Tayla's femme metaly reviews =)

DesDemon "The Awakening" review

New York’s, DesDemon, is one of metal's most unique, influential and prestigious acts to come along in many years. DesDemon combine different styles which they blend into their own distinctive sound from black and melodonic to prog and even power metal.

Line-up:

Mistress Tina - Vocals
Dan Rhodus - Drums
Lord Metadox - Guitars
Ronald “Pelagius” Porcelli - Bass
Nickolas Henriksen - Keyboards

Tracks:

1. Aquicence Of Illusion
2. A Soul Of Exile
3. Iago
4. The Burning Martyr
5. In The Absence Of Light


"The Awakening" is a dark and powerful piece of music that not only draws you in within the first few seconds but captivates your mind and body. The album itself is based upon a tale of a "woman’s fall from grace and her ensuing vengeance upon her enemies". The album it's self marks the makings of a long and succesful career in the metal world for the band. Every track has something unique, orginal and different about it. Mistress Tina's combines tenor vocals with soft but high ones to create a beautiful creepy feel of tracks like "Iago" and the she twists her voice is different directions making a full frontal metal songs such as "The Burning Martyr" and "A Sould In Exile". Keyboardist Nickloas alongside Tina and Lord Metadox helps to add magic to the music. The keys are soft and sometimes subtle and contrast well with the thick dark sounds of the bass and guitars.
The albums closing track is huge one, 11 minutes to be exact. "In The Absence Of Light" defines who and what the band are by exploring differently levels and intesities throughtout the song. The track starts off on the prog foot and swiftly changes to become fastest and more melodonic and the it becomes heavier and darker. The changes in the music steadily progress and don't give you a sudden start by dramatically changing speed or sound. The way the vocals mix so well with the guitars, bass, drums and keys is enough to give you a feel that the band have been at this for years!! With the low dark riffs through to the upbeat melodonic beats DesDemon proves that they truly deserve a place in the metal world.

Hightlights: Iago, In The Absence Of Light

10/10

Closterkeller "Nero" (English version) review

Vocals, Lyrics; Anja Orthodox Keyboards; Michal Rollinger Drums; Gerard Klawe Guitar; Marcin Mental Bass; Marcin Pluciennik Track 10, lyrics by Krystian Aparta 1. Watching As You Drown 2. Fight Club 3. As I Glide 4. Like Rain Against Stone 5. Queen 6. He Comes When The Night Falls 7. Nero 8. Mirage 9. No Matter What Will Be 10. Amber 11. Sin 12. Have You Seen Watching As You Drown is an amazing opening track. The lyrics are beautiful and dark, they speak of loving being no more and have a sense of betrayal to them. Anja's accent really compliments this track and her vocal is really good. The music is more "bassy" and has strong elctronic overtones throughout. An amazing peice of music. Fight Club one of my favourites on the album. It talks about people being blind to the violence and keeping silent about it, it also covers an important social issue. The vocal is very thick and heavy but varies when Anja sings sweetly; Gaurdian angels stand around deaf and blind A mute wall of sorrow Stony wings over their eys Gaurdian angels stand around petrified Sorry hearts all hushed Stone tears running down Overall this song proves Anja's talents both vocally and lyrically on the whole. As I Glide a long track with only a small quantity of lyrics. A well performed song. Dark and powerful. Like Rain Against Stone a very powerful song lyrically. This song tells of a ultimate betrayal and a love being stolen by what's considered to be a "more powerful and attractive" woman. The vocal on this track is thick and heavy which fits the dark atmospheric mood of the song perfectly. Queen my favourite from the album. Extremely "creepy" and atmospheric. The dark mood of the song is enchanting in many ways and Anja's vocal is clam until the chorus. In the chorus Anja plays to parts where she sings lines alternatly, the first in a high soprano voice the second in a brutal vampiric growl and so on throughout the whole chorus. My Favourite lyric from this song has to be; You know so little when you're standing out there proud and mean The Queen of silence here's the new me The lyrics in this song are completely stunning, I adore this song. He Comes When The Night Falls one of my favourite from the album. A very fast paced and heavy song with a killer chorus. Anja's powerful voice comes once again into the song, the lyrics to well to accomodate the song. Nero the album's self-titled track. Nero is Italian for black, just like this song. It tells once again tales of an ultimate betrayal and the the effects, of heart-brokeness. Mirage a song about religious beliefs. The lyrics say that there's nothing more but still you hold out hope that god will have mercy upon your blackened soul. Anja sings this song perfectly, and although the music isn't as heavy as most of the other tracks it is still great. No Matter What Will Be a slow but heavy song. The lyric explains how there is little left, and although you can love someone so much as it's your very right, that that person doesn't have to love back. Amber a great job with the lyrics Kristian. The tale is of a girl who enters the woods seeking comfort, who's mind is then captive to nymphs. The girl finds the precious amber but is lost and trapped in the forest. A beautiful song on the whole. Sin the lyric tells of being alone and blessed with the darkest sins that you cannot wash away, thus not letting you forget. Amazing performance from all the band. Have You Seen a perfect closing track. About missing someone and wishing it was you who had left and not them. Anja and the band come together once more perfectly and make this one of the best on the album. Overall this is my favourite Closterkeller album and it's very much evident that Anja's English pronounciation a improved. I believe this is a gothic metal masterpeice. 5/5

