - Tellurian Rupture

Angry Metal Guy 70

There once was a boy that hated everything. To him, the worst thing you could do was bring more life into the world. When around others, his mother would ask, “Son, why do you look like you’re not having fun.” He always replied the same, “Because I’m not.” Every day he prayed for locusts to destroy the crops, tornadoes to destroy the town, floods to bury the survivors, and hurricanes to lay waste to society. He bred vipers to prey on the pets, planted black widows in wicker furniture, and put scorpions into cribs. He threw thumb tacks in boots, stuffed burlap bags down chimneys, and added soap to decorative water fountains. He held grudges eternally for those that touched him, he self-destructed all relationships, and inclusivity to him was wishing all people—regardless of color, gender, or race—to die. A bullet is the answer, cancer is the cure, destruction is the means. Happiness is a myth, friendship is weakness, love is poison. What happened to this poor boy, you ask? No one knows for sure. Some say he became the very thing he prayed for—the storms that destroy homes, the adulterer that tears apart families, and the sin that plagues Christian hearts. Or, maybe he’s these words you read, setting the stage for utter devastation.

Now that you’re in the right mood, let’s talk about Eruption‘s new thrashtastic platter. The first time I listened to Eruption was with 2017’s release, Cloaks of Oblivion. That album was a fun introduction to the band’s interesting mix of Forbidden and Metal Church, with hints of Iced Earth-like vocals and aggression. The mix was pleasant, the songwriting solid, and the vocals were vastly improved from previous releases. With 2022 comes Tellurian Rupture. And once again, the band has improved every aspect of their sound.

Tellurian Rupture by Eruption

“The Awakening” opens with crashing thunder before it unleashes a killer thrash lick and soaring wails. Right away, you can feel the band’s lack of restraints and no-fucks attitude. Where most of Cloaks of Oblivion felt reserved, it’s clear from “The Awakening” that it’s not the case here. Not only is the main riffage tasty, but the midpoint transition is a hateful lick matched by the vocals. The solos are immense, and the climbing chorus is one of the best on the record.

While there are plenty of hooks in the chorus department of Tellurian Rupture, “Aegeon’s Wrath” and the closing title track follow the opener’s lead. “Aegeon’s Wrath” is a bruiser with riffs that tear asphalt off highways. The “I am the Kraken” line splits the sky as the song develops into a level-tempered chorus. The track builds high-pitched screams before giving way to dueling guitar solos. The closer has a similar chorus to “Aegeon’s Wrath,” but its monstrous riffs are unexpected. The bass takes the lead in the midsection interlude while the guitars explore their highest registers. Then, the song explodes into the back half before ending with lush acoustic guitars.

The most surprising combination of tracks is the back-to-back “Praise the Serpent Queen” and “Gone with the Floods.” The former has a concept theme, much like the closer to Cloaks of Oblivion. Unlike “The Prophet,” “Praise the Serpent Queen” is a powerful combination of clean guitars and raucous thrash licks that give the track an Iced Earth-like power metal quality. The result is the most-passionate chorus on the record. “Gone with the Floods” isn’t in the same vein, but its attitude and character are similar. This makes it the perfect partner to “Praise the Serpent Queen,” and I can’t listen to one without the other.¹

Cloaks of Oblivion had all the pieces, but it didn’t fully deliver. On the other hand, Tellurian Rupture is the band’s greatest achievement. Sure, some songs (like “Maternal Foundry”) don’t quite help things along, but Tellurian Rupture is a killer thrash record. The production is bright and dynamic, and the band intensified their strengths. The riffs are stronger than their predecessor’s, the dueling solos are more extensive and intricate, and the vocals are stronger and more diverse. And, goddamn, does Nika Krmelj’s bass sound good. Tellurian Rupture is a very pleasing record that I have difficulty putting down.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: From the Vaults
Websites: eruptionthrash.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/eruptionmetal
Releases Worldwide: August 19th, 2022

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