Album Review: "Dear Insanity" by Eye of Solitude

Dear Insanity

Months ago, I contacted Eye of Solitude directly to receive their album Canto III for review.  I don't recall precisely why I did, but that email ended up opening some doors for me.

Though I take it seriously, this blog is a hobby of mine and our friends from London did me a great favor by putting me in touch with Kaotoxin Records, their label.

I should mention also that Kaotoxin, from France, has sent me a giant box of CDs to send to our troops serving overseas. I cannot thank them enough and all of the organizations who've helped me brighten the days for our fighting men and women.

As I'm writing this on Veterans Day, I'm especially misty. I have a friend over there right now and my best friend spent over two years there....but that's hardly the point. Sorry for the jingoism!

Let's move forward to Eye of Solitude's latest, Dear Insanity, because I hope you're interested in my review.

Eye of Solitude

Eye of Solitude is a metal band like no other that I know.

They play a variety of extreme metal that's very slow and very eclectic.

Interspersed with their growls are strings, arias, and melodic solos that bring tears to the eyes of your friend and humble narrator.

They aren't as extreme as say Napalm Death or Carcass, but the growls emit the pain of anger.

But let's get to this album specifically. They optimistically call this an EP because it only has one track...

However the fact that this one track is longer than the standard length of an album is not lost on me.

Dear Insanity is everything that's wonderful about Eye of Solitude and more. How many extreme metal albums mix morose guitar solos with weeping strings?

Over the fifty minutes of Dear Insanity the listener is transported to a world of pain, suffering, depression, and victory. Unlike their last record, I do not know what the inspiration for the music is, but I don't care.

I could wax poetic about the genius of this record for days, but I'll leave it at this...

Next year when Metallica wins the Grammy for Best Metal Performance for Lords of Summer and Frozen or some other such claptrap wins Album of the Year, think back to this genius work.

You will know full well that Dear Insanity is the best album of 2014 and nothing can touch it.

Release: 12/02/14
Genre: Metal
Label: Kaotoxin Records
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