(EchO) - Head First Into Shadows (CD)

melodic death / doom metal, BadMoodMan Music, BadMoodMan Music
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The long-awaited second full-length album by the Italian band that secures the success of their debut album, which received many positive reviews from critics and fans of heavy metal music. Melodic, atmospheric and accurate arrangements, coupled with a combination of growls and clean vocals make «Head First Into Shadows» a perfect example of a good album varying the style from raw death doom metal to refined post rock. The guests on the album are represented by Daniel Droste, the guitarist and the vocalist of the German band Ahab, and Jani Ala-Hukkala, the vocalist of the Finnish post-metal band Callisto. The album was recorded at several studios, mastering was traditionally performed by Greg Chandler, the leader of Esoteric at Priory Recording Studios (Birmingham, UK).

Tracklist:
1 Blood And Skin 7:14
2 A Place We Used To Call Home 6:55
3 Beneath This Lake 9:35
4 Gone 10:44
5 A New Maze 6:53
6 Order Of The Nightshade 8:51

Artist:
(EchO)
Artist Country:
Italy
Album Year:
2016
Title:
Head First Into Shadows
Genre:
melodic death / doom metal
Format:
CD
Type:
CD Album
Package:
Jewel Case
Label:
BadMoodMan Music
Cat Num:
BMM. 077-16
Release Year:
2016
Barcode:
4627080611023
Country Of Manufacture:
Russia
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Review
Doomed to Darkness
8/10
18.05.2016

(EchO) are a band from Italy that plays a melodic and atmospheric mixture of doom and death metal and this is a review of their 2016 album “Head First Into Shadows” which will be released on May 23rd as a joint effort between BadMoodMan Records and Solitude Productions.

Acoustic guitar playing starts off the album and after a minutes atmospheric synths along with melodic yet depressive guitar leads make their presence known in the music and all of the instruments have a very powerful sound to them and the vocals start out in more of a clean singing fashion.

Slide guitars can be heard in the music briefly and the music also alternates between both clean and heavy parts quite a bit throughout the recording and after awhile the vocals start mixing in more death metal growls and a great portion of the tracks are very long and epic in length and the music also gets very progressive at times and there is also a slight touch of black metal and the whole album also sticks to mostly a very slow musical direction while there is also a brief use of fast playing and blast beats and when synths are utilized they also give the music more of a psychedelic feeling and the last track brings in a small amount of violins.

(EchO) plays a style of doom and death metal that is very melodic, progressive and atmospheric sounding, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover death, loneliness, dreamlike, sorrow and loss themes.

In my opinion (EchO) are a very great sounding melodic and atmospheric doom/death metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE “This Place We Used To Call Home” and “Order Of The Nightshade”.

Author: OccultBlackMetal
Solitude Productions 02.10.2018, 11:09
Review
The Pit of the Damned
8/10
12.07.2016

