Eidolon: Bow To The King
by Martin Popoff

Eidolon are an elusive metal beast. Even as the band celebrate their third classy traditional metal feast called Nightmare World, the band just can't get out on tour. Why you ask? Well, mainly because Canadian guitarist and producer for the band is second banana to none other than Andy LaRocque in King Diamond's band, Glen first hooking up for the Voodoo tour and now appearing on the King's new album House Of God, as well as the record's tour.

But boy, can this band whip up a hell of a recorded experience, all of their albums, including their self-financed indie Zero Hour, sounding like Accept fired up by Helloween then doused by and Trouble, bruising, doomy riff rock flawlessly executed then expertly recorded. Nightmare World, as Drover explains, is more or less a fine-tuning of a formula the band has nailed. "I think there are elements of both Zero Hour and Seven Spirits on here. The second album was a bit sludgier, less technical, not that we are a technical band by any means. We aren't a progressive metal band although we've been labeled that. We're not. We wanted to have a blend of elements from those first two albums, a bit of up-tempo, mid-tempo and the slower, sludgier material, just mix it up, have a good variety. I think the vocals are a lot better on the new one compared to the last one. We got some flak from certain people who thought the second album was a bit of a weaker album, especially in the vocal department. There were parts that could have been arranged a little bit differently, but whatever, you can't hit a home run every time (laughs)."

Drover's production acumen is such that one would think he'd be the Canadian Peter Tagtgren. But there just isn't time. In fact, the NEXT Eidolon album will have to be toyed with on the King Diamond tour. Glen explains. "My brother Shawn is the main songwriter in the band (ed. music, lyrics as well as drums; the band is rounded out by Brian Soulard on vocals and Adrian Robichaud on bass, each Canadian, Shawn originally Canadian, now based in Atlanta). I used to contribute but I don't have much time anymore. He is writing songs all the time so he's always ahead of the game and we always have ample material when it comes time to record. We actually have all the drum tracks already done for the next album which will be coming out next year some time. And right now I'm working on laying down guitar tracks and when we're on the road with King Diamond, we'll work on it, as Shawn is going to be doing the tech-ing on the tour. So he will work on lyric arrangements on the road and I'm going to bring a tape with a bunch of songs I've done, maybe four or five."

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