Eklipse - A Night In Strings review
| Band: | Eklipse |
| Album: | A Night In Strings |
| Style: | Pop rock |
| Release date: | March 30, 2012 |
| A review by: | Milena |
01. Wonderful Life [Hurts cover]
02. In The End [Linkin Park cover]
03. New Moon Theme [Twilight OST cover]
04. Home [Depeche Mode cover]
05. Cry Me A River [Justin Timberlake cover]
06. Cloudbusting [Kate Bush cover]
07. Paparazzi [Lady Gaga cover]
08. Run [Snow Patrol cover]
09. Mumbai Theme [Bombay OST cover]
10. Clocks [Coldplay cover]
Rating suplement: If you take a crappy pop song and play it on cellos, it's still going to suck, sorry.
Oh boy. I always thought that when I am forwarded my first review request from a band which clearly doesn't belong on Metal Storm, I'll just throw it in the bin. But after listening to this, I felt like I had something meaningful to say. And that would be, may the labels that sign redundant bands instead of awesome ones go completely bankrupt, possibly as a result of a ridiculous, Hollywood blockbuster-style robbery performed by music nerd vigilantes.
Eklipse, a newly formed string quartet from Germany, have the most pretentiously written biography I've ever laid eyes upon, mostly because of the number of times the writer of the former has mentioned words such as "sex/sexy", "desire", "darkness" and "mystery". But then again, maybe it's not the only selling point? Maybe the four ladies have actually taken chart topping hits and tweaked the arrangements in a way that adds meat to the bones of these impoverished music pieces? Maybe this will bring pleasure to any darkly inclined ear?
Nope, sorry, apart from their image (which is clearly lifted from performers such as Emilie Autumn), there is nothing remotely alternative about Eklipse. Taking the most shallow and annoying "hits" of the past ten years (save of Depeche Mode's "Home", the wonderful Kate Bush's "Cloudbusting" and the "Mumbai Theme", which still manage to sound not very exciting on this album) and playing them without changing much of the actual music only reveals all of these songs rely on one short catchy melody that gets repeated endlessly. Congratulations, you have reminded us of the fact that most of current pop music sucks. Now could you move on to doing something more useful with your instruments, like covering any of the songs from pop music's history which have actually stood the test of time? Or some of today's pop songs that will still be remembered after 20 years? Anything that's not, you know, Snow Patrol?
Obviously, everything sounds a little nicer played by a string quartet and they're not bad players, although they're far from virtuosos. But why listen to this? If you like string quartets in particular, why not listen to this instead? Or this? If you're not into classical music, why not find contemporary players that cover pop/rock music that has a little more merit? If you like metal combined with classical instruments, look for Apocalyptica's self-titled or Reflections, search for talented musicians on Youtube that cover entire albums on piano in one take - anything that actually took some effort to put together. Not this.
 | Written on 04.04.2012 by A part of the team since December 2011. 7.0 means the album is good. |
Comments
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Comments: 35
Visited by: 225 users
| Marcus Doit Like Bernie Posts: 642  |
I'll be honest and say the music actually sounds pretty decent (mostly because I'm not familiar with most of these). But I guess it's pretty bad when you prefer the original Linkin Park version of a song to a string quartet's cover... Also really nice review, I didn't realize it was you reviewing it the whole time, sounded way more biting than anything I've ever read of yours; it's a nice change of pace;)
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| Kuroboshi Posts: 1201  |
Yeah down with them! But judging from your review, it should be a 2.5 or something. 
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| Milena gloom cookie Staff Posts: 4603  |
Written by Marcus on 05.04.2012 at 09:00 It does sound relatively decent because it's on strings, but after ten songs, you kinda wonder why. It's pretty empty. A full album of it... nah. The most redundant album ever to exist. Thanks! I just rarely have stuff to bash, when I hear something I don't really like, I don't have the desire to listen to it again and therefore cannot review it. I prefer reviewing things I like, or at least find average.
---- 7.0 means the album is good
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| Fat & Sassy! Elite Posts: 3857  |
Why is a Depeche Mode song on here? They don't sucks... TT^TT
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| Milena gloom cookie Staff Posts: 4603 |
Written by Kuroboshi on 05.04.2012 at 09:00 The playing isn't bad in itself, it's just empty as fuck.
---- 7.0 means the album is good
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| Milena gloom cookie Staff Posts: 4603 |
Written by Fat & Sassy! on 05.04.2012 at 09:17 Yeah, and Kate Bush  Have no idea how these got there.
---- 7.0 means the album is good
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| IronAngel Posts: 4880  |
Meh. Cloudbusting sounds really bland. The whole point of Hounds of Love (and The Dreaming), apart from brilliant songwriting and Kate's divine vocals, is the original and ingenious production. Hounds of Love is probably one of the most tastefully produced and arranged albums I have ever heard. This string arrangement eliminates all the layers. I mean, it doesn't even add anything to the song: there's already a string section playing in the original, along with everything else. They just stripped the other layers and recreated the strings. Wow, so creative. I'm a butthurt fanboy, I guess. The Dreaming and Hounds of Love are both in my top 15 albums ever. 
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| Milena gloom cookie Staff Posts: 4603 |
Written by IronAngel on 05.04.2012 at 11:59 Yeah, when that song came up, I thought "oh this is gonna be nice"... and when it finished, I felt pretty meh.