Cinque anni di silenzi. Il vecchio vocalist che ha lasciato. Non era semplice rimettersi in carreggiata, ricominciare daccapo e dare un seguito a quel ‘Devoid of Illusions’ che ben mi aveva impressionato nel 2011. I bresciani (EchO) non si sono demoralizzati anzi, si sono rimboccati le maniche, forti di quella consapevolezza, che da sempre li contraddistingue, di potercela fare. Arruolato Fabio Urietti alla voce, coperti alle spalle dal lavoro di Greg Chandler alla consolle e coadiuvati da due ospiti d’eccezione come Daniel Droste, chitarra e voce dei teutonici Ahab e Jani Ala-Hukkala, vocalist dei finlandesi Callisto, i nostri sono tornati sulla scena, con un attesissimo secondo cd, ‘Head First Into Shadow’. Sei lunghissime tracce, che si presentano con la decadente (e progressiva) melodia di “Blood and Skin”, in cui fa il suo positivo esordio dietro al microfono, il bravo Fabio, inizialmente in una timida veste pulita, poi anche in growl. Le chitarre, inserite nel consueto contesto atmosferico, tracciano linee malinconiche nella più pura tradizione death doom, chiamando in causa alternativamente Saturnus e soprattutto gli ultimi Swallow the Sun. Ma è la sezione solistica a colpirmi di più, con un ispirato assolo conclusivo. “This Place We Used To Call Home” apre assai rilassata grazie alle clean vocals del frontman (forse un po’ in difficoltà sulle timbriche più elevate) che da li a breve, cederanno ad un impulso di rabbia e frenesia, che per alcuni attimi porterà ad inasprire i toni. La traccia trova però il modo di placare il proprio iracondo spirito e continuare a dipingere affreschi di rock progressivo dai tratti eterei, enfatizzato anche da un assolo acustico posto poco oltre la metà del brano e da un break onirico verso il finale. C’è da sottolineare una certa dinamicità di fondo ascoltando questa prima manciata di pezzi degli (EchO), il che è senza dubbio positivo. In “Beneath This Lake” fa la comparsa il primo ospite del disco, il buon Daniel degli Ahab, ad impreziosire la proposta del sestetto lombardo: l’incipit è dapprima robusto per poi divenire delicato e sognante (i rimandi ad atmosfere “pink floydiane” si sprecano), poi le chitarre appesantiscono il proprio mood, ma sembra che la nuova direzione intrapresa dai nostri, privilegi maggiormente i frangenti più atmosferici, pur non mancando le improvvise accelerazioni. Tuttavia le novità per gli (EchO) non si fermano qui, visto che una serie di artefatti elettronici si accompagna con un rifferama di meshugghiana memoria in un lisergico finale del tutto inaspettato. È il turno di “Gone”, che segna la partecipazione del secondo ospite in una lunghissima traccia, che vede sicuramente i nostri alzare l’asticella, complici anche nuove fonti di ispirazioni convergenti in questo nuovo disco: non solo i paladini del death doom (in questo caso direi ‘The Silent Enigma’ degli Anathema), ma anche, in molteplici sfaccettature, gli ultimi Opeth, i Katatonia, i Porcupine Tree, le ultime performance dei nostrani Plateau Sigma (soprattutto nella successiva “A New Maze”, dove la voce di Fabio va nuovamente in sofferenza nelle alte frequenze), senza dimenticare gli stessi Callisto del bravo Jani. Gli (EchO) stanno maturando di giorno in giorno sempre di più, sebbene partissero già da una base piuttosto elevata. In chiusura, “Order of the Nightshade” si presenta non priva di ambientazioni decadenti, suoni suadenti e malinconici, rapiti da fughe rabbiose, che mettono in luce il compartimento ritmico di primissimo livello dei nostri. Non era lecito aspettarsi oltre da questo nuovo platter, che segnerà forse un nuovo punto di partenza per questa ambiziosa band italiana.

Author: Francesco Scarci
Solitude Productions 02.10.2018, 11:09
Review
Head-Banger Reviews
26.07.2016

You put damn near anything that’s brimming with atmosphere and it’s doesn’t sound like it was thrown together in a few minutes, I could honestly fall to sleep in the beautiful void created by the resonating notes. But sometimes the same old atmospheric black metal just doesn’t cut it and you want something . . . more. (EchO) combines very simple ideas to create something very grand, and it all culminates to something grand with this transcending album.
It’s not exactly hard to mix together doom and death metal to make something interesting at the very least, but when you try to make it atmospheric is a whole ‘nother story in my book. You can make it brutal and bloody, sure, but then flipping the switch in a heart beat to immerse the listener in a world of serenity, calm waves, and sometimes even ominous pangs of the unknown is a feat in it of itself. (EchO) somehow manage to pull it off, though, and with a mixture of growls and clean vocals as well to boot. Accomplishing such a concoction is hard enough for one song, but doing it for a total of eight tracks and making the overall length of the album over 50 minutes long . . . it’s not exactly something I’ve seen many times before hearing “Head First Into Shadows”. This is honestly something that you could only find from an underground band and not have it be “all the rage” with people talking about it left and right – but that’s why I’m here, right? The record is the very definition of a metal roller-coaster with some parts a real punch to the lower regions and others being a psychedelic trip through a dark dimension that is indescribable in any other detail unless you experience it yourself, and I firmly believe you absolutely should.
Blending together so many elements from so many different styles can get extremely messy very quickly, but it’s the few bands that are able to handle such a task make seeking them out worth it, and that statement is only reinforced greater with (EchO). “Head First Into Shadows” in its most basic form is applause worthy, and it’s hard to disagree when you look at the whole of the piece and take it all in.

