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If you thought arena ready rock music with stratosphere straddling choruses and kick ass guitar pyrotechnics was wiped out decades ago you'd be mistaken. That wonderfully cheesy, chest beating genre is still thriving, albeit estranged from popular culture and subsequently free of the watered down wannabes who'd polluted the scene by the tail end of the over indulgent, hedonistic 1980's. Whilst no longer swimming in the commercial mainstream that made global superstars of Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, Def leppard and Whitesnake, the music lives on courtesy of a younger generation of bands raised on the classics of yesteryear. Particularly in Scandinavia, where it appears the last two decades of music never really happened. Groups such as Work Of Art, H.E.AT, Grand Design, Brother Firetribe, Crazy Lixx and W.E.T have all delivered fantastic records jam packed with loud guitars and soaring melodies, crafting classically styled, hard hitting AOR with razor sharp contemporary production values. No band epitomises that better than Swedish four-piece Eclipse, whose 2008 release 'Are You Ready To Rock' was hailed as an absolute tour de force. They've taken their time to craft follow-up album 'Bleed And Scream', but if this title track and lead single is anything to go by it'll be an absolute monster.
Eclipse are led by singer, songwriter and producer Erik Martensson, a phenomenally talented multi-threat musician who is also a key part of the band W.E.T. His reputation has soared in the four years since 'Are You Ready To Rock', writing for icons like Harry Hess, Jimi Jamison and Bobby Kimball as well as upcoming stars like Norway's sexy blonde bombshell Issa. He also produced, penned all the songs and played every instrument on 'Mercury's Down', last year's stunning solo album from Pride Of Lions frontman Toby Hitchcock. Now it's back to the day job and 'Bleed and Scream' picks up where that release left off, with a darker vibe that melds heavy guitars with tuneful vocals, drenched in a dizzying array of power packed hooks.
The opening riff is a brooding blast of melodic vitriol, cutting a scorching path alongside atmosphere enhancing melodramatic synths. The track then breaks down into a less frantic verse, underscored by swirling effects laden fretwork and punctuated by an angry shout out refrain, before the chorus flies for the heavens as Martensson's easy on the ear voice hits the melodic heights like a vengeful angel, swarmed by cleverly constructed harmonies and waves of backing vocals. His partner in crime on this anthemic roller coaster is the superbly talented guitarist Magnus Henriksson, knocking out a scintillating solo shot full of adrenalized arpeggios and the kind of six string dexterity these songs need, nay, demand. As are the empowering, although surprising moody lyrics, with Martensson delivering a diatribe against a former lover who he'll never take back - no matter how hard she bleeds and screams – because he's moved on to better things. It's a long way from 'Livin' On A Prayer' that's for sure.
This style of music lives and dies by the strength of it's production and the sound quality on display here is suitably stirring, showcasing a wonderfully aggressive yet crystal clear glass shattering mix. Along with drums that sound like metronomic wrecking balls, 'Bleed And Scream' is a brooding burst of hook heavy hard rock and a belting lead single from pulsating start to euphoric finish.
People often indulge in pseudo intellectual musical snobbery when it comes to melodic rock music, deriding it's cheesy-as-a-stilton-festival-held-in-a-tramp's-sock lyrics. But that's the whole point. This isn't trying to be Chaucer, Dylan or Keats – it's strength is painting life and love in simplistic shades of black and white, eschewing the complexities of reality with an uplifting sonic propulsion that celebrates escapism, hope and the promise of a brighter future. The mainstream's loss is certainly the fans gain, and the strength of this song suggests Eclipse's forthcoming album will be one of the best written, produced and played records that the desperately trendy NME worshipping sheep will never hear.
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Eclipse are led by singer, songwriter and producer Erik Martensson, a phenomenally talented multi-threat musician who is also a key part of the band W.E.T. His reputation has soared in the four years since 'Are You Ready To Rock', writing for icons like Harry Hess, Jimi Jamison and Bobby Kimball as well as upcoming stars like Norway's sexy blonde bombshell Issa. He also produced, penned all the songs and played every instrument on 'Mercury's Down', last year's stunning solo album from Pride Of Lions frontman Toby Hitchcock. Now it's back to the day job and 'Bleed and Scream' picks up where that release left off, with a darker vibe that melds heavy guitars with tuneful vocals, drenched in a dizzying array of power packed hooks. 
