I must admit that it took a while for the last two Eclipse albums to grow on me. While I enjoyed both Paradigm (2019) and Wired (2021) upon their release, they didn’t strike me as immediate classics the way Bleed & Scream (2012) and Armageddonize (2015) did. Perhaps it’s because these more recent efforts have steered away from the metallized AOR of the aforementioned earlier albums? Whatever it is, I warmed up to both Paradigm and Wired over time, as they showcase a different, yet thrilling side of Eclipse’s musical and songwriting abilities: one that emphasizes mega hooks over brute force.
On their latest album, Megalomanium, Eclipse have fully embraced their status as the modern day torchbearers of classic arena rock. Sure, the argument can be made that it’s merely a continuation of the formula explored on their last two efforts. However, with Megalomanium, I get the sense that Erik and the boys wanted to hammer the listener over the head with chorus-centric anthems chock full of gang vocals, huge riffs, and the kind of larger than life production that makes this sound like it was recorded in a packed arena with 20,000 raging rockers.
One can draw comparisons to the likes of Bon Jovi and Def Leppard when listening to cuts like “Anthem”, “High Road”, “Forgiven”, and so forth. The only major difference is Eclipse’s lyrical matter consists of overcoming life’s hardships, as opposed to the hedonistic fare of these aforementioned FM radio staples. Aside from that, this is textbook, no frills, meat and potatoes arena rock that keeps it simple and energetic. While some songs have ballad-esque qualities (i.e. “The Broken”, “One Step Closer to You”), there’s nothing on here that could be remotely labeled AOR, perhaps a first for an Eclipse album.
On the metal side of the spectrum, the Bleed & Scream era rears it beautifully ugly head on my choice cut, “Children of the Night”. Not to be confused with the Whitesnake song of the same name, “Children of the Night” proves that when they want to, Eclipse can hold their own against the heaviest of the Scandinavian giants. Another highlight is the one-two punch of “The Hardest Part is Losing you” and “Got It!”, which are perhaps Eclipse’s boldest musical explorations yet. Blending the power pop quirk of Cheap Trick with the dramatic emo flair of My Chemical Romance (I can’t believe I just typed that.), both of these songs sound straight off of Top 40 radio circa the late ’00s, almost immediately detonating a nostalgia bomb in my “too young to be a millennial, too old to be gen z” brain.
Much like Paradigm and Wired before it, as much as I enjoy Megalomanium, something tells me I’ll appreciate it even more over time. The highs are on par with Ric Flair cutting a promo in 1985, and the lows…who am I kidding? This is an Eclipse album. There are no lows. There should, however, be disclaimer attached to Megalomanium. Something along the lines of, “Side effects may include: smiling, air guitaring, and singing along until your voice blows out.”
7 out of 10
Label: Frontiers Records
Genre: Hard Rock
For fans of: H.E.A.T, Def Leppard, Art Nation