BLAZING ETERNITY is a doom metal band from Denmark who formed in 1993. Their latest album, “A Certain End of Everything,” is their third full-length album; they have also released three demos. I haven’t heard of them before receiving this promo but in my research, it seems they started off as melodic death/doom, switched to Gothic rock, and now this newest opus sees them return to form. I can’t speak for any of these previous releases but I can’t imagine they are as good as this absolutely fantastic album. Their sound here is very firmly rooted in Gothic melodic death/doom. It has a classic sound—this is the exact type of doom that I discovered decades ago that made me fall in love with the genre in the first place. Despite its leanings towards the foundations of the genre, it doesn’t sound like a retread; this album definitely has a modern approach, leaning on atmospheric tendencies as much as anything else.

Overall, the album is quite melancholic but in a sweeping, majestic way. It is solemn at times and, of course, a bit depressing but there is also an air of hope surrounding the songs as well. They are slow to mid tempo but their clever approach to songwriting never allows them to lull or get derivative. Between the vocal style, the metal instruments, and synthesizers there is a lot going on here but the production makes every detail standout, nothing needing to fight for air space or placement among the layers. The songs may not be very catchy and lack a real big hook most of the time but it’s hard to complain when every song is great, the album truly lacking any bad moments.

The album begins with “One Thousand Lights,” and it’s light, clean tones but rich tones as the bass builds up the tension just before the full band comes in. The song rolls and thunders its way like an oncoming storm. The growled vocals are exactly what I’m looking for in this type of music: extreme enough but still intelligible. Between the verses, the instrumental passages lay down atmospheric textures that come in the form of big riffs, highlighted by melodic tinges or ethereal keys. Around the halfway mark, the song drops much of the weight and builds itself back from serene, quiet tones like the gentle tide giving way soon enough to a darker experience. This build up is darkly beautiful–my favorite part of the song is when it comes together and the growls crawl out over the abyss.

The title track is brought to life with a somber intro that seems to grow like a living thing as the song moves forward to the growls, a pained and desperate performance. I love the feel of this song; it takes its time as it reveals more details of its world. Dual melodies around the 2:54 mark are one of the many highlights of the song but it truly grabbed me after the five minute mark where it grows a little darker, a slight hint of aggression without actually being so. This is death/doom but it isn’t an aggressive album per say and this song is a showcase for what I mean by that.

The album leans heavily into keys for “No Bringer Of Light,” making them the focus and foundation for the rest of the song to build from, at least in the first minute or so. The guitars seem to grow from the ideas laid down earlier in the song, as they take place. From there, the vocals add to the mix—this song falls layers by layers, doing a magnificent job in handling a lot of details. Everything after the 4 minute mark could be described as sweeping and majestic–in the right mood, I could see this song bringing a tear or two to my eyes.

“The Bells,” ends the album on a grandiose note as the longest song on the album. It is very music focused, with the vocals taking their leave after the halfway point as the song switches gears. This final half is cinematic, a dreary drapery that blankets the song’s sky with a view of eternity itself.

Blazing Eternity’s “A Certain End Of Everything,” is a near perfect album that represents everything a fan of this style doom could want.