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| Music Band Reviews |
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| Diva Destruction: Exposing The Sickness This CD opens with a stellar song, possibly my favorite Diva song to this point. "Heathcliff" has great vocals, cool lyrics, and a great song structure. Track two is "Hypocrite". Great lyrics, and vocals. I really like th arrangement of this song as well, but somehow it doesn't seem as though the audio quality is as good as track 1. Track 3 (Black Heart) reminds me of early Cult. I adore the Cult so that struck a chord with me. It's such a shame however that such a great female voice would be employed in a such a great song just to lose effectiveness by the poor sound mastering. Damn shame, I really enjoy this song. The next song I'd like to comment on is "Forgotten". Do you want to hear the beauty of this Diva's voice? The purity is almost Brian Wilson-ish, pure honest vocals to a sad sad song. Don't skip this song when listening to the album. I can't help but see a Cult influence on Diva, as is such in the song "Tempter". This song is honest alternative/goth rock with a straight forward driving beat, and great use of toms. The song Valley Of The Scars is a great example of how gothic can sound truly gothic without sounding horribly raw. This song is well produced, arranged and sung. The first track on this album that seems to be under par for the course is "You're My Sickness." The vocals seem as if they were channeled down to Mono, and are muffled a bit. The song seems to lack the direction the rest of the album contains to this point. Some of the notes even seem a tiny bit flat at times, leading me to believe this song was rushed. This is a shame since the crashing faint snare at the end of the song could have been a nice effect if this song were re-recorded or re-mastered. The song "And The Trees Would Dance" really reminds me both lyrically, and in arrangement of a modern gothic Brian Wilson. This is like a Haunted Pet Sounds song. Bravo! This is definitely a song for those educated in music. I really enjoy this one. The timing on the snare one-offs are brilliant as well. The remix of "The Trees Would Dance" at the end of the album is of the Dance genre, but doesn't seem to work. While I love a good dance or club remix, this doesn't seem to work on this song. I think the band knew they wrote an incredible song, but thought that the average fan or club DJ might not give it the time of day, hence this remix. I think the original is so unique and brilliant that taking it out of context like this was doomed to failure from the start. VERDICT: Buy this CD. There are hints of legendary influences, and original creative and brilliant minds at work on this album! I wouldn't say that this album will immediately reach out and grab you, but it will definitely grow on you. This could be one of the most important albums in the modern goth scene, not to mention that the angel with the voice is also very good looking! Well done! Reviewed by: DJ Lee (4 Stars) Faith And The Muse: The Burning Season The new Fiath And The Muse album starts out with a bang! Track one is entitled Bait & Switch. This song wreaks of early Cult, and is really tribal and good! The female vocal stints were quite well done as well! Excellent! Track two is called Sredni Vashtar. I have no idea what it means, but no matter as this song is a really well produced alternative dark rock song. The guitar and drums are well done on this song, and while I may use the term Rock loosely, the influence may be there, however it is still a dark track. Track three is Boudiccea, a slow paced dark alt track that could have come out during the early to mid nineties. I really enjoy this song. Track four is the title track of the album, The Burning Season. This song is more electronically based, and danceable. This song sounds like a mix of Delerium, Kidney Thieves and Switchblade Symphony. The vocals are superb once again! Track six is an eerie little track that sounds like it is built to be put in a Stephen King, David Lynch or Mob movie. Gone To The Ground is a slow paced jazz-like vocal driven track. I could fall asleep in comfort just riding the soft edge of this woman's voice on this track. Song seven proves just how versatile this band is once again. This is a well done track sounding like early goth rock, along the lines of Siouxsie And The Banshees. The lyrics themselves seem to pay homage to introducing the new generation ot classic gothic stylings. The next track, In The Amber Room is a melodic symphonic ride filled with beautiful strings, classic arrangements and soft beautiful vocals. Track nine is Failure To Thrive. This is the first Male vocal track on the album. The panning and effect on the voice is very well done, and the song is a good slow to mid paced dark/alt song. The entire album is a conglomerate of fantastic genres, with a strangely effective continuity throughout. I must applaud Faith And The Muse for not only giving a little something for everyone on this album, but doing it ALL well. This album is bound to catch the attention of critics and exposed listeners alike. The Burning Season is almost a textbook for people who are new to the scene, to become educated on different elements and sounds that have resonated around our circles for anywhere from months to decades. This CD: Well Rounded, Well Done! Whether it be the best album you've ever heard or not, you will feel like you've just listened to quality, real music. VERDICT: Want to hear a well produced, eclectic, musically educated album? Definitely purchase this CD then. If you don't have an open mind for albums with more than ten different versions of the same song, then don't purchase this one. Reviewed by: Dr Lee (5 Stars) Frontline Assembly: Epitaph Epitaph is one of their better CDs, I think. The tracks seem to lean more toward the EBM genre the most. The album makes a vibrant statement. Frontline Assembly has been making industrial music since even before the genre was branded a name. The title track "Epitaph" is my personal favorite, with its "Vengence is Mine Now" lyrics, it is easy to get lost in its sound. Played quiet, Epitaph is like rain on the roof; when you’re rattling the casements with the monster bass, it’s like an air mattress. Tracks were brilliantly mixed and engineered by Greg Reely and Hipposonic Studio. If you're into hard industrial music with intense lyrics then this CD is a must have. Definately a strong release and sure to have a few club hits. Reviewed by: Sage CalliaFaye (5 Stars) |
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