Gate Of Sorrow "Enter Through The Gate" review

A band who are wholly new to me, Gate Of Sorrow. Of course I know very little about them but I managed to dig up some information. Gate Of Sorrow we formed in 1997 they are from the Czech Republic. They started out as a death-thrash metal band but in 2005 when the female singer and celloist Milada Miltáková joined they added more gothic elemnts to their music. So far the band has released 3 full-lenghth CDs, a MCD and a promo EP.

Twilight Above Sirius a perfect opening track. So haunting and deep. The male and female vocals flow well on this track. It sounds like a theme you'd expect to hear in a horror movie. I admit I didn't expect to find a track like this anywhere. The female vocalist whispers for most of the track which adds more suspense, along with the organs. The track finishes with the low hum of the oragn and a hollow robotic type voice over.

Cursed Silence - this track had me suprised once again. Very different to the previous extreme gothic atmosphere of the previous track, the track starts of really heavy with both vocalists singing very well. Milada uses her voice's classicalness and combinesit wish mysterious whispers, the deep male voice adds more effect to the song.

Tears In the Ashes - a mid-tempo song. The combination of Milada's voice, the cello and keys are wonderful in this song. The giutars and drums add more darker elements to this song.

Black Sin. This song starts of very quickly with a mixture of heavy bass, growls and beautifully high "wails" for Milada. Throughput the song the vocals changes to the tempo. When the song slows down Milada sings high but clearly, then as it gets faster she begin with her "wails".

Stay. A deeply haunting song. A mixtures of more high singing and "wails" with a overvoice of growls every so often throughout the song. The keyboard melodies in the song make it more melodonic. They is a small spoken part inthe song which makes it more "eerie", and adds to the atmosphere.

My Ruins. The growls are more dominant in this song. The music is very melodonic, with more keys and cello parts. The growls are backed once again by the beautiful voice of Milada. The song comes more to life towards the end. More power comes into the song from the bas and guitars.

Follow Me To The Other Side. A darkly beautiful song! Milada's vocals are superb on the track, her voice flows well with the music throughout. She goes higher than on most of the other tracks. The music is very thrash metal orientated on the track with many heavy riffs and few melodonic sounds.

And Back To The Evil. Starts of to the sound of a piano, and the sound of distant church bells. Thn the heavier sounds come in followed by the growls and later on the classical voice. The sounds on this track are very melodonic get gloomy, which adds the gothic atmosphere to this sound. This track is very haunting in few ways as once again Milada reachs such notes to send chills up and down your spine.

Behind The Mirror. Piano melodies make this song almost symphonic by genre. It appears that Milada takes over the song and I belive this track has her best vocal on, from this album! She combines her classical voice with spoken parts and whispers. Her vocal isn't as high as previous tracks in most places. Near the middle of the sound the growls come in again and make the song darker. Then the music softens and Milada sing clean vocals.

Sirius. The albums final track and outro. The song is calm, with the piano and the cello being the only instruments used. Milada sings along so beautifully with whispers, clean vocals, classical notes and spoken parts. The song is short but very sweet.

Overall this album was great! The band combined elements of classical music with that of thrash, gothic and atmoshperic metal. I personally think the growls could have been more brutal rather than sound hollow and computerized.

I'd like to rate this album 9/10.

Ruby Bullet "Splitting Heirs" [EP] review
(I'd like to state this band was REALLY awful to listen to)

Ruby Bullet are a progressive metal band from New York, America. Line up: Suzanne Sterne - bass, vocal & guitar
Pete Vassil - drums Aurelien Budynek - guitar (live). So far they have released only 2 EPs.

