It’s always difficult reviewing a follow up to something you absolutely loved because, inevitably, you carry the weight of your own expectations. In the case of Light Of Eternity, the expectations are considerable – through no fault of the band, it must be said, as they are remarkably down to earth in their communications. However, when you consider that their Edge of Fate debut was our EP of 2024, Aftershock has much to live up to.
Of course, when it comes to Light Of Eternity, disappointment is not a likely emotional response to their output and the trio, comprising Paul Ferguson, Fred Schreck, and Pauly Williams, knew exactly what they were doing when they titled this four-track follow-up Aftershock. For that is exactly what this noisy little bastard feels like – the tremors that follow a seismic event, and no less potent for it.
The EP hits hard with its industrial-flavoured title track announcing the band’s return. With Big Paul’s tribal rhythms propelling the edgy synths, the guitar cuts right to the track’s heart like a knife, recalling both Killing Joke and early Ministry in the process. Other influences abound – a touch of Sisters of Mercy here, a pinch of Nine Inch Nails there – but the end result is strangely timeless, the technology subverted to the will of the musicians to the extent that this could just as easily have been recorded in 1984 as 2024, with no obvious ties to either period. It’s a hell of a rush, and before the track has ended, you realise that Light Of Eternity have once again pulled you effortlessly into their world.
Second track Nebula takes a more ominous turn, the synth lines both airy and yet laced with foreboding as Big Paul adopts a lighter touch behind the kit. Drawing on a very different sonic palette, there’s a subtle nod to the more sinister sounds of early Duran Duran (think The Chauffeur), although those lean, post-punk guitars are waiting to take the track in a harder direction for the chorus. It’s amazing to hear these talented musicians exploring the hinterlands of their influences on this sophomore EP, and it suggests that something truly special awaits when they decide to pull together a full-length offering.
With the opening stabs of Dark Hope recalling Vivian Kubrick’s underrated soundtrack to Full Metal Jacket (all fear inducing ambience), the path seems laid for another slow-burning piece, only for the guitars to shatter the mood and send the track spinning off on a whole new direction. As the vocals pile up under the layers of reverb and the guitar slashes and burns, it’s one of the band’s heaviest tracks to date, and liable to set the pit on fire when they play live.
It leaves Conformity to wrap up this too-short EP on a more reflective note. Led by the sort of glacial synths favoured by Gary Numan, what sets the track apart is the emphasis on melody that ensures it is a suitably memorable finale, Fred Schreck delivering one of his most powerful vocal performances into the bargain. It leaves the audience very much wanting more, and it’s hard to imagine anyone hearing this beautifully arranged track and not finding themselves lost amidst the band’s imaginative soundscapes.
At just twenty-one minutes in length, Aftershock is a lean follow-up to Edge of Sanity that, somewhat remarkably, manages to improve on what was already a pretty perfect mix. The chemistry between Big Paul, Fred, and Pauly is evident for all to see, the songwriting engaging, and the production spot on – neatly capturing both the power of the band and the nuances that make the music so special. I came to this EP expecting something extraordinary, and Light of Eternity more than delivered. What a way to start 2025! 9.5/10
