Ouch! Originally released in 2002, Eternal Endless Infinity has been re-mastered and re-released on Napalm Records with new cover art and additional demo versions of three tracks. Perplexing indeed, considering it wasn’t an interesting or viable release the first time. Actually, as far as I’m concerned, Visions of Atlantis should have enjoyed making a demo in their dream of replicating Nightwish, and left it at that. Visions of Atlantis attempts to be such a clone of Nightwish that it’s embarrassing, but though I’m not a fan of Nightwish, Visions of Atlantis can not even hold their guitar picks. Still, stylistics, themes, melodies, song structures, guitar-keyboard combinations, and their mixing of male clean vocals with female operatic vocals all mirror Nightwish. The only other influences which creep into the mix seem to be a beggar’s Duran Duran or a beggar’s movie soundtrack to Titanic. Apparently there’s little space left for anything that’s not plastic.”Lovebearing Storm” begins with a sappy keyboard lead. The obligatory operatic singer combined with a male clean vocalist struggling to compliment is not far behind. Nothing that follows is any less predictable. “Silence” employs first grade keyboards, drums which may as well have been a drum machine, and a male vocalist who is out of key and can’t hold notes. The result is not far from any number of the horrid, low-level, British techno-pop bands of the 1980s. “Mermaid’s Wintertale” continues with loopy keyboard leads, female operatic vocals sounding strained and constipated, and a melodramatic change in tempo which seems to really believe that it could draw someone in emotionally. “Lords of the Sea” is faster, better, and a step closer to what Nightwish can actually achieve, but it’s no oasis. “Seduced Like Magic” unveils absolutely awful vocals. Someone seems to be telling a story in a crowded elevator fast running out of oxygen. Bopping keyboards and a kitschy beat combine to make this track intolerable. The keyboards and sorry groove even remind of David Bowie. “Eclipse” is another song that might potentially appeal to Nightwish fans. It contains decent, female, operatic vocals, better drumming, relatively harder riffing, and cheesy but potentially appealing keyboard lines. “The Quest” relies on more boppy keyboards and the female vocalist sounds completely out of breath. “Chasing the Light” contains an annoying, spastic keyboard lead, while the expected poor male vocals continue. “Atlantis, Farewell…” is an uneventful ballad which I suppose was meant to lend epic flair.

This release is honestly one for the bottom of the barrel. There are a lot of bands now attempting to ride the coattails of Nightwish’s success, and Visions of Atlantis is another one which does nothing but hurt ears with their lack of talent. It’s healthier to forget about Eternal Endless Infinity, but its re-release only brings back the heartache of an old wound.

[Visit the band's website]

---

Comments