Machine. The music was impressive when it first started, but as soon as the first vocal came in "You're so clean just like a machine", was just so awful. However, as we get along to the chorus the vocal improves. The music is very progressive which proves the bands genre is correct. A few of the lyrics were ok but the rest are just so awful, I couldn't belive me ears!!

One. The song starts with a very bassy and classy rock tune, then goes into a faster heavier tune before calming down to let their vocalist to be heard. The vocal is sweet but bland, and almost exactly the same as the previous track.

Tell On You. I think some of the lyrics to Machine are bad, but this just takes the mick "I will never tell on you". Are we 5 year olds at play now? Yet again the vocals is exactly the same as the previous tracks. The music is very progressive, the music changestempo repeatedly and the guitars are used more than bass in the song.

Two. Starts with a very rocky tune with an upbeat tempo. The vocals comes in and the beat slows. For once the vocals is slightly different and the lyrics are not the best but still alright. Suzanne holds onto some decent notes in this song. I think I actualy like it.

Poison. A heavier punky type tune. Miss. Sterne whispers some of the lyrics and then sings very much like most of the other tracks. Then most of the way through the song we get this sound, like crocery clashing together. You'd thing you was in a café with all the sounds, all that's missing is the "order up".

Overall, I was expecting something better from a progressive band but I was genrally disappionted by this EP. I'll give it a 4/10.

Scarecrown "Letters from The Darkness" review

Tracklist :

1.My Own Devil
2.She
3.Howling
4.Night-like Eyes
5.Drops
6.Without Voice
7.Show Me Your Face
8.Unknown Land
9.Double Blade Kiss
10.Letters From The Darkness

Line Up:

Andrea "The Ogre" Boscariol - Guitar and Backing Vocals
Antonella Buosi - Vocals
Simone "Mind" Sut - Bass
Blackie - Guitar
Federico "Mr.Biso" Riccio - Drums


Hailing from Pordenone, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy we have gothic metallers Scarecrown, who formed in 2004. The band is currently signed to Deadsun Records.
Italy is not known for having many metal bands. The biggest band to come out of Italy is Lacuna Coil from Milano, of course comparisons between both Scarecrown and Lacuna Coil are near unaviodable.
The band consists of Andrea Boscariol on guitars and backing vocals, Simone Sut on bass, Blackie on guitar and additional backing vocals, Fabio Tomba on drums and last but by no means least Antonella Buosi on vocals. I remember when I first picked up the album I thought the band was another Italian band with a pretty singer. However, no only is Antonella pretty but she can sing.
The first track is "My Own Devil", which is powerful both musically and vocally. The music is energetic and fast paced, with solid powerful choruses and verses. The song pulled me into the album after thirty seconds.
Antonella knows how to put across the lyric with powerful vocals on most tracks combined with sweet notes, however she is no opera singer. Antonella's versatility really captivated me throughout the album her combinations of different vocal techniques and styles help build up the atmosphere on the album, along with the grunts from Blackie and Andrea.
The music is any but boring with speedy riffs, pounding drumming and thrashing bass. The music is solid all the way through the albums and fit perfectly hand in hand with all the vocals.
In all honesty there is not a single bad track on the album, the best for me include "My Own Devil", "She", "Night Like Eyes" and "Without Voice". I like these the most because of the lyrics and the ways the band explore different levels throughout the songs with different vocals combinations and heavy riffs.

Overall: 10/10

Stealing The Bride "Roommates" review


Tracklist :

1.The Desert Inside
2.Agravic Grooves
3.Going To Extremes
4.Cry Wolf
5.La Mala Vida
6.Invaders
7.November Heat
8.Contagious
9.Train Song
10.Roommates

Line Up :

Patricia - Vocals
Uli - Guitar
Robert - Drums
Alex - Bass

Stealing The Bride are an alternative rock band from Germany. They have only recently released their debut album Roommates this year.

The Desert Inside is a wonderful up tempo song. Patricia's vocal hits me, in the letter the band sent they told me to expect different and different is what this is. The vocal is sweet and flows well to the music. The guitars slow down for the chorus and speed up in between the chorus and verse. The sound is very “rock” on this track.

Agravic Grooves is a very catchy song. I currently find this song playing in my head again and again. The chorus is has a very pop-like sound to it, whereas the rest of the sound is of a soft-rock. The vocal here is fitting for the music soft and sweet with a few short high notes.

