CD Review: Diary of Dreams - The Anatomy Of Silence

Written by Petra Whiteley Friday, 19 October 2012 15:20

Artist: Diary Of Dreams
Title: The Anatomy Of Silence
Genre: Darkwave / Electronic / Acoustic
Release Date: 19th October 2012
Label: Accession Records

Album Review

It’s difficult to believe that more than a year has passed since DIARY OF DREAMS’ album ‘Ego X’ was out, they had remained busy not only with touring but also this year in June there was the release of compilation album ‘Dream Collector II’ and now the acoustic album ‘The Anatomy Of Silence’ is freshly out, their sound “reduced” to piano, acoustic guitars, double bass, cello and drums with selected classics of their career. Originally there was to be eleven songs, but the band decided for the ten due to ‘Kindrom’ not fitting as well with their vision as they had wished.

It is a no-brainer to say that this CD sounds more intimate – it goes without argument that any good acoustic recording and/or performance create such ambience, but here the sense of the songs being infused with heightened intimacy really stands out, not only stands out but envelopes the listener in a firm grip, in other words, the listener becomes engaged and even involved in the music more than ever before. The new angles of feelings added by this undertaking, rather than a total transformation of songs beyond recognition, grasp and affect its listeners so much so that only a few will not be touched and impacted by it.

The cover may be misleading; the piano and not the acoustic guitar is the instrument that feels to take the stage and gives prominence to the sensitive and wonderful vocal performance whilst the other instruments, to personify them, only colour the shades (albeit beautifully) behind those two main protagonists. A good part of DIARY OF DREAMS songs have this classical feel, an affinity with classical music, within them, and many of the choices for this album would lend themselves to acoustic version quite naturally, so in terms of surprises in this aspect here were ‘Butterfly Dance’ and ‘Giftraum’.

The former with its more up-tempo and more pronounced electro aspects and the later as the song possesses a bite, a sense of anger, urgency. This version gives 'Giftraum' a new emotive edge, still passionate and some of the previous urgency retained, however, I am not a German speaker but the lyrics (though I know them via translation) don’t seem to be altered and maybe they should have been. As the words don’t rigidly hold a meaning for me were German my language (be it arterial or one giving me sociolinguistic identity as for example English is in my case) it doesn’t niggle at me particularly and it’s probably just fine, as it accentuates another aspects of the song. The dreaminess of the album invites introspection, its ambience evokes a feel of connectedness that some may call or feel as spiritual or a perception of sacredness in the atmosphere.

‘The Anatomy Of Silence’ is a beautiful and wonderful album for their fans to complete their collection. It’s also a no-brainer to say that with the album being acoustic it will appeal beyond the usual scope of their fan-base, and more than likely turn some of those on for the material in the original form. And after all, especially since Nirvana’s ‘MTV Unplugged in New York’ it’s a popular choice to do so; maybe a bigger surprise or something unexpected would have been to hear their songs transformed via Melodic Death Metal for example. Yet even in this safety of choice it’s well worth it.


Tracklist

01. Amok (feat. Torben Wendt)
02. O’Brother Sleep
03. Butterfly Dance
04. Giftraum
05. Immerdar
06. Malice
07. Rumours About Angels
08. She and her Darkness
09. She
10. Traumtänzer


Line-up

Adrian Hates
Gaun:A
Dejan
Flex


Websites

http://www.diaryofdreams.de / http://www.facebook.com/officialdiaryofdreams


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 8
Sound: 9
Total: 8.5 / 10