Author: Vinterd
Solitude Productions 02.10.2018, 11:09
Review
Doom-Metal.com
7.5/10
14.09.2016

Formed in Brescia, Italy, in 2007, (EchO) return with sophomore album, ‘Head First into Shadows’, the follow up to 2011’s well-received ‘Devoid of Illusions’. If you’re wondering, the unusually formed name of the band is inspired by the nymph, Echo, of Greek mythology who fell in love with Narcissus, and the parenthesis that envelop the name are intended to represent the sound waves created by (EchO)’s atmospheric Doom sound. Certainly an interesting story behind the band name, and a promising debut in 2011, but does this always-tricky second album build on this solid foundation?

From opener, ‘Blood and Skin’, it’s clear that this is an album with some range and depth. Beginning in sombre Post-Metal style with clean vocals and atmospheric keyboards, the energy is soon pushed all the way into 11 with a sludgy Doom riff and growled Death Metal vocals. Throw in a soaring, melancholy guitar solo and it’s an impressive opener that showcases many of the band’s influences. Next up, ‘This Place We Call Home’ begins with a trippy acoustic riff and clean vocals, before once again launching into a brutal Doom assault for the chorus, then reverting back to the gentler acoustic feel of the verse. It’s a contrast that adds light and shade and makes the crushing chorus seem that much heavier after the relative calm preceding it.

The effective combination of styles, as Post-Metal, traditional Doom, Death Metal, and even some Prog flourishes provided by Simone Mutolo’s excellent keyboard playing, makes things interesting throughout. Vocally, Fabio Urietti is on top form bringing just the right balance of melancholy to his clean vocal parts, whilst letting loose with full Death Metal growling intensity at times, too. The epic ‘Gone’, (which features guest vocals from Jani Ala-Hukkala of Finnish Post-Metal band, Callisto) is surely the album highlight. Clocking in at a whopping 11 minutes, it’s a journey that begins with a chiming, melodic opening and alternates between brutal intensity and reflective Post-Metal, always underpinned by the same hypnotic melody. Contrasting vocal styles, switches between brutal Death Doom Metal intensity and plaintive Post-Metal, and an instrumental passage that builds in intensity into a frenetic crescendo, all serve to showcase the best of (EchO) in one ambitious session.

Musically and vocally, ‘Head First into Shadows’ is accomplished, varied and interesting. It fuses its various styles and influences into an impressive and distinctive sound for (EchO). Perhaps the one thing the album lacks is some truly outstanding song writing that could give the material an anthemic quality that would move the band onto another level. That said, ‘Head First into Shadows’ is noteworthy sophomore effort that suggests great things to come from (EchO) in the future.

Author: Nick Harkins
Solitude Productions 02.10.2018, 11:09
Review
Pavillon 666
8/10
26.11.2016

Une découverte pour moi que ces Italiens de ECHO qui produisent leur 3ème album studio. Formé en 2007, le style est clairement sombre, un doom/death atmosphérique ma foi très agréable à l’oreille. Le petit nouveau de la bande, à savoir Fabio au chant s’en sort plus que bien avec un mélange de chants growlés et clairs, technique pas toujours évidente à maîtriser.

Dès l’intro avec “Blood and skin”on plonge dans un univers mélodique à la PARADISE LOST, avec des touches de MOONSPELL, “This place we used to call home” et “Beneath this lake” sont plus d’influence progressive à la OPETH. Le titre “Gone” est une complainte de 10 minutes, lancinante et planante qui nous fait glisser dans l’obscurité tandis-que “A new maze” paraît nous faire renaître et revoir la lumière avant de terminer en apothéose par “Order of the nightshade” titre qui condense à lui seul toutes les atmosphères présentes sur l’album.

“Head first into shadows” est une réussite, bien produit et avec des titres qui ne laissent pas indifférents, une réelle émotion se dégage de leur musique.

A écouter d’urgence pour les amateurs du genre ou comme moi pour découvrir.

