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Title: Borrowed Nightmares & Forgotten Dreams
Artist: Whispers in the Shadow
Genre: Goth Rock
Release Date: 3rd April 2009
Label: Echozone (Bob Media)



Album Review

It was a prolific comeback which came upon us last year in October with the first new WHISPERS IN THE SHADOW album in ages, titled ‘Into the Arms of Chaos’ and now another new album already? No, or not entirely at the very least but I will get back to that later. The core of ‘Borrowed Nightmares & Forgotten Dreams’ as the album is called is made up of a string of remix contributions of various musical peers and also friends of the band; new takes of tracks from the last album and older releases of the WHISPERS, but opening the album is one of a few derivatives of the recent album’s opener ‘The Arrival’. This one’s called ‘Shemhamforash Mix’ and doesn’t bring much of new content to the table except an overall grittier, dirtier sound. The other variation of the track has actually being touched by the hand of GOD, and GOD here is the dark entity behind the projects LUTHERION or GARDEN OF DELIGHT: Artaud Seth. First everything seems familiar but then you notice the re-recording of certain instruments most prominently the drums and then about 3.20 in it takes an unsuspected turn into majestic territory and the voice of Artaud himself ascends from the murk.

One of my personal favourites from the last album, the mighty and sorrowful ‘The Nightside of Eden’ has undergone a slightly different rework. Now there’s slow electronic rhythms and the masterful violin play of Matt Howden entering a considerably savage state in later passages, making up for an outstanding contribution and the ‘Ice Ages Remix’ of ‘Babylon Rising’ brings mechanic industrial rhythms of hardened steel covered with a thick layer of ice juxtaposed against wider pad sections. The second part of this release belongs to five tracks off of a previously unreleased album: they’re the forgotten dreams; one of those is ‘Karma Revolution’ an exciting and rousing pleasure of twangy and roaring riffs and fast drumming. ‘We Better Go’ goes on with a slow, worming rhythm and its hard riffs bring up a manic darkness. ‘Optimistic Day’ wraps up the collection in a spherical manner with guitar-based texturing creating an ambient surface for the drums to flow away under.

Part of the remixes on ‘Borrowed Nightmares & Forgotten Dreams’ add exciting new facets to the original tracks or even transform them completely like PERSEPHONE did with the classic ‘Pandora’s Calling’ others just disappoint by delivering only standard ware. Need a proof? Take Thomas Rainer’s mix of ‘Damned Nation’. Just generic club fodder for me! The unreleased tracks in my opinion rescue this release from being a mere pile of remixes with ups and downs. Top class material and a good reason to buy the disc even if you’re not a friend of remixes in general!


Tracklist

01. The Arrival (Shemhamforash Mix) - 4:19
02. The Nightside Of Eden (Sieben Remix) - 3:52
03. Train (2009 - The Eminence Version) - 4:49
04. Damned Nation (Thomas Rainer Remix) - 3:42
05. A Taste Of Decay (QEK Junior Remix) - 4:44
06. Killing Time (Vix Remix) - 3:34
07. Pandora's Calling (Persephone Remix) - 4:21
08. The Arrival (touched by the hand of GOD - Artaud Seth Remix) - 6:22
09. Damned Nation (The Shallow Graves Version) - 3:43
10. Babylon Rising (Ice Ages Remix) - 5:34
11. Killing Time (The House of Usher Remix) - 4:37
12. Down By The Sea (Cults Of The Shadow Remix) - 5:31
13. Everybody - 4:07
14. Karma Revolution - 3:27
15. We Better Go - 4:57
16. Waste (Broken Day Version) - 3:45
17. Optimistic Day - 6:43


Line-up

Ashley Dayour - Vocals, Guitars, E-Bow
Fork - Bass
Martin Acid - Keyboards, Piano
Curt Benes - Drums, Percussions


Website

http://www.noizeart.com/ / http://www.myspace.com/whispersintheshadow


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 7
Sound: 7
Extras: -
Total: 7 / 10


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