Like Moths to Flames – No Eternity in Gold (Album Review)
Like Moths to Flames – No Eternity in Gold
Released: 30 October 2020
Line-Up
Chris Roetter // Lead Vocals
Aaron Evans // Bass, Backing Vocals
Jeremy Smith // Lead Guitar
Zach Pishney // Rhythm Guitar
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Building a solid foundation over the past decade or so, Like Moths to Flames have really cemented their sound on recent releases. Signed with UNFD, the band are set to release No Eternity in Gold at the end of October, a follow-up to 2017’s Dark Divine LP. Over the years Like Moths to Flames have displayed variation in direction and spun in and out of heavy releases. Well, it’s the year of the moth (YOTM) so this one is a heavy one, you better get a good set of cups ready.
‘The Anatomy of Evil’ is how No Eternity in Gold kicks off – it has Zach Pishney taking the lead immediately on rhythm guitar as well as stunning bass to whet your metalcore palette. Chris Roetter is a well seasoned screamer and gives it his absolute all on this track. What I like about Roetter’s vocal structure is that the verses are absolute carnage, but then he really brings it together with emotive choruses. He’s got this tone about his cleans that has so much feeling about it, with awesome support from backing vocalist Aaron Evans. With lyrics like “Bringing comfort in isolation” you can’t help but feel it too, given how real that is for us all right now.
‘Habitual Decline’ starts off with that Aladdin-esque signature LMTF style riff (weird description I know, but when you hear it, you’ll get it). This one’s a really nice melodic number but has those heavy sections that make you want to just bang your fucking head. The track is plagued with breakdowns, where you can just imagine Pishney and guitarist Jeremy Smith swinging their axes up, down and around on-stage (talking about their guitars here people, far out).
You need to turn the volume right up for ‘Burn in Water, Drown in Flame’ – it’s worth hearing the fine production elements in songs like these. The band really discovers a granular unison here, where the timings are perfect, and each ingredient of the band is on fire (or drowning in flame, however you want to describe it). It’s also got a nice little dicey breakdown mid-track, ahead of some technical riffs.
As alluded to before, there’s a track called ‘YOTM’, and it’s a superb anecdote for this record. It’s spiky with heaviness from the get-go and takes LMTF to that next level. The pounding bass and Roetter’s explosive voice makes it sound extra spicy. There are so many layers to tracks like these, it feels like a really beefy lasagna – packed with cheese, but not like the cheap plastic cheese, like the gourmet stuff; and damn, it’s good.
‘Killing What’s Underneath’ takes a whole different direction from ‘YOTM’ and emphasises the calmer melodic side to the metalers from Ohio. I mean it’s still heavy, and has those raw rasps from Roetter, but the band takes a breather on the chaos. It’s a really great sing-a-long track, and Smith is front-and-centre with blistering riffs all the way through. Of course there’s a cheeky breakdown or two thrown in for good measure, but it doesn’t take away from the song.
Alright, just momentary calm as ‘Servant of Plague’ ensues pounding aggression. It’s got a looming tempo leaving you in anticipation to the direction of the song. The overdrive of the track gets your heart rate up, and reminds you how supreme this band is; the song would be manic when played live.
The rest of the tracks on No Eternity in Gold follow the same recipe as we’ve heard, in a good way. It’s a solid list of banger metalcore tracks that ebb and flow from ‘blow your mind heavy’ to the more melodic end of the spectrum for this band. I really like the closing song ‘Spiritual Eclipse’, it feels written as an album closer – it’s got that ultimate emotive vocal contrast and squealing guitars throughout. Roetter has really stepped it up vocally (not that he wasn’t impressive before), but he just seems like he’s at a peak on this record.
Again, I love the production here, and also how LMTF deliver their signature sound, but still manage to dial it up a few notches. I genuinely think that metalcore fans will be debating their number one metalcore album of the year between this one and the delivery by Currents a few months ago.
Like Moths to Flames – No Eternity in Gold tracklisting:
1. The Anatomy of Evil
2. Habitual Decline
3. Burn in Water, Drown in Flame
4. Fluorescent White
5. God Complex
6. YOTM
7. Killing What’s Underneath
8. A Servant of Plague
9. Demon Of My Own
10. Selective Sacrifice
11. Spiritual Eclipse
Rating: 9/10
No Eternity in Gold is out this Friday via UNFD. Pre-order here
Review by Ricky Aarons @rickysaul90
