SONG REVIEW: Eonia - "The Ascent"
A Melodic Masterpiece From Upcoming Band, Eonia
by Jesse Smith
There is something so beautiful about ambient metalcore that will always hold a special place in my heart. I remember when I first heard Erra’s “Impulse” album and it blew me away. The melodies and composition spoke to me in a way other music didn’t. I haven’t felt that way in awhile, until now. Eonia is the brainchild of a single man named Gabriel Smith and he first started releasing his music to the world in 2020. Releasing a multitude of singles between then and now as well as a full album with an instrumental rendition, Eonia has been working harder than most of your favorite bands, and now he is back with his new single “The Ascent”.
As I dive into this track, I’ll start by saying that this revitalized a love for progressive music for me that I haven’t had in a very long time. I keep listening to it over and over again and I am in amazement at first that it’s one person but also how this song makes me feel. It feels like a beautiful drive in the countryside in the late spring. If great music is supposed to make you feel, then consider this great. The Ascent starts with a beautiful delayed chord progression that slowly builds into a punchy progressive patter that still has that light airy vibe. When the vocals kicked in, It was almost identical to the old vocalist of Erra, which immediately gave me flashbacks. The delicate balance of heavy downtuned chug riffs and sweet melodies are walked like a tightrope and are executed to perfection. In the middle of the song Gabe takes a break from the screams and gives us some cleans! It was the perfect bridge in the middle of the song to take us to the breakdown ending.
This song is a spiritual journey in more ways than one. By reading the lyrics, it definitely seems to be faith based. If you’re like me, you arn’t religious, but that still will not deter you from being lifted by the universal language of music. They say there is power in nostalgia and up to this point that meant something different to me. I was a huge fan of melodic prog metal back in 2010-2013 until that genre felt like it fizzled and production moved in a certain direction. But as I sit here writing and listening, I was touched and remembered how much this style of music meant to me. From the guitar tones, to the vocal delivery, to production and songwriting, Eonia needs to be in your rotation. The fact that this is one guy will forever blow my mind , this new track is an easy 10/10 for me.