Since its standalone 2018 debut, The Red Mist, then-trio and now Murfreesboro heavy groove/sludge/stoner metal quartet Eye on the Sky added featured vocalist Joseph Lampley to the lineup. The 2022 single “Ignem Magnum Reptilium” signaled Lampley’s addition as a touring and recording band member, from then on giving Eye on the Sky its signature heavy metal vocalist range, from the characteristic, deeply elongated death growls all the way up to falsetto highs.
From there, Eye on the Sky’s all-inclusive vocal domination progressed, making it impossible to dismiss the metal invasion that descended upon Earth with the band’s Moon War: 2020.
However, Eye on the Sky’s sophomore release metaled so hard, you can’t understand the lyrics.
Tuning through the static, “True Believer,” opens an onslaught of death metal, knowing there’s an epic secured within.
We are not alone / The sun shows not what you think / It’s little green men . . .
Radical gods like cold cutting knives / Just become cold and calculated / There’s no need to fear / Jump when we say / As we say when we say / We’re here to save yourselves from yourselves . . .
Word to the Wise / Look to the Skies . . .
“Human Suit” follows in similar throaty style, but the bass guitar is emphasized to good effect here, showing a good ear at the mixing board. Caught lyrics add a little description to the imminent green moon invaders.
The lyrics for “The Walls Have Compound Eyes” seem to come from a human’s paranoid realization that Earth is being invaded (I think they’re closing in on me / Bury Truth / I can’t trust in my neighbor now) through multiple metal vocal stylings, while “Colossus” blasts guttural from the perspective of humans having their faces ripped off, death growls-to-screech-screams and all.
With more killer bass emphasis, “Penumbra” tells of more sentiments of battle—within a battle—as a pretty sick psychedelic/instrumental/operatic addition to the album’s comprehensive concept (with an orchestral-metal build up leading to the 7:45 marker, *horn’s up* at that point, and the piece continues to metal for the remaining several minutes).
While Lampley himself, straddling multiple metal vocal stylings, is a dichotomy between earthlings and the green moon invaders, all from the same vocal cords but aided by additional backing vocals, the album’s indecipherable vocals can leave listeners in the dark, and leaves these four skilled metal-lurgists drowning in metal, seemingly without a chance to breathe.
To clarify, the musical mixing is incredible. Listeners can hear the bass in every song, in a metal album. Eye on the Sky definitely makes up for lyrical confusion with a blazing musical passion, tapping into Pantera’s groove-metal influence on top of dark, heavy, early and bluesy metal subgenre influences as well.
Moon War 2020’s a pretty awesome metal album. But who will prevail? Go to war with the listen and find out.
It’s reported that these guys’ live shows are something to behold, augmented with the aid of visuals in a live setting. They’ll be playing sporadic dates around Middle and West Tennessee through the fall. For more on the band and updates, find Eye on the Sky on Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp and YouTube.
