Nibiru Ordeal – ‘Solar Eclipse’ (Inverse)

By Jonny Bakes

Wailing guitar solos – check. Heavy synthesiser use – check. Warbling high pitched metal screams – check. Must be time for me to get another dose of power metal! It’s a bit of an epic this time as I get lost in the blackness of a ‘Solar Eclipse’, the new release from Nibiru Ordeal.

Other than having a name that’s proving difficult to spell correctly first time, Nibiru Ordeal have developed from their early days as a Finnish two-piece into the five-man Finnish/Swedish powerhouse that are finally set to release their debut album after a significant period of teasing. Prior to solidifying their line up with singer Andi Kravljača, Nibiru Ordeal released a five-track EP in 2013 with Per “PelleK” Åsly which gained them significant attention in Japan and Brazil. For those who may have missed out at the time, PelleK was a YouTube star famous for his power metal covers of popular songs, and (so I’m told by my female friends) his magnificent cheekbones. PelleK has since parted ways with Nibiru Ordeal to focus on his other projects opening the door for Andi and this fully formed nugget of power metal goodness that is ‘Solar Eclipse’.

Clocking in at a respectable 80 minutes, ‘Solar Eclipse’ takes you on an astronomical journey focusing on the loss of the sun, hence the title. It has all those aspects you’d expect to find in a power metal album, we’ve got wails, “woah-oh”s, fast shredding, noodly solos and a real variety of sensations from powerful ballads to motivating epics. You could say that this album really takes all the lessons from “Power Metal 101” and forms it into a bit of an epic. Now I must admit that it took me a few listens to really begin to appreciate what this album has to offer, so there is a risk that some might dismiss it after the first attempt, I’d encourage you not to! You could say that this album is a grower not a shower (and I’ll make no comment about what that says about me).

The album kicks off with the instrumental ‘Predestined’ which makes heavy use of the synthesiser to build up a bit of a foreboding atmosphere before all hell breaks loose as the drums and bass kick in! If you’re in the zone is very easy to get caught up in the hectic feeling that this track invokes which leads to a bit of a shock when things suddenly get slow and very astral as this introduction draws to a close. But don’t worry, things immediately pick up with the subsequent track ‘Gone With the Wind’ where we first get to experience Andi’s vocals, and while these bear some resemblance to PelleK’s they are nowhere near as over the top which means that this will likely appeal to a wider audience of fans who don’t necessarily buy into over the top power metal vocals. There’s a sneaky nod to the mid-90s buried in this track too: if you listen closely, you’ll hear a line from Will Smith’s ‘Men in Black’, a fitting choice for this astronomical theme!

Now it wouldn’t be a power metal album without the obligatory ballad, and this album is no different. ‘Namidia’s Tear’ offers some respite from the hectic times that have led to this moment and offers an opportunity to tug at the heartstrings of even the hardiest of metalheads. Let Andi tell the tales of rebuilding sanity and dreams of destiny while you wave your lighter in the air in the comfort of your own home. Although I must say that the little synth solo before the big crescendo seems a little odd but somehow seems to work to bridge between the soft ballad and that epic power ballad that this becomes.

The whole album really seems to lead up to the 14-minute monster of a title track ‘Solar Eclipse’. This brings an epic end to this album with its blasting drumbeats and heavy breakdowns to pull together the threads that have led to this moment. In a very fitting fashion for the end of this album, ‘Solar Eclipse’ heralds the beginning of an eternal night with pomp and fanfare and a sense of impending doom. A deep voiceover informs you that this is the end of this world and that it shall be burned and then just like that, your journey is over.

So, like I mentioned earlier, this took me a good few listens to really get into, and I don’t think it really sunk in until I was able to set aside the time to really focus on it. Because of this it may not be for those who live a hectic lifestyle and just want a bit of background music as I think you’ll miss what this has to offer. It is a pretty strong debut release into the world of power metal, but this has become a really competitive world in recent years with power metal bands really hitting the forefront of the metal scene again, this will make it increasingly difficult for bands to break in the genre. Does ‘Solar Eclipse’ have what it takes to break through? I think so, but only if you give it the attention it needs to grow on you! Unfortunately, I could see this potentially being overshadowed by other up and coming releases, but I hope to be proven wrong!

‘Solar Eclipse’ is out now. You can get your copy HERE.

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