Artist: Love Is Colder Than Death
Title: Tempest
Genre: Darkwave/ Neoclassical/ Neofolk
Release Date: 15th February 2013
Label: In Deyagora Music
Album Review
LOVE IS COLDER THAN DEATH’s (LICTD) beginnings are tied way back to 90’s (and yes the title was inspired by Fassbinder’s film), and if you were to reference them I’d say more Darkwave orientated DEAD CAN DANCE. Similarly you’ll also hear female vocals contrasted with male ones against beautiful arrangements with a lot of world music influences. As is quite usual with other bands this one has seen a lot of line-up changes over the years of its existence. Their new album ‘Tempest’ has been a long time coming considering that their last (‘Eclipse’) was way back in 2003.
Their new vocalist Anja Herrmann is really a focal point of the release; her voice is absolutely wonderful and stands out especially in the first three songs, which are beautifully intense, where the reference to DEAD CAN DANCE rings into mind. Even the slower songs that follow have some great and interesting facets to enjoy such as the string section within ‘Silence in the House’ or cinematic ‘Song of Jona’, a song that easily also lends itself to be imagined very well with a languorous tropical landscape. In ‘World In Motion’ it’s time for Ralf Jehnert to make a song shine out, the song has a near or post catharsis feeling underlined with gentle strumming and backing vocals shadowing Jehnert’s evocatively. Though it’s within the romantic tradition it doesn’t seem to be doing so to the point to fetishisation of it as is sometimes a case with Neofolk trend. The only thing that remains to be said at this point: truly wonderful album!
Tracklist
01. The Tempest
02. Kookaburra
03. Sinfonia Of The Moon
04. I See The Ways
05. Sundance
06. Silent In The House
07. Four Rooms (Libro di ipazia)
08. Song Of Jona
09. La Belle Dame Sans Merci
10. World In Motion
11. Red River
Line-up
Maik Hartung - strings/ percussion/ keyboards
Ralf Jehnert - vocals
Anja Herrmann - vocals/ percussion
Uli Stornowski - percussion/ flute/ backing vocals
Websites
http://www.lictd.com/ / https://www.facebook.com/pages/Love-is-Colder-than-Death/121678001358
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 8
Sound: 8
Total: 8 / 10
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