THE DEVILS OF LOUDUN was formed in 2009 in Seattle, Washington, USA. A Symphonic/Melodic Death Metal band, they are releasing their debut full-length here titled "Escaping Eternity," which contains ten tracks. "The Scourge of Beasts" leads off the album. It opens with a heavy dose of keyboards and some grand elements in the instrumentation. The drums roll forward with deadly precision and the harsh vocals gobble up the ground in their path of destruction. Piano mixes in but the intensity of the sound does not let up. "Ex Nihilo" is another burner that features a fast-moving pace, stop-on-a-dime timing, and attention to details. The runs here also suggest that the band has a handle on Classical music, because they are fantastic.

"Incarnate" is just a little shorter but still features that thickened sound of a blurry of instruments that gel very well together. The vocals and drums are there to crush pieces of rock into dust. "Anamnesis" hears the scorching pace continue. There is a lower breakdown section before the keyboard solo, which has an old-school twinge it. More of the chord progressions follow Classical threads. "The Death of Sleep" begins with a slower and more powerful pace, but it isn't long before you are being tossed from one side of the room to the other. The commanding sound that is produced here makes one feel alive and immortal.

"Evolving Winds" is the first somewhat slower track that breathes just a bit more. The vocals are still incensed and raging but the instrumentation slows to allow you to catch your breath. The piano notes are especially well done in this track. "Praise the Eternal Nightmare" is a shorter song but again with no less intensity. Through seven tracks, that is one constant that never dies. "Abysswalker" is the longest on the album. Opening with piano and some ambiance, it soon segues into the maddening sound of previous tracks. Take away the Symphonics, and the melody, and the Death Metal sound would be very stark. It does linger just a bit too long however. "Formless" and "Arcana Imperii" close the album. The former is a shorter song with Classical leanings, and the latter a final war with the universe where the good guy (or bad guy) wins, with precise sword strikes and an impenetrable defense.

This was an absolutely punishing album that rode the fence somewhere between Symphonic and Melodic Death Metal, with a Classical twist. There are no clean vocals. This band isn't interested in the compromise that other bands make in the genre. They are also in full control of the Symphonic elements presented here. The music is impossibly tight. But, in a ten-track offering, some diversity is needed to help break up the punishment. Considering this is the first full-length offering, and they obviously have the talent, the future is theirs to explore.