INFOS : webzine@femmemetalwebzine.net
Webzine dedicated to the metal band fronted by girls. We also like ambient,darkwave,rock & electronic music.
INFOS : webzine@femmemetalwebzine.net
Webzine dedicated to the metal band fronted by girls. We also like ambient,darkwave,rock & electronic music.
Label : Pias Recording
Review by Alessandro Narcissus
Dead Can Dance. Does Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry’s iconic musical creature really need an introduction? Well, perhaps it does, as many of the people who may love their music or any of the genres that originated from their wake were barely kids or not even born during the heyday of one of the most established and respected acts of the Ethereal scene. Dead Can Dance were formed by partners Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry in Melbourne, Australia, in 1981. Soon they moved to London, when they got signed by an alternative label and released an EP and their debut full length to great critical acclaim. In the following two decades, not only did Dead Can Dance become a legend in the Ethereal scene releasing a total of seven full-lengths which are nowadays widely regarded as classics, one studio EP, an official live album, an incalculable amount of b-sided and live-only tracks, achieving fame both in Europe and in the Unites States and having several songs featured in movie soundtracks, but they also indirectly contributed to the birth of the Gothic Metal genre itself through the early work of The Gathering, who openly cited them among their greatest influences. Now, after a brief reunion tour in 2005 and the release of five live EPs as an appetiser in the past months, Gerrard and Perry finally felt ready to get back to writing together new music for Dead Can Dance, and subsequently released their come-back full length, “Anastasis” – which fittingly means “rebirth” – after sixteen years from their previous studio album. Now, let’s get it clear from the beginning: you can put perfection into music, but putting it into words in a review is a much tougher work. No review will ever live up to the true artistic value of “Anastasis”, as this album is nothing short of the high standards of any past Dead Can Dance “classic” release. It’s a highly inspired and emotional album, a collection of eight diverse and outstanding tracks that make up an incredible experience when listened together as a whole. Generally speaking, the album is incredibly sophisticated, even if compared to the band’s past recordings. It remains true and coherent to their past and priceless heritage drawing widely from it, but is a contemporary work which gives room to the artistic maturity Gerrard and Perry achieved while working separately. Balance is the keyword of this recording: nothing is overdone and every single note of each instrument is put in the right place for the right reason, to provide an experience that will delight both the artistic and sensitive side of the listener. Indeed, what immediately catches the ear is the sense of general harmony and unity of the record, in which each track has its own individuality but, at the same time, works perfectly as a piece of a greater experience. The orchestra – a typically western element – may be identified as the guiding thread of the oriental-sounding album. There are more orchestral parts than in the past and they are used differently in that the ensemble plays an active role in the most exotic soundscapes: instead of only providing a lush background for the ethnic instruments, it often accompanies them and plays along on the oriental or tribal melodies. Ideally, this interpretation of southern and eastern sounds with typical western instruments epitomises the idea of mingling different cultural influences into something new, which has always been the main standpoint of Dead Can Dance and is done at its finest in this album. This sense of harmony is also given by the balance between the two composers’ efforts. Even in this, “Anastasis” sounds much more cohesive than most the past Dead Can Dance albums, in particular those released after Gerrard and Perry’s domestic break up – namely “Into The Labyrinth” (1993), “Spiritchaser” (1996), and most notably their live effort “Towards The Within” (1994), in which their stylistic differences were most evident and at times even clashing. Whilst Gerrard’s and Perry’s own, peculiar approaches to writing music for their creature is still recognizable and the most familiar listeners can guess from the first notes of each song who’s going to sing, the passage from Perry’s trademark art-rock songwriting and Gerrard’s ethnic fascinations is much smoother than in the past, enhancing the sense of cohesion and harmony of the record as a whole. Indeed, the soundscapes evoked by the album can be perceived as the narration of a conceptual journey throughout the Mediterranean basin: the listener gets to ideally meet different cultures within the same voyage, each one adding it’s peculiar flavour to a bigger, all-compassing experience which is – or, if you will, being a piece of one, big colourful mosaic. The orchestra is the narrator who filters the experiences, and the other instruments and styles are the characters met during the journey we’re told about. In this sense, the title “Anastasis” does not only refer to the band’s rebirth after a 16-year