Reviews
2007-01-27
Let's start with the obvious: rarely have I seen a metal album with an uglier cover. This painting may look fine on the cover of a new Bjork album, but for god's sakes, keep it off a melodic death metal album.
Musically, this Finish band's third release is able enough melod-death with some Goth and folk tidbits, quite well played and very well produced, but it still feels like there's not enough originally, and not enough good songs to make this a truly worthy release, even if it's certainly not a bad one.
The way the album opens you could think it's another
Nightwish clone, with easily Goth melodies and female vocals, that is, until the male death growls kick in, and they do make this much better. The thing is, the band still hasn’t decided on what it is, there are female vocals, death growls, male clean vocals, folk touches, Goth riffs - it all comes off as a bit too confusing.
"Triumph and Loss" is a good example of what the band can do when it sets its sights on one genre, the melodic Goth/death combination, somewhat reminiscent of
Eternal Tears Of Sorrow, yet the album goes in far too many directions to be considered brilliant.
A lot of ideas, good musicianship and some talent keep this album from sucking, but the band certainly needs to clear its sight and refine it.
Alon Miasnikov
