After waiting seventeen years to release their debut full-length album, the Norwegian progressive metal band Course of Fate now has three albums since 2020. I missed their second release in 2023 —in fact I’m only just learning it exists as I write this— so I was especially excited to see this band back in action.
Mindweaver was a delightful album, the kind of release that bristles with potential and makes you eager to see what a band is going to do next. Obviously, I missed what Course of Fate did next, but now that Behind the Eclipse is here and playing, I’m just as excited to share that they haven’t missed a single step.
Course of Fate are still largely Course of Fate, although the sound I remember from Mindweaver has transformed into something altogether more aggressive and striking. Kenneth Henriksen and Fredrik Jacobsen’s guitars are louder and rougher at the edges, and Torstein Guttormsen’s bass is fully audible throughout Behind the Eclipse. Their core sound – a heavy background supported by rich drums (Per-Morten Bergseth) and memorable, fairly melodic riffs offset by Eivind Gunnesen’s soft singing – is still there, but even the singing is more aggressive than I remember, with the occasional growl added for good measure. There’s a sense of care in the songwriting, evident in the quiet keys and strings, and in the storytelling in the lyrics of songs like “Behind the Eclipse,” the titanic opening track with an epic chorus and a huge resolution that sticks in your head for days after you hear it.
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There’s a sense of melancholy anger throughout Behind the Eclipse. Course of Fate feel frustration and sorrow deeply, although their compositions are as vibrant as ever. “Acolyte,” for example, opens with a quiet piano that resolves into an aggressive, almost thrashy riff. Gunnesen is strong here, fitting so well with the music, up to the chorus – and then things slow down. The piano returns and his performance becomes introspective. Then, once it’s done, Course of Fate return to their fiery self. The balance is impressive and appears again throughout the album. “Neverwhere” is another classic Course of Fate exploration, a song that builds and builds from bitter reflections into explosive interludes at its huge chorus and beyond. As with Mindweaver, there’s an emotional core on Behind the Eclipse that gives it genuine staying power (and once again, the ballad is one of the best songs, this time in the form of “Don’t Close Your Eyes”).
There are only a few moments throughout Behind the Eclipse where the aforementioned balance of aggression and melancholy doesn’t quite fit perfectly, and in those moments, it becomes “just” good metal. “Sky Is Falling” is a good song, but it comes on a bit strong for my tastes, while “Hiding from the Light” follows a slower, less immediate approach that initially made me wonder if Course of Fate didn’t have some metalcore influences. It’s not metalcore – I can’t stress that enough – but the balance isn’t quite there, at least not to my ears. With that said, the solo guitar on “Sky Is Falling” is one of the coolest moments on Behind the Eclipse, and I like the use of growls on “Hiding from the Light.” Every song has something to recommend it, and that’s largely thanks to the fact that Course of Fate are strong performers and excellent songwriters. As a bonus, eight tracks spanning forty-five minutes make it hard to lose interest at any point.
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So I’d say Course of Fate did it again—they kickstarted my year with an impressive progressive metal showing that I expect to return to often as the year goes on. Behind the Eclipse is a well-written, cathartic and dynamic album that’s fun to listen to. I could argue it’s a little uneven, but it never drops below “good” and often reaches “wonderful.” It seems Course of Fate are finding their groove—not to mention a steady release schedule—and I couldn’t be happier about it.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Roar! Rock of Angels Records
Websites: facebook.com/courseoffate
Worldwide release: January 30, 2026
The review was done by Angry metal guy.
