Echoes of Eternity: The Forgotten Goddess

Francine Boucher is going to be regarded as a metal goddess before long, which is no surprise, considering how the French Canadian-born singer happens to be very easy on the eyes, not to mention possessing a voice perfectly suited for melodic metal. Inclusion in Revolver magazine’s next trite “Hottest Women in Metal” feature is all but a lock, and you know Boucher’s band, Los Angeles-based Echoes of Eternity, is going to ride the lady’s coattails to fame. The only problem is her bandmates fail to hold up their end of the bargain. While Boucher croons in her sumptuous, tender voice (bearing an uncanny resemblance to Liv Kristine of Leaves’ Eyes), the other three members can do no better than a clunky backdrop that awkwardly sits midway between metalcore and nu metal, lazily relying on crunching riffs and lifeless arrangements. Aside from the mildly pleasing “Voices in a Dream” and “The Forgotten Goddess”, guitarist Brandon S. Patton is incapable of matching his singer’s grace, creating no cohesion between them. If anything, Echoes of Eternity’s reliance on the Mighty Riff sounds too American, devoid of the kind of dignified goth style Europeans like Lacuna Coil, Moonspell, and Theatre of Tragedy exude so well. Francine Boucher’s potential is boundless, but like the saying goes, it’s mighty hard to soar like an eagle when you’re surrounded by turkeys.