Ecclesia – Ecclesia Militans Review

As Ecclesia would tell it, their sound recalls Candlemass, Solstice, and Tony Martin-era Black Sabbath. And, yes—all of that is true. But there’s also something more going on here. It’s that something more that sold me most on Ecclesia Militans, the band’s excellent second album.

That Ecclesia’s vocalist and drummer are from Deathcode Society seems worth noting from the outset. There’s a parallel there. Namely, what Deathcode Society does with black metal is not entirely dissimilar from what Ecclesia is doing here with epic doom. There’s an obvious respect for the founding principles. That’s the ground floor. And it’s a firm one. No doubt, you can hear Candlemass, Solstice, and Tony Martin-era Black Sabbath in these tunes, just as you could hear Limbonic Art and early Dimmu Borgir in Deathcode Society’s Unlightenment.

If Ecclesia were just that—a tribute act of sorts—they would be a good one. There aren’t many bands that nail that peak Candlemass swagger quite like this. The commanding vocals alone are enough of a selling point. But there are obvious layers to the music here that, to its benefit, complicate that narrative.

Intended or not, there is an undeniable modernity to Ecclesia Militans. Recalling tradition might be the easier and more logical pitch. Understandably, “modern” can be a dirty word. Too much sheen generally minimizes the force you want your music to have on the listener. This is not that kind of modern. Rather, Ecclesia’s music exists in the world we’re all navigating right now. It is not a revival so much as a contemporary spiritual channeling. And though not as prominent as the epic doom influences, there are appreciable elements of power and heavy metal that measurably impact the sum of the band’s sound. To ignore those elements in favor of a discussion of the more traditional ones would be a disservice to the sound Ecclesia has developed, which is distinctive, and distinguishable from the band’s more obvious influences.

Despite, or maybe owing to, its church theme, Ecclesia Militans is a fun record. The relatively thick bounce of “The Exorcism” and “Redden the Iron,” the white album Candlemass meets modern Impelliterri vibe of “Antecclesia,” and the strong power metal vibes on the title track ensure the right amount of unpredictability. The ecclesiastic theme is a neat device, but the reward here is not necessarily in following a compelling narrative so much as it is being treated to cool riffs and killer songs.

Ecclesia Militans is another feather in the cap for these Frenchmen. More than a continuation of the debut, it feels like a clear progression, particularly where songs such as the title track are concerned. A few more of those markedly faster-paced songs on the next one and I’d say the formula is about perfected.