Tartareandesire

REVIEW: Nosgoth - Lines Of Sorrow Self-financed, 2006

Points: 10/10

 

The beasts and the (new) beauty of the Austrian opera-metal band Nosgoth unleashed their first full release "Lines of sorrow". The demo "Nevermore requiem" was characterized by the ethereal voice of Kerstin Jantscher, now "Lines of Sorrow" is completely different, due to the new heavyness, the power and the great voice of opera singer Solmaaz Adeli. The release is very mature, bearing a dark atmosphere and emotions. No matter, if it is a great Mozart cover, an emotional ballade or hunting metal songs with cool guitar riffs, the Nosgoth-typical emotions catch the listeners. Like the demo, this release is a kind of „intellectual metal“. With intellectual I mean, that this album needs careful listening, "Lines of Sorrow" was not made as a commercialised product to earn as much money as possible by following the common paths of opera metal like so many bands are doing nowadays. Nosgoth are successfully going their own way with their song writing, the beautiful melodies and the challenging song structures. You should deal with this release to experience the music on the whole. The new Nosgoth singer Solmaaz Adeli has the perfect mezzosoprano skills to fit to the songs, with her powerful, sometimes tender voice and the spoken words she will climb the stairway to Valhalla of female opera-trained metal vocalists (and by the way, she is considered to be the new uprising star in the fields of classical and modern opera as well). Solmaaz embraces the listeners with her colloratures and the variety of her timbre and in the next moment emotional interludes kicks us into sadness or heavy guitar riffs forces us to headbang. The musical landscapes of Nosgoth are generally very varied, and that the musicians have had a high class education on the fields of classical music is an important point that influenced the songwriting of Nosgoth. Especially if you are into the famous austrian classical music with its own styles and structures, you will understand that the title of Nosgoth „austrian art of opera-metal“ is really fitting. All in all this is not only a great release, it also proves that Nosgoth are ready to hit the big stages and it proves that there are still opera-metal bands out there that are impressing with skills and personality instead of being a copycat. If you want to get a first short impression, go to the band´s website and look for their mp3 samples. Standout tracks: All.

SOURCE