---- 7.0 means the album is good
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306  |
Why is this even on here. Failed marketing gimmick/10.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Windrider Raureif Posts: 684  |
So, Lady Gaga and Justin Timberlake have finally made it to metalstorm? Nothing to do here...
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| Milena gloom cookie Staff Posts: 4603 |
Written by Windrider on 05.04.2012 at 14:33 Oh, there was another band back then with half an album worth of "Telephone" covers.
---- 7.0 means the album is good
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| R'Vannith ghedengi Elite Posts: 3099  |
I like the swashbuckling look the one on the right is going for. "Let me play ye me favourite tune, whilst I send it to the depths of Davy Jones' locker in the meantime" And surely I'm not the first to notice the Twilight soundtrack cover? I'm not sure that will go down all that well with a metal appreciative audience, would it?
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| Milena gloom cookie Staff Posts: 4603 |
Written by R'Vannith on 05.04.2012 at 16:13 Didn't even wanna mention that one.
---- 7.0 means the album is good
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| theFIST Posts: 1074  |
Wow, extremely high number rating 
---- http://metalstormmusicianscorner.bandcamp.com Written by Warman on 07.11.2007 at 22:39
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466  |
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by Slayer666 on 05.04.2012 at 21:09 Well over a year ago I reviewed Eternal September's debut...
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466 |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 05.04.2012 at 21:20 How do you sleep at night, damnit?! Wait, don't answer that. What with your new fuckbuddy and all, I don't think I really want to know.
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| ANGEL REAPER Posts: 3687  |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 05.04.2012 at 21:20 that still doesn't justify this stuff being here  come on people few month back all the MS bused about how the hell Dethklok and Marilyn Manson got here and now we get ,as staff person Mora say "asked review by the band",this on reviews ... still criteria is just dropping here ...whats next : ordered reviews of pop stars or NSBM ? come on people if something isn't for MS dont blindly push it here....
---- "Cross is only an iron,hope is just an illusion,freedom is nothing but a name..." "Build your walls of the dead stone...Build your roofs of a dead wood..Build your dreams of a dead thoughts" 
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by ANGEL REAPER on 05.04.2012 at 21:52 So run your own. We're a webzine. We review material sent to us by bands and labels. We've done it before and we'll continue to do it - it's not like we make these bands visible in our database.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071  |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 05.04.2012 at 21:55 Or to put in short he (Angel Reaper) should stop his whining. We run the website not him 
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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| ANGEL REAPER Posts: 3687 |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 05.04.2012 at 21:55 i didnt wrote that you shouldn't review a sent material,but to have some criteria of choosing it... if something aint for the MS why you just dont return it with polite answer "our viewers are not interested in this kind of material ,thank you"? also im here for the crowd ,if i was for the reviews and such stuff i would be a long gone from here ...and quit changing text in quotes
---- "Cross is only an iron,hope is just an illusion,freedom is nothing but a name..." "Build your walls of the dead stone...Build your roofs of a dead wood..Build your dreams of a dead thoughts"
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by ANGEL REAPER on 05.04.2012 at 22:14 It's the reviewer's discretion. Milena felt compelled to review it. She could have did like you said and returned it to the band saying she felt the band didn't "fit" Metal Storm. We review material that we believe will appeal to at least a portion of the Metal Storm community. Sometimes these reviews aren't always metal. Not really a big deal. 
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| ANGEL REAPER Posts: 3687 |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 05.04.2012 at 22:27 yes i know,and i actually dont give a fuck about it, i was just raisin few questions,got answers,i and i am happy now....
---- "Cross is only an iron,hope is just an illusion,freedom is nothing but a name..." "Build your walls of the dead stone...Build your roofs of a dead wood..Build your dreams of a dead thoughts"
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| Cynic Metalhead Ambrish Saxena Posts: 7561  |
Well covered... i don't think this album is way to expressive as Mora did it here. They're just another Apocalyptica wannabe. However, i'm satisfied with the rating.
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| Milena gloom cookie Staff Posts: 4603 |
Written by ANGEL REAPER on 05.04.2012 at 22:14 Oh well, I knew that I was going to regret reviewing this, but my desire to rant was greater... if someone from the staff/mod circles contacts me about this, we can easily delete the band and the review, so maybe someone will grant your wish.
---- 7.0 means the album is good
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| Milena gloom cookie Staff Posts: 4603 |
Written by Cynic Metalhead on 05.04.2012 at 22:46 No. Apocalyptica might have went in some questionable direction in the past few years, but they play metal, and their own material.
---- 7.0 means the album is good
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| ANGEL REAPER Posts: 3687 |
Written by Milena on 05.04.2012 at 22:48 no when the did is done its done there is no need to be all frenzy about it... i was just asking few questions and i really got all the answers needed... what would you do with your review is your business....
---- "Cross is only an iron,hope is just an illusion,freedom is nothing but a name..." "Build your walls of the dead stone...Build your roofs of a dead wood..Build your dreams of a dead thoughts"
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| Milena gloom cookie Staff Posts: 4603 |
Written by ANGEL REAPER on 05.04.2012 at 23:01 I know you didn't mean that, just wanted to tell you I did have second thoughts about it.
---- 7.0 means the album is good
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| Milena gloom cookie Staff Posts: 4603 |
Written by ANGEL REAPER on 05.04.2012 at 23:01 I know you didn't mean that, just wanted to tell you I did have second thoughts about it.
---- 7.0 means the album is good
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| Mattybu Posts: 2589  |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 05.04.2012 at 21:20 I remember reading that. Funniest shit ever
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