After 'Until the End' in 2018 and, meanwhile the EP 'All Shall Burn', the Swedes of 'Eleine', still led by their frontwoman 'Madeleine Liljestam' and by guitarist and singer 'Rikard Ekberg', release their 3rd studio recording 'Dancing in Hell'. A lot of promotional videos (which are all magnificent because in addition to 'As I Breathe' above, add 'Ava Of Deah', 'Dancing In Hell ', 'Memoriam' and 'All Shall Burn' dating from the end of 2019), this last opus sees a change of line up with a new drummer, 'Jesper Sunnhagen', and a new bassist 'Anton Helgesson' and offers us 9 main tracks plus a small classical instrumental comma with a piano ('The World We Knew ') and a cover in a symphonic version of 'Die From Within' (always admirable and we can note that the magnificent symphonic cover of 'All Shall Burn' which appeared on the last EP is not present on 'Dancing in Hell').
'Enemies', which was also present on the last EP, opens the debates in a grandiose and energetic symphonic metal with a catchy tempo and an immediately assimilable melody, then 'Dancing in Hell' takes us on a powerful new composition with rhythmic differences and putting in opposition the parts of growls of 'Rikard Ekberg' close to death style and the vocal parts of 'Madeleine "Eleine" Liljestam' much more symphonic with majestic choirs, the whole approaching 'Epica', atmosphere that we find in the following title 'Ava of Death', the choirs taking up even more space. With the following compositions, we continue in the same spirit with quite similar patterns, first of all heavy and powerful rhythms suitable for headbanging, then refrains wich become quickly addictive with choirs coming to magnify the whole and finally vocal performances by Madeleine approaching the best singers of the genre. Overall, even if the quality does not weaken, some may regret a lack of variety overall because, even if 'Die From Within' is a magnificent power ballad, it remains powerful and does not really bring ventilation to the whole.
In summary, the Swedes of Eleine 'show an evolution compared to their last album with greater power, thanks to a heavier sound and grandiose symphonic arrangements approaching from 'Epica' and, even if the schemas remain quite similar, 'Dancing in Hell' should appeal to a symphonic metal audience favoring the grandiose and powerful side of this style... | |
