Darren Cesca - Eschaton - Seal of the Curse - Exclusive Drum Play-through

Apocalyptic tech-death outfit Eschaton have released their sophomore album under the heavy-hitting Unique Leader Records, entitled Death Obsession. While current trends in progressive death metal are to include jazz, black metal or atmospheric/experimental elements, Eschaton maintains a more aggressive approach, focusing on brutal riffs and blast beats at the core of their sound. The average listener will enjoy headbanging to the sonic savagery, but the advanced listener will appreciate the complexity and nuance in Eschaton’s compositions, especially the drumming. Darren Cesca is best known for his drumming for bands like Goratory, Serpent of Gnosis, Deeds of Flesh, Incinerate and many more. To understate it hugely, Darren is a beast. A quick peruse of his youtube channel will make you question what you’ve done with your life lately.

The last track off of Eschaton’s latest release is ‘Seal of the Curse,’ an instrumental medley based on legendary NES game Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest. Many metal covers have been of various Castlevania tracks, but ‘Seal of the Curse’ is hands-down the most venomous. Check out this video of Darren ripping through his ridiculous kit.

Check out the ‘Tides of Betrayal’ play-through video we posted last week here!

Darren’s Gear

Spaun Xtreme Series Drums

Toms 10” 12” 13” 14” 16”

Kicks 22” X 14”

Snare 14” X 5” Spaun Custom Maple Snare

TRX Cymbals

BRT Hi-hats 14”

BRT Ride 21”

ALT Crash 16” + 17”

BRT Crash 16” + 18”

BRT/Mdm Blends Crash 17”

SFX T-Bell 7” + 9”

DRK Thunder Crash

BRT Lightning Crash

ALT Splash 8”

BRT Splash 8”

DRK Splash 8”

BRT China 14” + 16” + 18”

Darren on Seal of the Curse:

I’ve always been a fan of classic video game music and the original composition style of it. I find it to have a lot in common with heavy metal and the way technical music is composed in general. Some songs have multiple voices playing intricate patterns often in a counterpoint style and at high tempos.

I’ve had interest in arranging game music for quite some time and when I brought the idea up it fit perfectly into the style of the band. Castlevania is an iconic game series and many of the themes from it are timeless. Other bands have arranged classic game music before but I don’t think quite with the intensity, speed and technically that Seal of the Curse brings. I’m hoping to do more of this on future Eschaton releases.

Josh on Seal of the Curse:

Seal of the Curse is the only instrumental track and the only cover/medley that Eschaton has ever done. Darren loves video game music and was showing me (Josh) some of his favorite gaming music. The Castlevania II soundtrack stuck out to me immediately not only because it’s for one of the coolest NES games of all time, but because of how evil the music sounds and how adaptable it would be to Eschaton’s style. There are lots of metal renditions of Castlevania songs, but none as brutal and relentless as ours.

The drum video puts on full display how intricate Darren’s drumming is. He uses his massive kit in a way that few others could replicate, really branding his own style onto this aggressive medley of some of darkest music you’ll find on NES or even any game on any system.

If you’d like to contact Darren for session drumming, mixing/mastering work or just to say what’s up, you can find him through numerous different sources.