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Title: Severed
Artist: Broken Fabiola
Genre: Electronic
Release Date: 2nd December 2008
Label: Tympanik Audio



Album Review

BROKEN FABIOLA, formed in 2001 by Karloz M, who’s also known as mastermind of MANUFAVTURA, was made to explore different musical territory aside from his other projects. They released two collections of music In the forthcoming years and now return after 3 years with their newest works, entitled ‘Severed’.

‘Tender Bites’ is opening the doors into the world of BROKEN FABIOLA for you. The rhythmical fragments are like sharp little knifes cutting miniature wounds in your skin, while a haunting voice echoes through realms beyond the human imagination right into your soul. ‘Amor Oscuro’ (Dark Love) works with experimental ambience, manipulating the textures ‘till they appear as crippled noises more akin to the screams of tortured souls in the darkness, than actual sounds. I think that’s what’s making it such an intriguing tune; the way in which the separate layers are alienated, moulded and blended with other ones. The beat work is somewhat typical in its structure and keeps a steady slow pace, later it’s going to be complemented with broken edgy noises which I find extremely impressing. I think what drew me to this track in the first place neither were the luring dense atmospheres nor the mesmerizing down-tempo beats. It was the striking beauty of the vocals provided by both Sharon Blackstone and Nissa, adding an additional and intense layer of emotion and their sound still resounds in your head, even when you’re not listening to the song.

On ‘Only Your Fate (Svrd)’, bound between frantic metallic fractions and a softer drum accent is a wistful ambient swell, ever coming through to drown your thoughts in melancholy. Considering the comparatively few melodic elements in this song it’s striking what huge effect they had on me. Perhaps, you’ll experience the same. ‘Under’ carries on with a melancholic, but much more longing theme that is deeply entwined with its very fabric and a voice from a corner of your mind emerges and softly whispers words echoing into eternity. You once were familiar with her voice yet you buried it deep inside your memories. Vibrant beats take hold alongside artificial power surges to break through this magical atmosphere to rip it open, but in the end they have to succumb to its spell. ‘Slave’ is one of those hard-to-get-into tracks for me and that’s mainly because of all that rough and noisy stuff, going on in the rhythm department, wanting to be unravelled and digested first. But you can already fully enjoy the towering string arrangements and additional compelling layers of crisped ambience.

What can I say; I love the sound BROKEN FABIOLA is celebrating on their newest release ‘Severed’. It’s not one of these easy-to-digest records you listen to once and throw it away afterwards, though it’s not as complicated as many other Tympanik releases are, but who says they have to. ‘Severed’ transports emotions wrapped up in beautiful vocals and melodies as well as challenging arrangements. I think it’s a shame so little people seem to know this project. Perhaps, Tympanik can change that.


Tracklist

01. Tender Bites (Edit) – 4:04
02. Everlasting – 5:32
03. Amor Oscuro – 3:15
04. Departure – 6:12
05. Rewind – 5:00
06. Only Your Fate (Svrd) – 4:34
07. To Be Loved – 3:35
08. Under – 4:54
09. Slivers Bind – 3:25
10. Slave – 4:32
11. Fragment – 4:03
12. Japanese Call Girl (Dirty Inside Mix) – 4:55


Line-up

Karloz M. – Production, Arrangements, Lyrics, Vocals
Sharon Blackstone – Additional Production, Lyrics, Vocals
Nissa – Additional Vocals


Website

http://www.myspace.com/brokenfabiola


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 8
Sound: 9
Extras: -
Total: 8.5 / 10


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