Eclipse - Paradigm (Out October 11th, 2019)

[tts42572]

I guess I really don't get the hate for this.  I still like it slightly better than their last album but it's really just Eclipse doing Eclipse.  

Yeah, it's a bit samey.  But for me you can say that about almost every artist after they've been around awhile.  I think it's partly why it's difficult to continually put out great albums.  I mean, most bands have 2 or 3 peak albums and then seem to lose some luster and excitement.  I do think it's definitely a problem for Erik being in so many projects as he's used up a bunch of ideas on W.e.t and Nordic Union that would've made great Eclipse tunes.  And we've gotten a bit over saturated on his style.

I still like it for what it is.  Maybe for me I'm not as worn out on Eclipse yet as some others as I was a little late getting into them.  

For me, still way better than most of what has come out this year.

[Y&TForever]

38 minutes ago, tts42572 said:

I guess I really don't get the hate for this.  I still like it slightly better than their last album but it's really just Eclipse doing Eclipse.  

Yeah, it's a bit samey.  But for me you can say that about almost every artist after they've been around awhile.  I think it's partly why it's difficult to continually put out great albums.  I mean, most bands have 2 or 3 peak albums and then seem to lose some luster and excitement.  I do think it's definitely a problem for Erik being in so many projects as he's used up a bunch of ideas on W.e.t and Nordic Union that would've made great Eclipse tunes.  And we've gotten a bit over saturated on his style.

I still like it for what it is.  Maybe for me I'm not as worn out on Eclipse yet as some others as I was a little late getting into them.  

For me, still way better than most of what has come out this year.

PERFECTLY SAID...

[The Rocker]

44 minutes ago, Y&TForever said:

PERFECTLY SAID...

Yes

[Glen]

5 hours ago, tts42572 said:

I guess I really don't get the hate for this.  I still like it slightly better than their last album but it's really just Eclipse doing Eclipse.  

Yeah, it's a bit samey.  But for me you can say that about almost every artist after they've been around awhile.  I think it's partly why it's difficult to continually put out great albums.  I mean, most bands have 2 or 3 peak albums and then seem to lose some luster and excitement.  I do think it's definitely a problem for Erik being in so many projects as he's used up a bunch of ideas on W.e.t and Nordic Union that would've made great Eclipse tunes.  And we've gotten a bit over saturated on his style.

I still like it for what it is.  Maybe for me I'm not as worn out on Eclipse yet as some others as I was a little late getting into them.  

For me, still way better than most of what has come out this year.

only because most stuff this year has been weak as shit 

[Eric3]

8 hours ago, tts42572 said:

I guess I really don't get the hate for this.  I still like it slightly better than their last album but it's really just Eclipse doing Eclipse.  

Yeah, it's a bit samey.  But for me you can say that about almost every artist after they've been around awhile.  I think it's partly why it's difficult to continually put out great albums.  I mean, most bands have 2 or 3 peak albums and then seem to lose some luster and excitement.  I do think it's definitely a problem for Erik being in so many projects as he's used up a bunch of ideas on W.e.t and Nordic Union that would've made great Eclipse tunes.  And we've gotten a bit over saturated on his style.

I still like it for what it is.  Maybe for me I'm not as worn out on Eclipse yet as some others as I was a little late getting into them.  

For me, still way better than most of what has come out this year.

 

This is a good point (especially the bolded), and probably the same reason why I'm tired as hell of Flores, del Vecchio, Karlsson, etc.

Listened to in a vacuum, this album is fine. But after so many years of so many projects in this vein, there's just nothing about it that grabs my attention anymore.

[Ponen]

18 hours ago, Eric3 said:

 

This is a good point (especially the bolded), and probably the same reason why I'm tired as hell of Flores, del Vecchio, Karlsson, etc.

Listened to in a vacuum, this album is fine. But after so many years of so many projects in this vein, there's just nothing about it that grabs my attention anymore.

Agree...now most of the great artists/bands sound the same to a great degree. They have lost their own signature sound/tune. The reason being the same musicians working together in almost every project. Tired.

[Invisible_man]

On 10/12/2019 at 6:22 AM, Gotthardline said:

Shelter me is a great ballad 

yeah, nice power ballad

Shelter Me

 

 

[heavyharmonies]

It's... Eclipse. I'm not minding this, probably liking it a bit more than the last album. Still very samey and a H.E.A.T. wannabe clone. But there are worse things to want to strive for.

It's a down year at the top end of the spectrum IMO, so this rises a bit higher for me than it would in other years.

[lettard]

Mine still hasn't arrived,almost a week after release   suffice to say a dispute with Amazon is happening.

[Crazysam]

For those who are casual fans of the band or haven’t really gotten into their prior releases there won’t be much here to win you over.  I’m a big fan of these guys and I am ok with them recycling some riffs and lyrical subject matter.  They’ve set a high standard though, and this just doesn’t stack up when I listen back to back with their other albums.  Nothing has me wanting to hit the repeat button.  Don’t get me wrong, most of the songs are solid and it is better than a lot of releases from other artists this year, but that doesn’t make it a good album.   I just don’t see me ever reaching for this album when I’m in the mood to listen to Eclipse. 

Edited October 17, 2019 by Crazysam

[Geoff]

On 10/15/2019 at 12:00 AM, tts42572 said:

I do think it's definitely a problem for Erik being in so many projects as he's used up a bunch of ideas on W.e.t and Nordic Union that would've made great Eclipse tunes.  And we've gotten a bit over saturated on his style.

