Contrary to what their iTunes listings might have you believe, Dutch death dealers ETERNAL SOLSTICE have been around for a long time, sowing the seeds of destruction amongst unwitting listeners since 1989. After nearly a decade and a half of silence, the group returned in 2011 and 2013 with fresh music, and are now primed to release "Remnants of Immortality," their first full-length effort in 18 years.

They say that "the more things change, the more they stay the same," and while that does ring true at times, it feels more like ETERNAL SOLSTICE are switching gears rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. Their sound has long been one crafted on the black wings of hate, driven by razor-sharp riffing, beastly roars and pummeling drums. The old-school influences that bleed through this time around are more reminiscent of VADER and DISMEMBERED than DEICIDE, whom the band owe a clear debt to on their 1994 debut album. It's a welcome change that sees the band adopting a thicker, fuller sound while retaining 100% of the menace from their heyday.

History aside, it's hard to listen to songs like "Remnants of Immortality," "Force Fed Suicide," and "Bleed For Me" without reveling in the unholy terror that ensues, complete with hair-raising guitar squeals straight from the SLAYER school of terror. "Walk In Darkness" rips bodies to shreds during the high-speed runs while still keeping a bone-crushing attitude when it slows down. Similarly, both "Recipe for Death" and "Extinction Debt" have this kind of underlying, extreme-blues element that gives it strength and muscle, but still floors the listener with the sheer speed and intensity of its instruments.

Patience and hard work will get a band far, but it doesn't hurt to have some experience beforehand, something ETERNAL SOLSTICE prove soundly on this album. They aren't just some band who loves classic death metal; they are classic death metal. It's not perfect, but "Remnants of Immortality" is a strong, catchy-for-death-metal effort, a return to form that younger bands would do well to take note of.