Author: FredBebel
Solitude Productions 02.10.2018, 11:09
Review
Atmosfear Zine
7/10

Признанными лидерами мелодичного дум / дэза являются финны, их мелодии очень красивы и меланхоличны. Их соседи шведы тоже имеют достаточно весомых имен в этой категории. А на юге Европы есть итальянцы, они тоже славятся своей мелодикой. Вот перед нами итальянцы из города Брешиа и они нам презентуют свой второй альбом. Их дебют вышел также на этом российском лейбле пять лет назад и собрал неплохие отзывы. Рассмотрим новый альбом. Понятно, что количество мелодий на нем просто зашкаливает. Причем многие из них очень атмосферны и исполняются акустической гитарой. Вообще акустических партий неимоверно много и сопровождаются они чистым вокалом. Это не совсем мне нравится, так как звучит слишком легко. А вот переход с этих моментов на гитарный дисторшн и гроул своим контрастом просто потрясает. Я бы предпочел сместить акцент альбома в сторону тяжелого звучания, как финал последней композиции, но итальянцы решили иначе. В любом случае это достойный, классно записанный, красивый альбом и фанаты стиля разочарованы не будут.

Author: Neophyte
Solitude Productions 02.10.2018, 11:09
Review
Aristocrazia
02.01.2017

I know, I’m really late writing about (EchO)’s last effort, but the important thing is doing it. “Head First Into Shadows” is the title, and I’m happy to see that the album legitimisez the band’s success, as indeed was in my expectations.
Five years is the amount of time spent between the debut and the second album, but the waiting wasn’t in vain, because the band repayed our patience with a great performance. The already extensive repertoire of musical ideas has been expanded further, connecting the doom-death metal sound to a post-metal influence and a progressive rock refinement that expand and feeds the bleak greyness, the dominant color pervaded by a sweet melancholy.
Dreaming and being abruptly woke up, then diving back to dream-like scenarios: an evocative emotional seesaw becomes concrete starting from the opener “Blood And Skin”, probably the more standard-ish track and anchored to the doom-death metal musical landscape, but able to surprise the listener with Fabio Urietti’s performance, that feels perfectly in the right place in the singer role, and for the Seventies atmosphere that suddenly comes out from the riffs. However the latter surfaces thanks to the melodic prog and the delicate folk that decorates “A Place We Used To Call Home”, and thanks to the powerful, shipwrecking and kaleidoscopic approach in “Beneath This Lake” (in which Daniel Droste from Ahab appears as a special guest), unfathomable, deep but enchanting as the Ocean.
“Gone” then changes a bit the track, in favor of the exploration of a more liquid, evocative, dimension of post-metal nature that lends itself to welcome the second guest, Jani Ala-Hukkala, the men behind Callisto’s mic. (EchO) don’t look to black abyssal waters anymore, but they turn their gaze to the cosmic vastness, softening the sound and becoming more catchy and languid. They loosen their grip again with the next “A New Maze”: the atmosphere makes me think to a twilight, dyeing the music with an intriguing rock aura. “Order Of The Nightshade” closes the album, an unquiet creature, which offers its gothic side to the listener, making us remember that the band from Brescia are masters of changing their form on the run, always bringing home great results.
“Head Fist Into Shadows” is a great album where everything works. In the end Urietti demonstrated to have his own persona, especially when talking about the clean vocals; meanwhile the instrumental performance is close to perfection, in particular the job done by Simone Mutolo, first class atmosphere creator. Mastering and production (process once again in Esoteric’s Greg Chandler’s expert hands) give consistency and modernity to the sound. And the music? The music is viscerally emotive, an epitome of grit and delicacy, of passion, rage and melancholy that never gets tiring.
You should buy (EchO)’s release, there are a lot of motivations, maybe too many, and they would be mass confirmed by the times your stereo will play this album. Supporting a band of this level is a must, in addition of being an immense pleasure.

Author: Mourning
Solitude Productions 02.10.2018, 11:09
Review
Terroraiser
8/10

Пожалуй, если поставить задачу одним словом охарактеризовать настроение этого альбома, то это будет меланхолия… Именно такой тип эмоций сквозит во всех шести композициях “Head First Into Shadows”. Отсюда и использование выразительных средств – чистый и проникновенный вокал, акустические гитары, неспешный темп… Изредка все же композиции утяжеляются до традиционного дэт-дума, но эти всплески лишь подчеркивают общую эмоциональную направленность атмосферы альбома. В конечном итоге все получилось красиво и даже изящно, хотя более традиционных для металла риффов в качестве контраста, как мне кажется, не хватает.

Author: Thrashmentor
Solitude Productions 02.10.2018, 11:08
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