Closest thing I've seen to the point I was going to make. Except, Nordic Union have two bog-average albums and neither would be a good Eclipse album - not even close, imho. 

Anyway, for me, there is no doubt in the world that Eclipse's biggest issue is that for a period there for a few years, Martensson was more or less single-handedly writing about a dozen albums per year for every man and his dog. He was just everywhere and it was pretty obvious that was an issue. Some of it was great - I still think the Toby Hitchcock debut is the best album that Martensson has ever written, full stop. And the WET stuff is excellent too, thanks to it being collaborative. But a lot of it was already getting tired early on, such as the poor Ammunition and Nordic Union albums, and that female fronted hard rock band I forget the name of. He was just spreading himself too thin and sadly it's finally come to really show on an Eclipse album. Which is the real shame of it all. 

I think the new album is a solid album, but as Glen says above, the best song on it is more or less completely identical to songs on previous albums. It's just got some different lyrics, but otherwise just the same song. 

It's a massive ask and not going to happen, but the best thing that could happen for Eclipse is that Martensson just didn't involve himself in any projects for the next two years and concentrate on making good music with Eclipse. Won't happen, though.

Also, the different production's been mentioned too - not a fan. It's not offensive, but it just doesn't sound as good as previous albums. 

[lettard]

1 hour ago, Geoff said:

 I still think the Toby Hitchcock debut is the best album that Martensson has ever written, full stop.

I would agree with that,it was a classy album,full of great tunes

[Glen]

the Jimi Jamison album was fantastic and something a bit different from Erik. 

[Tabe]

11 hours ago, Geoff said:

that female fronted hard rock band I forget the name of.

Adrenaline Rush

[Geoff]

8 hours ago, Tabe said:

Adrenaline Rush

Thank you, sir. That's the one. Not awful, but a waste of his time and resources. 

[Tabe]

I rather like it but, yeah, not exactly Erik's finest work. 

[Eric3]

On 10/18/2019 at 1:38 PM, Glen said:

the Jimi Jamison album was fantastic and something a bit different from Erik. 

That's my favorite from Martensson. Hitchcock debut and Bleed & Scream 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

[lettard]

On ‎10‎/‎18‎/‎2019 at 7:38 PM, Glen said:

the Jimi Jamison album was fantastic and something a bit different from Erik. 

Another great album and had that real melodic feel to it that just suited Jimi's style,something he hasn't done on any of his other projects...probably my second fav of his involvement cds...with Are You Ready To Rock in at third 

[lettard]

Mine finally arrived today,over a week late along with new Art Nation...a few days early?

This is pretty good,not amazing...but just sounds like Eclipse to me doing what they have done for a while,it will probably work its way into my top 10 somewhere or other,after repeated spins of course...but my goodness its a short disc runtime wise isn't it?

[Mr.AOR]

12 hours ago, lettard said:

.but my goodness its a short disc runtime wise isn't it?

That's the only good thing about this album. 

[KarpetRydOFunk]

7 hours ago, Mr.AOR said:

That's the only good thing about this album. 

Haha. Oh, boy, I'm sure we're shitting on this a bit too much. ;}

[Invisible_man]

On 10/24/2019 at 7:46 AM, KarpetRydOFunk said:

Haha. Oh, boy, I'm sure we're shitting on this a bit too much. ;}

he just doesn't want anyone else to buy the record, so he can buy up all the copies 

Edited October 26, 2019 by Invisible_man

[CureTheSane]

Just finished reading the comments here after the release and I'm surpised t all the negativity towards this.
I've heard it a couple of times and am underwhelmed, but I expected to be one of only a few who felt that way.

For me, a good albumis one with 3 or more great songs, great album has 5 or 6, and an exceptional abum has 8+
Probably be accused of having low standards, but all I ever really look for are the killer tracks.

I'm hoping to pick up 3 or 4 off this album, which I will slot into my best of folder and the other tracks will likely never be heard again.

[Glen]

2 hours ago, CureTheSane said:

Just finished reading the comments here after the release and I'm surpised t all the negativity towards this.
I've heard it a couple of times and am underwhelmed, but I expected to be one of only a few who felt that way.

For me, a good albumis one with 3 or more great songs, great album has 5 or 6, and an exceptional abum has 8+
Probably be accused of having low standards, but all I ever really look for are the killer tracks.

I'm hoping to pick up 3 or 4 off this album, which I will slot into my best of folder and the other tracks will likely never be heard again.

I think for me the previous albums all had 7 or 8 killer tracks.

this has about 2 or 3. 

hence disappointed 

[tts42572]

4 hours ago, CureTheSane said:

Just finished reading the comments here after the release and I'm surpised t all the negativity towards this.
I've heard it a couple of times and am underwhelmed, but I expected to be one of only a few who felt that way.

For me, a good albumis one with 3 or more great songs, great album has 5 or 6, and an exceptional abum has 8+
Probably be accused of having low standards, but all I ever really look for are the killer tracks.

I'm hoping to pick up 3 or 4 off this album, which I will slot into my best of folder and the other tracks will likely never be heard again.

I do like it well enough but updated my car USB last night and grabbed 6 songs from this (Viva, Mary Leigh, United, When The Winter Ends, Delirious and The Masquerade).  The rest is okay and easy enough to listen to but doesn't really overly grab me.  

I'm not sure really even what they can do to improve.  Mostly just stop wasting good songs on other projects.  As much as I liked Nordic Union's debut, I think that's the project that should be stopped.  Quite a few songs used there that would've made good Eclipse tunes and with how melodic Pretty Maids has become they're doing it better.