EOS is a mysterious black metal band-I found very little about them online.  Supposedly they are from Australia, although I only found one article that mentioned that.  One source says they were formed in 2020 but I found two other articles that said the seeds for their concept were planted over a decade ago and the writing not begun until 2014. Due to a promo picture I can confirm they have three members.  Well, ok then.

Whoever they are, wherever they are from, and however long it took to write this album really paid off because it is a super solid and interesting black metal album. The production/mixing on their debut album "The Great Ascension," lands them firmly into the more raw side of the black metal genre.  However, it isn't so raw the music becomes incoherent.  On the contrary, I found myself rather enjoying how the album's sound is presented.  Musically speaking, it is very atmospheric.  I don't mean that in a "post" type of way or keyboard driven way, which are two elements so often associated with anything called "atmospheric."  This is still very much a riff based album—the guitars are front and center with plenty of ear catching moments.  There are no epic key passages, violins, soothing sax, ambient sections or anything else of that nature.  What EOS present across the seven tracks and thirty four minute run time is a band who uses a more natural way of changing up the mood and instrumentation.

Overall, the seven tracks sound like one big piece of music considering there isn't any surprises or major deviations from their sound.  However, digging deeper with multiple listens reveals a furiously powerful album with a lot of variety.  They all may have the same feel but none of the seven tracks really sound anything alike. The opening track, "The Great Ascension," opens full speed ahead with blackened guns blazing for the kill.  It is fast, furious, and the vocals are near inhuman with plenty of disturbed pain behind them. The riffs have some dirt and grime splashed over them that gives the song even more of a rotten edge. The vocalist's growl that rises to a harrowing shout around the 1:40 is chilling as are the heavy riffs that drop like a battering ram and hang for a minute, letting the heavy static permeate the air.

"Amour Propre," is a short but impactful song.  The atmosphere gives off a doom vibe to me, the riffs laden with sorrow and lost purpose.  The mid section is arcane, slow, and maybe even a bit morbid.  After the song picks back up, chugging rhythm riffs back up the bass and the tortured vocals for a rousing finish. "Memento Mori," is my favorite track on the album due in no small part to its clever use of melody. It's epic and ear catching but not in a bombastic way but rather in highlighting the dark elements of the song.  The guitar uses very subtle melody to pull the listener to the rapid fire drums and riffs while also being its own little musical adventure.  Around the 3: 45 mark, that melody returns and escalates its urgency as the rest of the song does the same.

The final track "Illumination and Will," is perhaps the bleakest and cold on the album.  It pummels and thrash its way around but remains focused on the riffs, especially at the 2:12 mark with solid rhythmic punch. The song slows around 3:54 but it is filled with a wound up ball of tension that builds and builds until an explosion sets the song back to the structured riffs from earlier, which in turn lead the song into a full double bass assault. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this album and it was a nice year end surprise for the black metal genre.  If you're looking for black metal that is raw yet engaging, then EOS' "The Great Ascension," is worth your time and money.