split, but also to a more spiritual kind of rebirth the listener would experience through an enriching journey in the cradle of our culture. It’s really hard to name some highlights from the album without ending up with a detailed and exhaustive track-by-track review, as each song is spectacular in its way. But how not to mention, for instance, “Amnesia”, chosen as the promotional single out the album, which perfectly represents the blending of exotic rhythms with Perry’s typically western songwriting? Or Gerrard’s remarkable performance in the most ethnic tracks such as “Anabasis”, “Agape” or “Kiko”, which showcase the aforementioned union of traditional instruments and tribal percussions with the orchestra, as a background for Gerrard’s trademark vocalizations and folkloric techniques? “Children of the Sun” and “All In Good Time” represent the perfect opening and closing tracks respectively, the former being some kind of “rite of passage” somehow reminiscent of past songs (in particular Perry’s from “Aion”) reworked in the current, mature style of the duo, and the latter providing a relaxing outro as remarkable as “How Fortunate the Man With None” from “Into the Labyrinth”. And finally, the two absolute masterpieces of the album, “Opium” and “Return of the She-King”. The first is a highly emotional blend of ethnic rhythm patterns with breath-taking string melodies and Perry’s melancholic lyrics and vocals bound to put a tear in many listener’s eyes; the second is a wonderful, solemn track with distinct influences from the British Isles – at times it almost sounds as if a traditional Irish melody were played by Scottish bagpipes – in which Gerrard’s glossolalia vocals unite with Perry’s in what can be considered as the two vocalist’s best duet ever. “Anastasis” is clearly not just a typical come-back album that is made just to exploit the fans’ nostalgia or the hype for an iconic band’s reunion. It clearly shows Gerrard and Perry’s need to go back to their roots and write music together, and to do so at the right time and without a hurry, resulting in a fresh and genuine work, not at all anachronistic. It’s a perfect introduction for the new generations to the priceless work of this duo, as well as the perfect reward fans could hope for after 16 years of silence. “All in Good Time”, they say, and this is undoubtfully the good time and best way for Dead Can Dance to come back.
Rating - 100/100
Tracklist
Line Up
Links
Label : Scarlet Records
Review by Tony Cannella
The Italian band Evenoire has been with us since 2006 and in 2009 they gave us a decent four song EP called “I Will Stay”. Now the band returns with their full-length debut “Vitriol”. It is a well known fact that the country of Italy has give us many, many great female fronted bands and with “Vitriol” Evenoire are sure to add to the Italian tradition of great metal. On “Vitriol”, Evenoire really doesn’t create any boundaries for themselves, they aren’t beholden to any one style, and that is refreshing. They combine the best elements of symphonic, folk, gothic and progressive metal with a medieval vibe in some of the songs to create one of the best albums of the year thus far. Vocalist Lisy Stefanoni’s has so many layers to her vocals and is a powerful presence throughout the album. As far as pure singers go, she is one of the best that I have heard in a long time. Of course opinions are all subjective but I would put her in the same class as Floor Jansen, Simone Simons, Sharon den Adel and Tarja Turunen, she is that good. The intro “Vitriol” is a quiet piano and symphonic piece that leads into the symphonic “Days of the Blackbird”; this track features blasts of heaviness and changing tempos to deliver an excellent opener. Lisy sings in both an operatic and soaring rock style, something she is able to do throughout the album is sing in a number of different styles in one song. “Misleading Paradise”, opens with a flute played by Lisy (which is prominently featured throughout the album), before the crunching power riffing of guitarists Alessandro Gervasi and Toshiro Brunelli joins the fray. Damn, this song is just so infectious it is impossible not to like. Aside from the flute this is actually a pretty straight-forward rock/metal tune. This is just pure awesomeness. “Forever Gone” is next and has a slower heavy tempo to it, and features some death grunts (just a little bit) in the background. The intro “The Prayer” (featuring only acoustic guitar and soft vocals from Lisy) leads into the folk-ish beginning of “Girl By the Lake” which is one of two songs over 7-minutes long (the other is “Misleading Paradise”), this song fast became my favorite – it kind of reminded me of “Mother Earth” era Within Temptation with Lisy sounding a bit like Sharon den Adel at times. Next is “Minstrel of Dolomite” which kind of has a Blackmore’s Night vibe to it at the start, but quickly evolves into a song that is unmistakably Evenoire. After the final two songs “Alchimia” and “Wise King” closes out the disc, there is really nothing I can criticize about it. In the last three years between the EP and “Vitriol” the band has grown so much and in doing so has delivered a fantastic debut and proves they are a band to be taken seriously. I can talk or write about “Vitriol” till I am blue in the face, but mere words will not do it justice, it must be heard.