The next track Going To Extremes is as catchy as the last. The short high notes are more frequent in Patricia’s voice on this song, as well as this there is the softer vocal present too. The sounder has a more rock feeling to it than the previous track.

Now for Cry Wolf. The track is slower than the previous but has a similar sound. The only real let down on this track is a few odd lyrics. I understand them perfectly but sometimes I wanted to giggle. I am sorry for this disrespect.

La Mala Vida a song I just want to sing along to. The song is mostly in English with few Spanish lyrics. I must say the use of Spanish adds more spice into the mix on the track with the fast tempo the speeds up as the verse goes along. The vocal is great and the Spanish lyric is performed perfectly!

Invaders is a song which is even more different. It has few electronics in it to accompany the chorus. I love the guitars especially on this track as the make a toned “shrieking” sound, I don’t really know how to describe this one.

Now for the next track November Heat. This song is very mellow and the vocal is softer than some songs. This song has an alternate sound to it.

Contagious is a mellow and relaxing sound with a steady mid tempo beat. The vocal is slightly deeper than most tracks and is backed up by whispers.

The next track Train Song has a pulsing beat to it. It has some “funky jazz like” sounds throughout. The vocals has a subtle echo to it.

Roommates is the album’s title track. A good track to end a great album! The vocal is soft and sweet again and the music is mellow and mid-tempo.

Overall I really like this album and would love to thank the band for contacting me. The album was great apart from a few odd lyrics here and there.

8.5/10

Crimson Tears "The Dark Awakening" review


Tracklist :

1.Angel For My Sin
2.Enemy Of My Enemy
3.Eternity
4.Frozen
5.Steal My Heart
6.Emotion Denied
7.Pandora's Realm PT1: Aurora
8.Pandora's Realm PT2: Luna Pandora
9.Razorblade Serenade
10.Strange


Line Up:

Gina Olham - Lead and Backing Vocals
Dave Miller - Guitars and Backing Vocals
Marcus Chapman - Keyboards and Piano
Steve Taylor - Bass
Trevor Phillips - Drums

The first thing that I noticed when I played this CD was the power and beauty of Gina's vocals. I guess that was what really drawed me into Crimson Tears. Like most frontwomen Gina is at the front of the band, not only does she sing but she also writes the lyrics and a lot of the bands music itself. Her vocal is very varied from high flowing notes to deeper notes. In such songs as "Enemy Of My Enemy" and "Razorblade Serenade" Gina's vocals are very varied and expressive.

Now, the music of the band sometimes delves deeply into symphonic metal with similiar sounding tunes as Edenbridge. But this is no Edenbridge, this is a heavier British band. To me the music is very enjoyable it fits the vocals and it's well structure in the sense that it's solid. The band vary their sound and have slower songs like "Pandora's Realm PT1: Aurora" which is an instrumental track where Chapman play the piano throughout.

The male vocals which often accompany Gina's give the band a different edge. Most symphonic sounding bands usually have only female singers. This makes the band different to the others in a few ways.
I think this album is amazing and I sure hope the bands second album is just as good if not better.

9/10

Awesome reviews!!!!!!

You're awesome Tayla! I'm so glad you are hanging out here. You bring such a nice different perspective to the board.

Not to mention how much money you are making me spend on all kinds of awesome music I find out I need!!!



Great reviews. As usual - more stuff for me to get.

Great reviews and love your writing style.

A year or two ago, I'd have been all over several of these but for some reason, the female fronted metal genre is just totally uninteresting to me these days. I sure wish there was more female fronted sleaze/glam bands like Smashed Gladys around.

Great reviews though.

I've been into female fronted metal (all kinds) for years now. Don't think I could ever tire of it. It's just my thing I guess.

Thankyou all so much for all the nice words!

I used to be a professional reviewer for the Femme Metal Webzine but they fired me without reason. They've gone a bit quite too since October. :/

Anyways I've got some new stuff coming over from the states so expect a new review or two

ChaliceOfFemmeMetal wrote:

I used to be a professional reviewer for the Femme Metal Webzine but they fired me without reason.

It's a pain when that kind of thing happens,

You are flying now though, so keep the reviews coming.

I know I was in tears and the worst thing was they got one of my best friends (who was the Cheif Editor at the time) to fire me!

And thanks I'm waiting on my next CDs to come.

I am new to the female -fronted band thing, I did like Ransom in the early 90's. I really haven't gone much deeper into the genre than Epica and After Forever yet. Thanks for the good reviews to get me started.