ECLIPSE – Viva La VicTOURia: Live in Gothenburg
- Posted on 19-01-2021
This one nearly slipped away from my pile of stuff to review, but I am glad that I found this cool-looking digipak again due to the fact that the Swedish outfit Eclipse are totally at the top of their game here and deliver a blistering blast of massive-sounding hard rock capable of lifting your spirits and making sure you get a noise complaint from your asshole neighbor.
"Viva La VicTOURia" consists of two CDs and a DVD, and the material is culled from performances in Stockholm (the quarantine session that was streamed live a while back) and, obviously, Gothenburg. There is passion in spades here and the energy never really lets up. Deliciously catchy tunes such as "Vertigo", "Blood Enemies", and "Black Rain" could make stadiums erupt in pure ecstasy and joy. The setlist is varied and colorful in terms of dynamics and moods, but I must admit that I prefer the toe-tapping barnstormers the most. The only real downside is the inclusion of the mundane ballad "Shelter Me". The Gothenburg crowd is also truly appreciative throughout and there is a glorious rock ‘n’ roll vibe to the whole affair.
The DVD is decently shot and probably captures the essence of the concerts, but as is usually the case with Frontiers’ DVD releases, they are neither a compelling watch nor what one would deem edge-of-the-seat entertainment. The lockdown/quarantine session is the actually the most memorable one to watch as it offers something different. It also boasts a sound that is heavy as fuck, which is pretty neat. However, the bottom line is that you only really need to immerse yourself in the two CDs and close your eyes while doing so for maximum effect.
Overall, this is a good and solid package that presents some of Eclipse’s best songs in all their raw and unpolished glory, and yours truly would argue that these live renditions are more interesting than their studio counterparts.