Rating - 100/100
Tracklist
Line Up
Links
MySpace * ReverbNation * Facebook * Twitter * Site
Label : AFM Records
Review by Tony Cannella & Disgraced
For many – myself included – the Norwegian Goth Metal band Theatre of Tragedy was one of the first (co) Female fronted metal bands that I first got into, thanks to their seminal 1995 self-titled debut. They followed that up with the awesome “Velvet Darkness They Fear” which to this day, still ranks as one of my all time favorites; it is a true masterpiece (in my opinion). Since then their work has been a bit uneven and has included a controversial foray into the realm of Electronic Music. If nothing else, TOT has proven they are not afraid to go off the beaten path and set their own boundaries, for better or worse. Now, it seems that that path has come to an end, as the band has announced that they are calling it a day, with this, the double live album/DVD “Last Curtain Call” being their swan song. Recorded and filmed in their hometown of Stavanger, Norway, “Last Curtain Call” features 16-songs and almost 90-minutes of the band tearing through some of their best songs live. The set begins with “Hide & Seek” from their most recent album “Forever Is the World” and then the band reach back a few years on “Bring Forth Ye Shadow” from the “Velvet Darkness…” album. Most every Theatre of Tragedy album is represented with the exception of 2002’s “Assembly”. The band even performs three songs off the “Musique” album. “Fragment”, “Machine” and “Image” all sound good live and kudos to the band for giving each era equal time. The highlight for me, came on the track “And When He Falleth”, it was great to hear TOT bring out this one, as it is a classic in my opinion. Vocalist Nell Sigland proves that she up to the task in performing the classic Liv era stuff as well as songs from the two albums she recorded with Theatre of Tragedy. She is a huge talent that I am sure will be heard from again. If this really is the “Last Curtain Call” for Theatre of Tragedy, they have no doubt left us with an eclectic catalogue of music and a lasting legacy. Fare thee well…
Rating - 80/100
A final curtain falls down on the doom-gothic metal scene. A final curtain falls down on the doom-gothic metal scene. I still remember the first time I listened to Theatre of Tragedy back in 1999, when I bought their EP “A Rose for the Dead”; it was also the very first record I bought in this genre, as to pay homage to the tradition that says the Norwegians have been the real progenitors of a musical stream. A lot of time has passed since that brief all-black-cd-with-the-blond-dark-lady-on-the-back with that wonderful cover of Joy Division’s Decades - one of my all time favourite songs - and of course I later discovered also their previous releases, granting myself the pleasure of buying also their very first and ultrarare demo (!). So you who reads can easily imagine how I must feel reviewing this; plus, consider that I never had a chance to see them live. It isn’t always a wonderful life! ;) Apart from jokes, you maybe already spotted the final mark I gave to this release but don’t take me wrong, full explanations will be given and objectiveness - or at least a try at it - is guaranteed. And don’t worry, I’m not going to write this in shakespearean English or Mittelhochdeutsch. First of all, it must be known a little about my personal opinions concerning the band and their songwriting skills, right to avoid any mockery or insult saying I’ve been paid by them: I always, firmly believed that they were great songwriters, meaning they had the ability to write good songs - whether it’s doom metal like on their first record (almost no gothic metal there at all), perfect gothic metal as on “Aégis”, electro-industrial like the one they played on their two most hated records and so on - something not so easy, believe me. Just think of the huge number of similar bands that followed (or even simply the many ones who righteously took advantage of the success Theatre of Tragedy and few other had) and try to point out how many could create songs as beautiful as “Cassandra” or “Siren” or “Debris”. They have been catchy and poppy to the limits someone who listens to alternative music can bear - yet always maintaining an obscure aura in the feeling and mood and a guitar with license to kill; they showed how to write complicated structures and vocal lines (don’t tell me it’s easy to sing along the first two albums and not only due to the linguistic difficulties) without playing intellectual mathcoreprogressive-whatelse. They created a blend in heavy metal that was surely new, or at least largely and massively unknown before - this because a new discovery doesn’t have much sense if no one knows it. They remained among the very few able to bring decadence and romanticism in a musical genre - gothic metal - that became faster and faster or “midtempo-er” through the years, and that’s thanks to their doom roots; last but not least we must remember the use of the English language they did until “Aégis” which is still unparallelled