Gothic Angst Webzine

MAV Enter cover

This is a CD that I could almost get into. I gave it two good, solid listens all the way through. I listened to all seven tracks and I tried to like it. The mood is kind of spooky, that’s good. The music is somewhat reminiscent of older Darkwave stuff and that’s good too. Somewhere between track two and track whichever, I got bored.

Through the doom, gloom, mist and moonlight on this album, there is something kind of mundane about the whole thing. It’s not horrible, but it isn’t anything to write home about. It would make for a good cool-down soundtrack at a cub but it will likely be little more than background music while one shuffles through CDs looking for that old Die Form disc that made them weep blood.

This CD is simply listenable and serves as a reminder of music that had been. It serves as a passable effort by a band that is working to recall the dark sounds of yesteryear but it falls short of being an exciting new take on an old style. This is simply a retread of music that was done better before.

A year late and still completely relevant.  Though it has been almost a full year since there has been activity on this site beyond H.M. Garber’s wonderful reviews, the site is not dead.  Sadly, it has felt like there has been very little new and worthwhile to discuss in the community.  It happens.  However, there is a group that bears due mention, Tearwave.  All due praise to Projekt records, they have found a winner in this group.

Dreampop and wonderment, Tearwave delivers 45 minutes of delight for the darkened soul.  Offering up the best ethereal soundscapes that any group has presented in a decade, Tearwave should be on the shelf of any Goth that has ever enjoyed anything that Projekt has released.  The instrumental work is cold, dreamy and distant.  The vocals are heavenly and blend perfectly with the sonic presentation.  Rather than being a leading element, the vocals simply become another instrument to create textures that capture the imagination and lure the listener in.  Let us all give a tip of the hat to Sam Rosenthalfor his find.  This is the yardstick that all new ethereal and dreampop will  be measured against.

Its been two years since Swedish symphonic metal founder Therion last played in the states and Los Angeles was fortunate enough to be the third show to kick off Therion’s world tour to support their newest release, “Gothic Kabblah”. I arrived in time to see Aesma Daeva (see interview and CD review). When stepping into the Key Club, upon hearing Lori Lewis’ vocals (who also happens to be one of 4 live singers for Therion) I felt as if Lewis was a siren and she was enchanting her victims. There were times when Lewis sung emotionally and power which reminded me of Within Temptation’s front lady Sharon Den Adel. When Aesma Daeva did a cover of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill”, I couldnt understand a word Lewis said. The crowd clapped and cheered appreciatively after their 1 hour set. As soon as Christofer Johnsson stepped out unto the stage, the crowd was excited but it wasnt until all the members of Therion stepped into the stage that the crowd went wild.