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Well this is better. I thought their last album Before the Bleeding Sun was entertaining enough, but it seemed like Eternal Tears of Sorrow were moving more into a Gothic/Symphonic direction and maybe into more accessible territory. Well, Children of the Dark Waters is quite Gothy and heavily symphonic, but it is also a lot darker and meaner than this band has sounded in years.

On this disc ETOS have moved away from the poppy Nightwish-isms of their last album and into a more percussive, guitar-driven attack that reminds me of bands like Hollenthon or Septicflesh. This is a very modern-sounding album, with a crystal-clear production job and influences audible from everything from Behemoth to Dimmu Borgir, but ETOS keep their own sound and vibe, maintaining the melodic edge they have always possessed while keeping the metal front and center. There are some kickass riffs on this CD, as well as some tasty lead work. The harsh vocals sound like they always have, but this time the music is heavy and aggressive enough that they sound like they belong, making use of the rhythmic quality inherent in growls to add syncopation and actual catchiness to the vocals.

This may not have a single song as memorable as "Bride of the Crimson Sea", but Eternal Tears of Sorrow have finally put their songwriting pieces together in a compelling way once again, creating an album worthy to stand beside past works like Chaotic Beauty and Vilda Mannu. They may never quite regain the forest-haunted melody of their old works, but if they can keep making albums this good, I for one will not complain.