except for the work Dani Filth made on some of his band’s albums. I never understood why fans from all over the world loved “A Hamlet for a Slothful Vassal” so much: surely those mellow keys and the vocal weavings by Liv and Raymond did have a point but I always thought there were much greater songs on their s/t album - nonetheless, 99% of the readers of this review will then find a common favourite here, with a very faithful narration of this classic! Nowadays Raymond might dislike a certain singing style involving growls but what a nice surprise hearing him growling again so well! It really seems time has not passed since those golden days. Just to not bother the listener, the setlist goes from one classic to the other, jumping from middle nineties to latest 2000: a happy version of “Fragment” warms the crowd between two dooomy renditions of “A Rose for the Dead” and “And When He Falleth” (I dare every fan who never went to a desperate hunt for “The Masque of the Red Death” after having listened to this!). I must say “Storm” - the song - never impressed me so much, while most of the other tracks on the record are little masterpieces, I always found it rather an average song good for a single release and stop so this live version fails to grow on me as well. Personally I would have been ready to send them some money to have proper, HD recorded versions of “Senseless”, “Disintegration” or “Debris” instead of “Storm”. Or all of them. ;) Luckily a firery interpretation of “Machine” is right behind the corner… first two minutes would make Rammstein die to deep envy and Raymond’s interpretation just makes you want to shout at him calling him the mechman! I bet my legs many of you want to know about Nell, at this point. Well, she sings gorgeously. I regret they didn’t play “Illusion”, which she sings with so much passion on, because usually live records and collections are bought by many newbies, and that way they could’ve got a glimpse of how heartfully she delivers her voice. Now, the answer to the question in your head is of course yes. Some songs where Liv (who will always remain one of my best, favourite and most loved singers on this dying earth) had a major or particular role DO sound different when the same parts are taken by Nell. The ultrafamous final part of “Der Tanz der Schatten” DOES sound a bit weird and I prefer older lineup’s takes. And I’m glad they didn’t play “Siren” or “…A Distance There Is…” because I simply don’t think I would have liked them as with Liv, who - quoting an interview to a bandmember - had a perfect voice for what ToT were in the past but would have sounded out of place on newer material. After this due consideration I repeat that you’d better trust this band: apart from the fact that Nell has been an “actress” for many years until they split up, you won’t but struggle to smash your stereo, angry because they disbanded, after having heard the epicness of “Forever Is the World”, with its growing, cold melody or “Frozen”, another great track from their last album. This re-leads to our initial discussion about this band’s musical skills: I’m the first one who admits that when you love something very much, accepting changes or keeping on with that love is very difficult. Yet, like it happened to me with Tristania for example and unlike with some others, the essence seems to be still here. And considering it’s the last time, I think it’s a fair deal. But, the really first thing my ears noticed when I started to dive into this is the sound. Of course the production is perfect, able to pull the best out of the venue and the band itself; all instruments are so perfectly mixed you’ll think of a studio thing. I’m getting there: guitars. After all that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? Even though this is not black metal, I guess the Norwegian factor might explain a thing or two. ;) Just kidding but what I mean is that guitars are as sharp as they could be on such a release - and a gig. They always drive you through the main avenue and you can clearly feel Frank’s many years of experience. It must be noted also that Lorentz, according to the good, ol’ ToT tradition, is never too present, or better: he never takes too much space than the one he needs, fact that leaves room for the others to shine. Too bad they didn’t gift us with “Bacchante”, it would have sent shivers down everyone’s spine with its magical play between guitar and bass! In the end, maybe Theatre of Tragedy never filled arenas or climbed the charts here and there but with this final crown on the head of their career I can assure they will keep on filling their fans’s hearts for a long time. This is very suggested both to old and newer fans and to fans of gothic and doom-gothic metal as well, at least to get why they still today are claimed to be what they were. Additional note: the live dvd consists of 18 tracks for 94 mins of music with and “On the Road” movie and interviews to all bandmembers; moreover, a bonus cd with the band’s pick of their live favs will be present, together with the usual audio cds.
