Reternity – A Test Of Shadows

Reternity
A Test Of Shadows
Black Sunset/MDD Records
September 25, 2020
42:26

Founded in 2018. First demo in the same year. Debut album 2019. Album number 2 in 2020. It is happening in rapid succession with the German metalers from Reternity. In the meantime the lineup is obviously complete. The band from Heilbronn (Baden-Württemberg) are obviously serious. The album was again produced in collaboration with Jonas Kümmerle (Analog Mixing Studio).

Together with the band, he created an album that should quickly grow on the heart of every friend of melodic, varied metal.

So, you can read in the press release. With so much praise in advance, of course I wanted to make my own picture of the album “A Test Of Shadows”.

“Ode to Joy” as “Music Box Intro”? Fortunately only nineteen seconds. Then also synths at the beginning of “Sniper’s Death”? These are also only brief. It’s getting wild and boisterous. Thrashy as a contrast. The band proves the courage to conduct crazy musical experiments. The singing itself is mostly melodic, especially the chorus. That doesn’t change much with “This Is The End” either. But singer Stefan Zörner can also score again by asserting himself against the wild drumming. And then Reternity still fire off a high-speed guitar solo. Then continue with this knitting pattern. Short melodic introduction, hectic guitar and drum sound, mostly counteracted by melodic vocals (“My Crush”, “A Test Of Shadows”). But wait, there are exceptions. Like the beautiful semi-ballad “A Grave Called Home”. For me the highlight of the album. In addition to contemplative sounds, merciless riffs pop out of the speakers. With “(We Were) The Gods” they go back to the scheme already described. Although this song also stands out a bit because you can hear a bit more melody and less thrash hectic. With the anthemic “You’ll See The Sun” there is another highlight shortly before the end. In contrast, “No Deeper Hole” is a classic Thrasher again. The last song “Stranded” starts with a rumble of thunder followed by a piano melody. A ballad at the end that stands in big contrast to the harsher songs.

“A Test Of Shadows” leaves the listener in a rollercoaster of emotions. Lots of Thrash and enchanting melodies alternating. Does that show a lot of self-confidence in songwriting? Or is that an expression that the band is still in the development phase? I dont know. Ultimately, the positive impression prevails. Varied songs, powerful production and musicians who are masters of their profession. Let’s see where the path will lead in the next few years.

Reternity – A Test Of Shadows (official lyric video): https://youtu.be/paYYX54gM8A

Lineup:

Stefan Zörner – Vocals
Carsten Sauter – Guitar
Oskar Schmidt – Guitar
Didi Schenk – Bass
Suat Gören – Drums

Track list:

• Intro
• Sniper’s Death
• This Is The End
• My Crush
• A Test Of Shadows
• A Grave Called Home
• (We Were) The Gods
• Falling Shadows
• You’ll See The Sun
• No Deeper Hole
• Stranded