A Melodic Death and Doom Metal one-man band from Armenia is ready to conquer all to the sound of his newborn beast, dealing with insanity, nightmares, powerlessness, corruption and loss.
Formed in 2016 in Yerevan, the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, by vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Artak Karapetyan, the thrilling Melodic Doom/Death Metal one-man act Eternally Scarred has been combining slower tempos with faster, melodic guitars and a raw, dirty production since their 2017 debut effort …of Wisdom, and that’s also the case with Artak’s newborn beast, titled Echoes From Beneath. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Artak himself, and displaying a sinister artwork by Vladimir Prokofiev from Paint-It-Black Design, Echoes From Beneath depicts an amalgamation of subjects such as insanity, nightmares, powerlessness, corruption, loss, coping with all aforementioned topics, or being overcome by them, all embraced by the multi-layered, bold music brought into being by this lone wolf from Armenia.
The opening tune Deviance begins in a very atmospheric and pensive manner, with the minimalist sounds by Artak growing in intensity until his riffs enfold us all in a Doom and Death Metal musicality, with his vociferations bringing even more obscurity to the song. Then leaning towards the music played by bands the likes of Insomnium, Artak slashes his guitar and pounds his drums in great fashion in Divinations, a lot heavier and more dynamic than its predecessor with the extra rage coming from its Death Metal nuances being fantastic; and Artak keeps blasting his drums in the name of doom in Brothers In Arms, bringing tons of groove and heaviness through his bass and piercing riffs. After that, Artak’s visceral guitar lines will decimate your senses in Parasomnia, with his deep, enraged guttural growls growing in intensity as the music progresses in a lecture in Melodic Death and Doom Metal.
Adding elements from Stoner and Sludge Metal to his already acid riffs, it’s time for Stone Cold Blood, where its experimental passages might not be bad but they end up taking part of the song’s punch; whereas back to a more doomed, gloomier sound our Armenian metaller offers us all The Absence, showcasing beautiful guitars, slow and steady drums, and his trademark devilish vocalizations. Then prepare your mind for an eight-minute journey through the realms of Atmospheric Doom Metal entitled If The Walls Could Talk, where Artak beautifully alternates between gentle, somber passages and sheer heaviness, followed by Voices Underneath, investing in a grandiose and melodic sound while bringing the same vibe as the music by several Scandinavian Melodic Death Metal icons such as Soilwork and In Flames, resulting in a multi-layered creation that will cut your skin deep majestically. Finally, ending such inspiring and deep album we have Eternally Scarred (Part II), where Artak once again blends melancholy and anger through his riffs, bass and drums, again vociferating rabidly until the very last second.
Such precious gem of the Armenian metal scene can be appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and obviously purchased from the project’s own BandCamp page, from the Satanath Records’ BandCamp page, or from Discogs, if you want to show all your support and admiration for the music by Artak. You can also find him and his Eternally Scarred on Facebook, on Instagram and on VKontakte for news, tour dates and so on, letting him know that although he’s a one-man metal band, he’s definitely not alone. We’ll always carry the scars we get in our lives, even after our deaths, but that’s not a problem at all if that happens to the sound of the excellent Melodic Death and Doom Metal crafted by Eternally Scarred.
Best moments of the album: Divinations, If The Walls Could Talk and Voices Underneath.
Worst moments of the album: Stone Cold Blood.
Released in 2022 Satanath Records
Track listing
1. Deviance 6:40
2. Divinations 7:01
3. Brothers In Arms 4:30
4. Parasomnia 5:09
5. Stone Cold Blood 7:46
6. The Absence 8:00
7. If The Walls Could Talk 8:19
8. Voices Underneath 4:28
9. Eternally Scarred (Part II) 6:54
Band members
Artak Karapetyan – vocals, all instruments
Having emerged as a raging force from the depths of the Armenian underground metal scene in 2016, Yerevan-based Pagan Black Metal horde 
I must say that listening to Beyond Unseen Gateways is indeed a unique sonic experience, or a “spiritual journey” as the band itself mentioned, and the hybrid of Black Metal with folk elements and paganism matched flawlessly with the stories told throughout the album’s impressive 52 minutes of first-class metal music. Having said that, let’s all show our total support and respect to the guys from Ildaruni by following them on 
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 