Rating - 100/100
Tracklist
CD 1
CD 2
Line Up
Links
Independent Release
Review by Tony Cannella
To be completely honest with you, once I received the debut full-length from the Ukraine’s Infinite Tales, dubbed “Only the Beginning”, I had absolutely no idea what I was in for, than I put said CD into the player and for 14-songs and one hour I sat listening with my jaw on the floor in stunned admiration for the music that was emanating from my speakers. The songs are just so unrelenting and unapologetic that it is an easy CD to love and play again and again. Infinite Tales hail from the Ukraine and they play a melodic and technical brand of thrash metal mixed with traditional metal elements, they also feature the duel male/female vocals of Kiwi (female) and Zolik (male), who present two styles that could not be any more different from one another, a trait that really propels “Only the Beginning”. The opener “Intro: Infinite Tales” starts things off and it is a symphonic opener that builds to crescendo before segueing into the frenzied track “Amoxicillan… Extermination”. A great song that kicks off the mayhem. The male vocals of Zolik are a strong force that really drives this song, his style is more of an aggressive screaming style with a harsh tone to it. In contrast to that the female vocals of Kiwi are the exact opposite, she showcases a mid to high range with operatic influences. The next track “Running Away” is next and this is one of the heavier and faster songs included in this collection, again I can’t say enough about the vocals. The songs are definitely aggressive and thrashy, yet there is a hint of classic metal influences thrown in as well. “Point of No Return” is a definite highlight with Kiwi handling most of the vocals here as the pace is slowed somewhat, but the heaviness remains, a great guitar riff is included on this track as well. Other highlights include: “No War for This Century”, “Wings”, “Dethtale”, the awesome instrumental “Bridge Going Down”, “The Night at the Cemetery” and “Waltz in the Flame”. Okay, maybe I have really gone overboard in praising this band. I realize that all musical tastes are subjective to the individual and Infinite Tales may not impress others as much as they’ve impressed me, so proceed with caution. I will say however, that it has been a long time since I have been this excited about a new thrash band. For Infinite Tales, this is indeed “Only the Beginning” (sorry, I couldn’t resist).
Rating - 100/100
Tracklist
Line Up
Links
MySpace * ReverbNation * Facebook * Twitter * Site
Label : Metal Blade Records
Review by Tony Cannella & Luisa Mercier
It is hard to believe that the first EP from the Dutch Metal Band Autumn was released 10-years ago. Since that initial EP (“Spring Starts With Autumn”), the band has grown and flourished before our very eyes and that continues on their just released 5th album “Cold Comfort”. This is the second Autumn album to feature lead singer Marjan Welman, and she seems to be growing more into the role of the voice of this talented Dutch band. Musically, Autumn has adapted a more of a proggy, more atmospheric – and sometimes relaxing – sound on “Cold Comfort”. The band pretty much adheres to the same basic tempo, but having said that, the songs and musicianship are good and should not be dismissed. From the thumping opener “The Scarecrow” and then the title track “Cold Comfort”, Autumn is indeed back. The third track “Black Stars in a Blue Sky” is easily my favorite and the band – especially Marjan are sounding great. Maybe this isn’t the perfect album, but songs like “End of Sorrow”, “Truth Be Told (Exhale)” and especially the closing track “The Venamoured” are all excellent and memorable. “Cold Comfort” is not one of those albums that have an immediate impact – at least it wasn’t for me. It definitely took a few listens to warm up to, but once I did I really grew to like many of the songs and the direction that Autumn has taken.
