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Gothic metal, performed by this Italian group that contains three men and a female singer, who sings like a goddess.....Incredible voice!
The music is quite soft with nice harmonies like acoustic guitars etc. There is a sad and melancholic feeling on this album all through, and together with Cristina`s and Andrea`s voice this turn out to be a perfect "sitting-in-the-sofa-with-a-bottle-of-red-wine" album. If you know what I mean......
Well, overall a nice album, worth buying.
Ranking: 7 / 10
LACUNA COIL
Unleashed Memories
The Italian pride are back.....and it´s sounds almost the same as the last time. Maybe the feeling isn´t that depressed anymore, and thats the only thing that splits the two albums. It´s like this is the B-side of "In a Reverie".......Not a good album, not bad, but very boring......But I know that this group can do better than this, so I will look for their releases in the future!
Ranking: 4 / 10
LACUNA COIL
Comalies
So...whats new? Nothing. Lacuna Coil are as boring as they always have been.
On this album they use electronics on some songs. But do you know what? It doesn't
help cause this is the ultimate show in annoyance.
Well, to be frankly: if this should be a group I'd never heard of before and
it was the first time I hear them, I would probably say that it is an okay album.
But since this is Lacuna Coil's third release (full-length) and listen to all
three albums gives me a feeling of just fall asleep, I just cant give this group
another chance.....
Ranking: 2 / 10
I began my Lake of Tears study from the wrong end: The first album I heard
from this Borås based group was the latest one "The Neonai",
which was a great album. I thought that I wanted more from LoT so I bought this
album, their second release from 1995. And it's hard not to compare the two
albums.....as always. I thought that the difference between "early"
and toady's Lot was big. It isn't actually. Yes, off course you can hear many
changes in their music but I thought that Lot was more Gothic back than, If
you now what I mean....But the first thing that entered my mind when I listened
to the album was Metallica. Yes....The singer reminds me off James Hetfield
and so does the music in a way. When I hear this I see Metallicas Black album
in front off me....(anyone else?). Maybe I am just crazy....But it is a good
album, that's for sure, but their are too many weak songs mixed up with better
songs, and unfortunately there are more of the not so great ones....
My tip: If you are intrested in LoT, buy the later ones. I will do that.
Ranking: 5 / 10
LAKE OF TEARS
The Neonai
I was surprised. I always thought that Lake of Tears played gothic metal or something like that. And I think they did...once. I have not heard non of their previous albums, except for one song from "Forever Autumn". That song was a mixture of goth and rock and something more, but I loved it ("So fell autumn rain"). And when I heard that Lake of Tears released a new album (the first in 3 or 4 years) I got really interested.
If you are a death/black metal freak and afraid of new emotions and influences
you can stop read this review by now....
The cover of the album is a color shock: Ravens are flying over a green and
happy landscape into a rainbow, and on their backs small sorcerers(?) are riding.
Yes, the cover is confusing, and I thought for once that the music reflected
the cover. I does, lyrically, but not the music. It is quite a simple album:
verse, chorus, verse etc. Not so complicated. A description of the music: rock
with goth elements. I read one review that compared this album with Pink Floyd,
and I must agree (are you afraid now?). But the best thing of all: There are
a strange, melancholic, insane feeling that rests on this album. The lyrics
are very easy to follow word after word, but it's not easy to understand a whole
song or a whole sentence, but I get a melancholic feeling anyway.
This album is easy one of 2002 best album. And I feel very happy that I bought this album, and discovered Lake of Tears strange journey.
Ranking: 9 / 10
Swedish goth/rock band with a female singer. The group have a few releases behind them selfs before this one, but nothing as good as this.
The female singer, Mariana, sings incredible. No false notes here, no. Perfect! She gets a little help from one of the guys sometimes, but she does almost all the work.
The songs are slow and the guitars are heavy. Sometimes it sounds a little weak, since they only use one guitar, at least it sounds like that. Maybe they should have spiced the music up with some keyboards?
Favorite song are "The Wounds of Bitterness", with it´s weight and sorrow......Great song!
Ranking:6 / 10
LIMBONIC ART
Moon in the Scorpio
A pretty new and young black metal band from Norway, releasing their debut album on Samoth´s (from Emperor) label Nocturnal Art.
Limbonic Art build their music on keyboards (as most black metal band to today....). But they do it in a fine way I think. Symphonic is the word. Big and fat symphonic melodies in a great and beautiful way. The guitars are somewhere, hidden in the background. The music is sometimes slow and dreaming, and sometimes fast, but they should skip the faster part, cause it is the nice and beautiful symphonic parts I want to enjoy.
Oh....they are using a drum machine also, but it sound pretty okay anyway....
Ranking: 6 / 10
LIMBONIC ART
In Abhorrence Dementia
The second album from symphonic guys. This is pretty much the same, but it´s even more of the long and symphonic intro´s, and I like that. When they are playing black metal it sounds like everything else......The production one this one are much better and cleaner than the previous one. A bigger production simply. Playing the long into´s and outro´s one a high volume is a great experience!
And still this is just a two man band, so the drum machine are still here.....
Ranking: 7 / 10
LIMBONIC ART
Ad Noctum - Dynasty of Death
Limbonic are back again, and it was not long ago they released "Abhorrence...". Anyway, this is a different album. Fast, fast, fast in a great way! The symphonic parts are still there, but it´s hidden in the background. Even if this sometimes reaches astronomic speeds, it´s still quite melodic, so it´s not just build on speed as many other bands do.
I really like this album and I am looking forward to the next release!
Ranking: 8 / 10
The solo album by the female voice from Theatre of Tragedy. Yes, it´s Liv Kristine of course. The sugar voice.....
As Kari Rueslåtten´s solo album, this ones also has nothing to do with metal. Well, maybe that Mr. Holmes from Paradise Lost sings in a song.....
This is a you can expect, soft, slow, beautiful and with a pop touch. Sometimes this reminds me of Sarah Brightman, and I think I know who Liv Kristine gets the inspiration from....
The best song is the duet with Holmes. The song have a nice keyboard rhythm and a dreaming feeling. The rest of the songs are easy to forget, cause you have probably fall a sleep somewhere between the 3rd and 5th song......
Ranking: 5 / 10
This was a great album when I bought it (in 1995 or 94 I think). Now I just hate it: It sounds like everything else......So, I dont know how to make a review of this one. As I said: I loved it when I bought it.....
Well, the members call them selfs cute names like: Bloodlord, Sin, Dark.....(oh
no).
Yes, judge for your self. The song titles have cute names like: "Satan
Divine", "Into the Frozen Shadows" etc......Have you heard it
before? Probably you have.
The only original about this group is (1): they use a flute instead of a keyboard (and it´s a girl playing it). (2) Lord Belial are not a group that contains a bunch of evil 18 years old kids.....No, according to the pictures they look like 40....Yes, it true.
Well, if you are new into black metal you should buy something from this group (cause they surely know how to play), but if you are familiar with the scene: dont waste your time on this group.
Ranking: 4 / 10
LOST HORIZON
Awakening the World
Yes! Swedish power metal! This group play their metal with style. Not like the other tons of power metal acts, no. This group can play and the singer have a voice worth dying for....
The music is blasting power metal with nice melodies. The chorus are as they should if you play power metal: cathy and it must contain the word "steel". And Lost Horizon have managed to add that word in almost every song :).
The message they give to the listener is: Be strong, have faith in metal, there is no fate, your live is what you want it to be.......Yes, thats it. Nothing original. But who cares about the message? The music is greeeeat! This is one of 2001´s best metal album, so far.....
Ranking: 8 / 10
