Fear Of Eternity
Toward The Castle

Andrea Tilenni is a drummer from Fiumefreddo di Sicilia, and after playing in Black Catanese bands like Sinoath and Tomhet, he decided to start his project Fear Of Eternity, which follows the usual old paths of Burzum and Mortiis (obviously the old ones).

And it is precisely from the fusion of Black Metal and elements that are among the most symphonic and atmospheric possible that a music emerges, traversing melodic moments so significant that they heavily overshadow Metal, yet without allowing it to disappear completely. The influence of Mortiis is very heavy, and the keyboards are the real protagonists, weaving vivid melodies not through complex technical structures, but simply with masterful overlays. The resulting music is easy to assimilate and understand, yet extremely penetrating, thanks in part to the use of vocal solutions that are undoubtedly very incisive. The screaming is croaky and often effected, which might be one of the flaws of this CD. The guitar and bass lines are often simple and distorted like a mosquito, as Black standards require, but occasionally there are brief solos, usually absent among the purists. The riffs are obsessive but still very distant and subdued, with the bass often more present than the guitar. The rhythmic section is absurdly simple and essential, but understandable given the tremendously melodic direction of the project. The themes are far from satanism, the antichrist, and suicide, and indeed focus much on the occult and mysticism.

The album released in 2005 features moments entirely dedicated to voice and keyboard like "Departure", "Melancholy Rain", and the beautiful closing "Illusion Of Purity", purely ambient. Others unmistakably belong to the Black metal genre but are heavily cleansed by the always and only protagonist keyboards. It's the case of "Flying Over The Mountains", "Fear Of Eternity", and "Toward The Castle", which are among the most catchy songs existing in Black, also boasting a beauty directly proportional to the compositional simplicity. "Crying" is the gem of the CD and expresses itself through moments of absolute sadness, icy solitude, and burning memory. "The Valley Of Sadness" is the song most inspired by the intermediate works of Burzum (Hvis Lyset Tar Oss and Filosofem), but it is also the track where Andrea Tilenni tries to express singing abilities much higher and more effective in intention than in reality…

In any case, almost 40 minutes of real music made in the studio without too much fuss and expressed with heart more than with means. This is why I greatly appreciate this work. Maybe I'd have someone else do the vocal part, maybe there is a lack of compactness and depth from a purely technical aspect, but I blindly prefer someone who manages to give a continuous yet thin line to their art.