Rating - 80/100
I will not hide my love towards this band and above all towards the vocals of Marjan Welman, so you might imagine how excited I could be when I came to know that they were releasing a new album. So here I am, listening to “Cold Comfort”, their fifth release, in which the band took a step further in the evolution of their sound: from the alternative, catchy rock of “Altitude” to atmospheric, elegant, classy prog rock. Since the beginning, you will perceive a soulful yet technical feeling; the band did not bend itself to classic song structure, preferring to conjure up a new one like in “The Scarecrow”. The choruses are completely instrumental, but the guitar riffs and the background keys are as emotional as the female vocals in the verses. “Cold Comfort”, the title track, follows. Many of you may have already listened to this since it was chosen as appetizer for the album. Lively guitars lead to the calm pond of the verse where Marjan delivers her amazing vocal lines. This girl has been graced by a great talent, she can create a pathos that, mixed with the perfectly crafted music, can make your heart beat faster. Just listen to “Black Stars in a Blue Sky”, one of my personal favourite. The chorus will send shivers down your spine as she soars above guitars and synths. This track is maybe the catchiest on the record, which overall is not easy to grasp at first listen. Something I absolutely adore about “Cold Comfort” are the bridges of the songs. There you will find the most emotional moments of the CD and “Retrospect” is no exception. Despite being one of the fastest songs, it gradually builds up a certain melacholy which results in the epic bridge, crowned by impressive guitar work.
And here we are to “Alloy”. What can I say? Acoustic guitar and piano accompany us in an emotional trip with no end. Marjan vocals caresses your ears, sweet, soft, versatile. Never heard such an intimate song before by them. At about half of the song you will be suspended in a instrumental limbo where only a few notes can be be heard and then just listen as the tension rises higher and higher til it explodes. Best song on the album. Another little masterpiece is the mid-tempo “End of Sorrow”: an atmospheric, moody track which will lead you in a different dimension. Try not to be moved by the words of the chorus “I dream we are the last couple dancing, let me be the one to hold your hand, see that I can hold on forever, nothing can convince me otherwise”. You might perceive echoes of “Altitude” in the song, underlining the continuity between the two albums. “Naeon” and “Truth to Be Told (Exhale)” are the two songs in which the prog influence is more apparent. I would like to highlight the wonderful bridge of the first in which Marjan sounds almost otherwordly and the jazz-like break in the second. “The Venamoured” is the closing track. Heavy guitar riffs mix with the heavenly voice of the singer ; while the final minutes are literally a metal explosion. Aggressive guitars portray an energetic ending to this amazing album. Feelings, tecnique, atmosphere, different musical landscapes and moods, all of this can be found in “Cold Comfort”, one of the best rock/metal releases of 2011.
