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By Ann Sulaiman on Nov 4, 2010 | In Reviews, Features | Send feedback »
SHADOWGARDEN - 'ASHEN', NAPALM RECORDS; 2010
Adding another musical project under his belt, Draconian and Doom:VS mastermind Johan Ericson has teamed up with a few of his fellow band members to release ‘Ashen‘; the debut album of Swedish gothic metal/rock outfit Shadowgarden. Fans of Draconian will be hard-pressed to find much similarities to the group’s previous back catalogue here, which is to be expected since the music falls closer towards the vein of modern gothic rock as shaped by well-known names like Lacuna Coil and Theatre of Tragedy. Nonetheless, the end result is much different in scope and output to either of these more commercialised bands.
It’s likely Ericson and friends’ desire to have an outlet for what else they can’t say through Draconian, which informs the outcome of Shadowgarden‘s sound. Whereas many others fall into clichés of nu-metal riffs and rehashed ambient rhythms, the former opt for heavy rock guitars and the chance to draw on their own tried and tested formulas for a more idiosyncratic and focused LP.
In some cases though, such as for Lisa Johansson’s lead vocals for ‘With Love And A Bullet‘, the one track where Ericson keeps his singing in the background; it sounds like an opportunity to step outside of their comfort zone as she switches faux-operatic notes for rock melodies. It’s tempting to compare her to peers like Cristina Scabbia and Delain’s Charlotte Wessels based on this alone; yet to do so might unnecessarily dismiss the sonic differences between these women and overlook the diverse range that Johansson sought to showcase with her band mates based on her ability as a performer and not on her gendered role in the gothic rock genre.
[6.5]
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TWILIGHT'S EMBRACE - 'REFLECTIONS' EP, SELF-RELEASED; 2010
Beautiful melancholy and melodic brutality, as paradoxical as that may sound; have always held an appeal in the metal world; showing from the number of smaller melodic death and gothic bands on the radar. One example of this is Twilight’s Embrace who released their debut EP this year, despite their previous presence in their local scene.
The band’s line-up comprises of five men from Nottingham, England; which dispels popular misconceptions about gothic metal equating to “female singer, operatic vocals”. Even though the male performance of both clean singing and growls has by now become a near staple for many bands in the melodic vein; it is fitting to note its use on the EP, as a reflection of how far such trends shape the musical output of others.
More intriguingly however, is the similarity to the “trademark” Finnish/Swedish melodic death sound in guitarist Ben Sizer’s riffs. Carrying out influences from names like Ghost Brigade, Katatonia and Sentenced, it shows that their concepts of sorrow and despondency have slipped into the band’s lyrical and rhythmical atmosphere. Taking into account the rising interest in Finnish metal of late, it’s inevitable that its associated styles would leak over into global territories including the United Kingdom. Likely, this will prove to be a stepping stone from which Twilight’s Embrace will move forward to develop a sound all their own; though at the same time it brings about questions as to the shift in globalized dynamics. Whereas before English exports like Judas Priest and Motörhead were – and are – heralded as an influence for Nordic bands, it looks to be that the reverse effect has already come to play.
[5.5]
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