The Eternal are an Australian gothic/doom metal band formed in 2003 by Mark Kelson (ex-Cryptal Darkness) on guitar, lead vocals and keyboards. They are known for playing dark, melodic, doom metal with eastern and gothic influences. History The Eternal were formed in Melbourne in mid-2003 by former members of doom metal act Cryptal Darkness. The founders were Ryan Buesnel on drums; Chris Burton on guitar; James Hunt on bass guitar; Mark Kelson on guitar and lead vocals; and Chris Stevenson on keyboards. Late that year, they signed a two-album deal with Firebox Records of Finland on the basis of their self-titled extended play. Their debut album for Firebox, The Sombre Light of Isolation, was released worldwide in June 2004. It gained positive reviews from United Kingdom-based magazine, Kerrang!, German-based Metal, Sweden's Metal Only and Lords of Metal in The Netherlands; as well as Australian media Full Strength and Loud!. Darren White (ex-Anathema/The Blood Divine) contributed guest vocals on the track, "Remembrance Scars". The Sombre Light of Isolation was voted fifth best Australian release of 2005 by listeners of Australian national radio, Triple J's Full Metal Racket, while it was nominated as second best Australian album by the presenter. The band was listed in Kerrang! magazine's '50 Bands You Need to Know Right Now'. The Eternal completed two music videos, "Down" and "Crimson Sacrifice". In support of the album, they undertook the Sombre Light Tour of Australia, Hong Kong, UK and continental Europe including Finland, in late 2004. In 2005 Sombre Visions, which focuses on that tour, was released as a DVD on their own label, Sombre Light. It also included a documentary on the group and promotional videos. Upon return immediately set about writing material for their second album, Sleep of Reason. Recorded early in 2005, Sleep of Reason extends The Eternal's sound from their debut work. It was produced and recorded by Endel Rivers at Palm Studios in Melbourne, and mastered by Mika Jussila (Amorphis, Nightwish, Therion) at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki. The album's sleeve-art was created by Travis Smith (Opeth, Katatonia, Anathema) based on the etching 'El sueño de la razon produce monstruos' by Francisco de Goya. Videos for ‘Everlasting’, ‘A Soul Undone’ and ‘Hollow Inside’ followed the release of the album. In 2006, The Eternal landed the Australian national support slot for Finnish rockers HIM, which coincided with the Australian release of Sleep of Reason. These shows