Rating - 100/100
Tracklist
Line Up
Links
Label : Metal Mind Productions
Review By Tony Cannella
“Suicide By My Side” is title of the third (and final?) release from Sinergy, this re-issue was recently put out by Metal Mind Productions out of Poland. Of the three CDs that this Finnish band produced, it is this one that features their best material (in my humble opinion). Each Sinergy album was better than the last and that trend continued with “Suicide By My Side” which was originally released in 2002. The songs on “Suicide…” features some of hungriest, heaviest and angriest music that the band recorded - it was on this CD where it all came together.The great opener “I Spit On Your Grave” is one of the true highlights and it is an appropriate way to begin things. The trio of songs “The Sin Trade”, “Violated”, and “Me, Myself, My Enemy” are just so relentless and fierce with Kimberly Goss’s biting lyrics. Kimberly really brings up the intensity with her singing and does some of her best work on this CD. My favorite track is the mid-tempo “Written In Stone”, it is slower than the previous ones, but still has it’s heavy moments. There really is not one bad song on this CD: “Nowhere For No One”, “The Suicide By My Side” and “Shadow Island” (featuring duel vocals with Kimberly and Alexi Laiho) are a testament to the strength of the material. As with the first two re-issues there are a number of bonus tracks included here. The first one is Sinergy’s version of the Scorpions classic “Rock You Like A Hurricane” which is followed by a cover of the ABBA song “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme”. These two songs had previously been released on tribute albums. The third and final bonus track was a surprise, it is their version of the great Pat Benatar song “Invincible” which came out originally in the mid 80’s, I believe. It was a real pleasure re-visiting this great CD and kudos to Metal Mind for the re-issues and hopefully exposing this band to a new audience. All three re-issues come with in a beautiful digi-pack with liner notes - Metal Mind put a lot of care into the packaging and that is to be commended - plus, the bonus tracks are cool as well. I have been hearing about a fourth Sinergy release for years, said to carry the title of “Sins Of The Past”. Let’s hope that it will see the light-of-day at some point in the future, but if “Suicide By My Side” is the bands swan song, than they went out at the top of their game.
Rating - 100/100
Tracklist
Line Up
Links
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Review by Jenna K. Barry
Fans of earlier Sirenia offerings will find a satisfying fusion of both style and performance with “The 13th Floor”. This band, founded by the ambitious Morten Veland (formerly of Tristania), has thrived despite the fact that Sirenia has gone through three female singers already. This release is the first to feature the Spanish X-Factor contestant, Ailyn. Several of her covers on YouTube left me dubious, but I have just listened to “The 13th Floor” in its entirety. Though not, in my opinion, a masterpiece, it is clearly a step in the right direction for a band whose last release floundered in the sea of femme metal albums. “The Path to Decay” at first sounds like a continuation of “Nine Destinies and a Downfall”. Then a strangely alluring female voice begins to cast a distinctive spell and it becomes clear that, although the music is still accessible as on the previous release, Morten has managed to find a singer who combines the qualities of all her predecessors. The song is very catchy and a great one if you like songs that are easy to belt out until the neighbors complain! The lyrics lack the evocative feel of the first two albums, and Ailyn can be hard to understand. “Lost in Life” is pretty straightforward, with a jaunty tune. A real highlight is the compelling song, The Mind Maelstrom. It could be the choirs, which feature strongly. I think it is arguably the most superior song on the album, with some of the complexity I had come to miss from Sirenia. The Seventh Summer features a beautiful intro with a flourish! The orchestral beginning is reminescent of earlier releases. The addition of growls is a welcome surprise after the scarcity on the last album. On Beyond Life’s Scenery, pretty tinkling keys add depth and contrast. Growls and choirs are seamlessly interspersed. The intro flares up with blazing guitars on The Lucid Door. Next, Led Astray is fast but not that heavy if you are comparing it with At Sixes And Sevens and An Elixir For Existence.Winterborn 77 has an intro which calls to mind early Nightwish. Ailyn hits some strong notes in her upper register throughout the piece. Enchanting choirs and musical craftsmanship make this an excellent offering.Sirens Of The Seven Seas was one that I had high hopes for. Unfortunately, the chemistry between the male and female just seems awkward to me on this track. This is not the song I would have chosen as a closing number.My biggest gripe is that I cannot always understand the femme vox. I would like to see more variety in the songs offered, but I think Morten fulfilled his promise of giving us an album with elements from all past releases!
