EA — Ea Taesse (review)

Album · 2006 · Funeral Doom Metal

4.5/5 · 2020-11-08
siLLy puPPy

While the band name EA may sound like a really lame name for a metal band, it all starts to make much more sense once you discover that the term was borrowed from an ancient deity of Babylonian mythology which when taken into consideration with the lengthy dreamlike funeral doom metal that this band cranks out. EA is a band of mystery with absolutely no information to be found due to the band’s desire to remain in complete anonymity and let the music speak for itself. While there is speculation that this band is actually from Russia, on its Bandcamp site it lists Cody, Wyoming as its place of origin but it has also listed Antarctica thus adding more enigmatic uncertainty to anything about his band at all.

One can only go by what the band claims itself and it seems that EA relies on ancient sacred texts written in a dead language for inspiration and crafts a musical vision that is purportedly interpreting the voices of the ancients that have finally reached us through the centuries. Whatever the case EA formed in 2005 and released its debut EA TAESSE which is a 54 plus minute song split into three parts. The basis of this funeral doom metal like bands such as Esoteric, Shape Of Despair and others is a slow plodding display of sustaining guitar drones that take on a dirge-like procession accompanied by the punctuated beats of drums. EA is exceptionally talented at crafting an atmospheric counterpoint which is where the true diversity of the album resides.

In addition to the plodding guitar distortion, EA employs classical piano runs, synthesized ambience and choir melodies which give the overall music a melodic melancholy that goes above and beyond the duty of the average funeral doom metal band. Although this gives EA TAESSE the feeling that it is really a dark ambient album with metal accoutrements instead of a bonafide extreme metal release, it nevertheless is quite effective in crafting some of the most ethereal and surreal sounds laid out in a doom metal procession regardless of subgenre nomenclature. One could even go as far as calling this symphonic funeral doom metal and that would probably be the best description of it. Despite the extreme slow plodding of the guitar riffs that include a soaring lead as well as a bass driven chord sustain, the tempo does pick up from time to time with heavier emphasis on the bass and drums but the atmospheric river of melancholy remains steadily perched above the metal content to infuse an impending sense of dread.

Like any music of this type, you really have to be in it for the long haul and have no expectations of head banging fury or be in a hurry to rush through it. This is music that oozes into your soul and slowly coats it with an emotive cloak of atmospheric awe. While mostly instrumental, growly vocals do emerge from beneath the guitar fuzz and atmospheric ambience but overall vocals are quite rare save the incessant choir melodies that anchor the melodic constructs to the rhythmic dirges. In between the long haul of epic riffs and emotive oversoul themes are acoustic insertions, melodic guitar leads that soar like a drifting glacier as well as moments of pure ambient music and horror elements. There are also speculations that due to the fact that EA sounds similar to the Russian Melodic Death Doom act Откровения Дождя (known to non-Russian speakers as 'Revelations of Rain’), that at the very least there could possibly be some members involved in this project.

Whatever the case regarding this mysterious band’s identity and whereabouts, one thing is for sure and that is that EA delivers a satisfying 54 minutes plus of quality atmospheric funeral doom metal laced with haunting melodies and dirges of doom sounding unlike any other in the field. Although it’s tempting to lump all such funeral doom acts in the same category, it’s really the subtleties that make or break such acts as the tightrope tension walks are what make it a compelling listen or simply one that irritates to high heaven. Personally i find EA TAESSE to live up to the hype that it exudes an epic timeless feel that very well could be the voices of the ancients channeled through modern day musicians. At the very least, what a cool gimmick! EA has released so far 5 albums but this is perhaps the best as it perfectly exemplifies some strange ancient Babylonian ritual that has been all but lost in time.