Artist: Lillith
Title: Once I Was Alive
Genre: Alternative / Rock
Release Date: 22nd February 2010
Label: Intermezzo Productions / Indie Distribution / Unsigned
Album Review
Norwegian LILLITH comprises of four musicians from different genre backgrounds and hence what you’ll hear will escape an easy categorising, they seem to be happy with description of “a black clad rock inspired from 70’s colourful scene”. Listening to them, I feel there’s something of PJ HARVEY, smoky and moody voice, but with more “cracks” and huskiness, of Beth Gibbons from PORTISHEAD. You’ll also know why they’ve been likened to SIOUXIE AND THE BANSHEES amongst the others as well. Recently they’ve reached a finalist spot in the German Battle of The Bands 2010 that can see them signed by Out of Line, a record company of AND ONE, COMBICHRIST etc.
The music will transport you to a jazzy joint in New York in a bygone era, or a more avant-garde country club somewhere in Cormac McCarthy’s Southern Gothic landscapes with a contemporary heart. They play sassy, sexy, broody music and lyrics that altogether feel rooted to experience and connect with the listener on all levels. I hope that they’ll keep a hold of Camilla Hill because her vocals truly make this band what it is. An exceptional singer, not just in terms of her voice, but in the way her personality and charisma permeates the songs and gives it a very sincere emotional impression and rich atmosphere. The instruments work so well with her vocal, be their gently strummed or picking up tempo harsher guitars, subtle rhythm of the bass, unpredictable cello and unobtrusive drums. Lyrically one can see why they list NICK CAVE amongst their influences; they provide a superbly narrated, cinematic and captivating facet and are a very important part of why they are so impressive even on a first listen.
There are eleven fascinating songs to the album, one of them ‘Sister Morphine’ a cover of a song originally released by MARRIANE FAITHFULL, more known due to the version of THE ROLLING STONES (which after legal wrangles was credited to Jagger-Richards and Faithfull listed as co-writer). It’s a truly superb cover, which has made the song all their own and given it a whole new life. It’s one of the best covers that I’ve heard in some while. The whole album has a compact impression, it has a gift of the listening to each track as a continuous journey of experience – and that’s even with the cover and also two versions of ‘Stillborn Fight’ with the closing being even more beautiful, richly melancholy and layered and leaving one with an exquisite sense of nostalgia.
This is a very impressive album. I can only wish LILLITH to get the record deal they seek; it’d be a travesty if this band wasn’t given a chance it so rightly deserves. If there’s any justice in the world, they will have many more albums and we’ll hear many more songs from them. They’re brilliant; ‘Once I Was Alive’ is an album no one should miss out on!
Tracklist
01. Too Close To The Sun – 2.44
02. Black Hole – 2.59
03. Life for a While – 3.46
04. Stillborn Fight – 2.57
05. Silence – 3.35
06. Dance With Death – 3.37
07. When Ship Goes Down – 2.25
08. Portrait in Rust – 3.12
09. Dark Age – 3.26
10. Sister Morphine – 3.09
11. Stillborn Fight demo version – 2.53
Line-up
Camilla Hill – vocals
Per-Christian – guitar
Gregorius Grim Knockelkatt – cello, bass
Espen “Kvist” Engrønningen – drums
Websites
http://www.myspace.com/oflillith / http://www.vampirefreaks.com/lillithofficial
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 10
Sound: 10
Total: 10 / 10
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