Rating - 70/100
Tracklist
Line Up
Links
It is hard to believe that the long running Dutch band Epica released their debut opus “The Phantom Agony” only 6 years ago. Since then they have really progressed and evolved in a big way. You can hear the band grow in leaps-and-bounds from album to album, with each release being more ambitious than the last. With their newest outing “Design Your Universe” Epica have really - and I mean really - outdone themselves. In the world of symphonic, epic, power metal, this is about as good as it gets. As is the case with most Epica releases, there is plenty of music to be found on “Design Your Universe” - 13-songs and over 74-minutes to be exact. The CD starts off with the very cinematic intro “Samadhi” before going into the riff heavy opening track “Resign to Surrender (A New Age Dawns Part IV)”. The duo of Mark Jansen (harsh male vocals) and Simone Simons sound as good as they ever have - with Simone able to go from operatic to a lower register, she is really becoming one of the best singers in all of metal. This song also features a cool part with a choir. It is really a solid opening track that really sets things off on the right foot. “Unleashed” continues things in a heavy fashion. The riffs are heavy but this is a solid, melodic, mid-tempo tune that sees Simone taking on the vocals here. After two more solid tracks “Martyr of the Free Word” (a great melodic track) and “Our Destiny”, it is time for the the first truly epic number on the CD. “Kingdom of Heaven” clocks in at over 13-minutes long and it is a a definite highlight for me. Over the years the band has perfected the long, dramatic number and this might be their best . Other highlights include: “Burn to a Cinder”, “Tides of Time”, the moving ballad “White Waters” (which features a duet with Simone and Tony Kakko of Sonata Arctica) and the fantastic 9-minute title track “Design Your Universe”. The CD was produced once again by longtime collaborator Sascha Paeth - I guess at this point it would be odd if the band worked with anyone else. One thing you have to admire about Epica is that they rarely repeat themselves. Each CD has it’s own feeling and vibe and they are not afraid to take on new horizons. Deciding which album is the best from any artist is a matter of opinion and a subjective thing, but right now, as of this moment I think this is the best work this band has done to date. “Design Your Universe” is definitely a release worth getting excited over. Quite possibly the best release of 2009.
Rating - 100/100
Tracklist
Line Up
Links
Independent Release
Review By Tony Cannella
Once in a great while a band comes out of nowhere and just knocks you for a loop and leaves you left to pick up the pieces of your shattered mind. For me, Australia’s End of Aeonare one such band. The band boasts a three guitar attack - which is rare in and of itself in the world of metal. The band is fronted by vocal powerhouse Eliza-Leah Lane. The remainder of the line-up for End of Aeon looks like this: Danni Perez (Lead, Rhythm & Acoustic Guitars), Andy Suppradit (Lead Guitar), Mike Barillaro (Rhythm Guitar), Cory Eves (Bass) and drummer Brad Hunt rounds out this six piece band. “The Winds” kicks things off and right the listener is swept up in the midst of some beautiful guitar harmonies with some lush acoustic bits and then the song really heats up. The vocals of Eliza-Leah Lane are nothing short of breath taking. She utilizes a strong vocal range. Her style is difficult to explain, but I can tell you it is NOT of the operatic/soprano variety that so many female fronted bands are using these days. She just has a strong, emotional metal voice that is just perfect for this band. With the next song “Slave” things just keep getting better. The band showcase their killer vocal and guitar harmonies and strong songwriting and some more cool acoustic passages.“The Hunger”is next and another solid, heavy track, which features some of the most infectious riffs I’ve heard in some time and an awesome guitar solo. The next track “Deja Vu” shows no let up with it’s pounding rhythms and more impressive vocal work.“Breaking Me” just comes on like a juggernaut and is my favorite track. The final track “Green Eyes”starts off with a rock solid heavy riff and is another powerful track and a perfect way to end things, To say End of Aeon made quite an impression on me is an understatement. The songs show off the diversity of the band that is one of the many cool things about the CD. Throughout the 6-songs and 23-minutes worth of music the listener is treated to no-frills melodic metal with killer harmonies, powerful vocals and strong song writing. Here’s hoping they come out with a full-length soon. In this day and age when most female fronted bands are either operatic, symphonic or gothic (which are all cool), End of Aeon offer something a little bit different and more straight forward. That to me is very appealing and this CD is a welcomed addition to my collection. Awesome!
Rating - 100/100
Tracklist
Line Up
Links
Label : Deadsun Records
Review by Nina Sky
Rating - 100/100
Tracklist
Line Up
Links
