Founded in 2001 by Sébastien Regnier, ECLECTIKA was at first a band just for fun. The three members were given the name ECLECTIKA because of the multiple musical influences and the various covers from The Gathering to Emperor. 2005 saw the beginnings of developing the band in a professional manner with the recording of their first demo-CD Funeral Victorious March.
In 2007 French ECLECTIKA signed with Asylum Ruins, a young label in France, for the release of their first album The Last Blue Bird.

The beginning of the first track - Like A Scarecrow In A Humans Field - sounds promising with an instrumental and very ambient intro that breaks almost suddenly into a haunting riff. From there on the menacing and doomy growl of Sébastien Regnier (besides vocals also in command of all instruments) drags you into an up-tempo piece of work filled with haunting riffs, menacing drumming with supporting bass and... yes... the usual damsel-in-distress vocals (by Alexandra Lemoine) and snarling screams (by Aurélien Pers) that suppose to indicate EVIL. All it does; is putting a grin on my face. It sounds way too hilarious to be menacing - in the beginning, that is.
Because when continuing listening you start noticing that it actually works! The harmony of the three vocals and the symphonic music fit perfectly thus creating a musical peak that truly surprises.
The quieter and entirely instrumental number Les Arcanes du Bien-être, an ambient mixture of acoustic guitar, electric guitars and synthesizer, is just beautiful.
I feel almost offended when the snarls and screams of the following song Freezing Feelings drag me out from the peaceful place I was brought to. But I cannot stay offended long enough since the truly menacing and pounding drums and bass make me want to form a mosh pit in my living room. ECLECTIKA has managed to create a style of their own that sounds throughout the album and yet they have managed to stay original with all ten songs. Recommendations are especially Shibuya and Behind Antares.
In Shibuya one can actually hear Alexandra sing with a normal voice and her voice is just amazing! I can only hope that there will be more songs like that in the future where she will sing in a "normal" manner because there is truly no need for her to sing like a opera singer.
Instrumental and ambient Behind Antares is absolute perfection. I cannot find the right words to justify that piece of art.

This kind of music stands or falls with quality recording and this album has been recorded at a highly professional level. The use of synthesizer to create a certain ambient in some songs and to support guitars and bass in others is well balanced. The drumming and bass are each well recorded and clear although at times a bit boring. Same with the lead guitar work that is a bit too simple and obvious. It often sounds just a bit too high pitched during the solos while the lower riffs are just right and tight as it can get.
All in all I must confess that I have quit enjoyed The Last Blue Bird after listening to it a couple of times in a row. But it did take me some time to get over the annoying screams and snarls. My suggestion: get rid of that and let Alexandra uses her normal singing voice.