Artist: Sweet Sister Pain
Title: The Seven Seas Of Blood And Honey
Genre: Gothic / Dark Wave
Release Date: 22nd October 2010
Label: Danse Macabre
Album Review
SWEET SISTER PAIN is a project of three musicians whom you might recognise from LACRIMOSA, GREGORIAN, KMFDM and GIRLS UNDER GLASS to list a few - Charlotte Kracht, Gunter Laudahn and Rudolph Naomi. ‘The Seven Seas Of Blood And Honey’ (preceded by the EP ‘Digital Bohème’) contains 19 atmospheric and rich songs with differing and engaging approaches - beautiful and evocative instrumental compositions with strong and beautifully textured vocals -altogether creating something excellent, imaginative and exquisite. Their intrinsic feel and intuition as to when and how to choose the right balance, the right sound, the right vocal narrative to create such outstanding collection are palpable to note.
One of the album’s wonderful peculiarities are the “Mare” interludes that connect the pieces together throughout the album. Although they are very short - under and / or closely above one minute - you’ll soon find yourself orientating by them as if by lakes, mountains, and stars (etc) in a varied and luscious landscape, most with whispers of Poe’s verses. In the middle there’s an interlude that differs not only in name but also in feel, ‘Lacus Somniorum’ is even darker and more foreboding than the “‘Mare’s” - Poe’s poem becomes even more dramatic. In the first one, the intro, ‘Mare Frigoris’, Charlotte Kracht evokes Edgar Allan Poe’s poem for the first time (taken on with the others Raven comes to life!), softly she recites it, a playback slightly distorts her voice and wraps it with echo, the interludes fits snugly into songs and this one is no exception.
The first song ‘The Age of Anger’, a variation on Chopin, starts with a strumming guitar that introduces and then blends itself into the cello which takes over and with Gunther Laudahn wonderfully textured voice creates the mood of the song, the interaction with Kracht as she accompanies him, the way those two sound singing together and the chemistry they actualise in the song give you a taste of the album’s marking strengths and allure. As you listen on to ‘The Seven Seas of Blood and Honey’ you’ll discover few more variations - a classical Japanese love song - ‘Ue i muite aruk (sukiyaki)’ and ‘Annabel Lee’ - another adaptation from the oeuvre of Edgar Allan Poe. They also breathe a fresh life into ‘Mad world’, a TEARS FOR FEARS cover. A further gem is ‘Off with your Head’ a song incorporating Alice in Wonderland theme - it is done very imaginatively. ‘Truth in the Mirror’ appears twice, the last one is a cover of the song by KMFDM - and it’s a great one. The acoustic instruments and soft Electronica, the darker shades, the richly detailed song structures are other building sound-hues of the all pervading beauty which is both tangible and ethereal.
‘The Seven Seas of Blood and Honey’ is a superb and fascinating album, so much to take away from this... The melancholy and all the darker shades of mood are always soft and soothing - alive and passionate as blood and as smooth as honey - a very fitting album title! Apart from their beautiful music SWEET SISTER PAIN convey such a joy of creating it. It’s always an aspect that elevates songs for me to yet another level and makes it so much more of a richer experience for me as a listener. Considering that SSP offer this joy in abundance this experience is multiplied as a gift for my listening so are the atmospheric and varied facets of it that cover a lot of ground and evoke so much. The album is classy, captivating, enriching and moreover - inspiring and demands many repeated plays. Miss out on this beautiful Gothic and Dark Wave generous offering at your own peril!
Tracklist
01. Mare Frigoris - 1.02
02. The Age of Anger - 4.02
03. Hush Hush –- 3.39
04. Mare Crisium - 1.01
05. Ue i muite aruk (sukiyaki) - 4.03
06. Mare Imbrium - 0.59
07. Off with your Head - 4.55
08. The Truth in Mirror - 5.34
09. Illusions - 4.11
10. Lacus Somniorum - 1.08
11. Mad World - 4.26
12. Mare Nectaris - 0.38
13. Waterworld - 4.01
14. Mare Undarum - 1.01
15. Annabel Lee - 4.39
16. Mare Marginis - 0.43
17. Solitude - 4.05
18. Summerwind - 3.17
19. The Truth in Mirror (KMFDM remix) - 5.14
Line-up
Charlotte Kracht – vocals, cello
Gunther Laudahn – vocals, git, keyboards
Rudolph Naomi – drums
Websites
http://sweetsisterpain.de/ / http://www.myspace.com/sweetsisterpain
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 9.5
Sound: 9.5
Total: 9.5 / 10
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