Theatre Of Tragedy-Velvet Darkness They Fear

Ten or so years ago I came across a CD with a hot naked chick on the cover, took a chance and bought it. The alubm was called Velvet Darkness They Fear and I had never heard anything like it (or anything ever since). It was death/doom metal with a female vocalist and dark yet beautiful string music. Theatre Of Tragedy, I later found out, was a pioneer in what we now sometimes call gothic metal. They took the sound started by My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost, and Anathema and added something extra.

The death vocals were pretty generic but were good nontheless but the star of the band was Liv Kristine whose beautiful and enchanting voice coupled with the dark yet heavy music made it a regular in my player. That was soon to be followed by their self-titled debut which was more of the same.

I never got the later ones and I'm glad I didn't. They went into a more electronica direction which practically eliminated the heaviness, the death vocals were replaced by annoying talking and many of the members disowned metal (the male vocalist pretty much bad mouthed metal music altogether). At least they had the lovely Kritine, but that soon changed when she wanted to do a side project, Leaves' Eyes which went back to a more metal sound, TOT decided to fire her over e-mail.

Leaves' Eyes are a fantastic band as are many of the beauty and the beast gothic metal bands but none can measure up to the first two TOT albums. I've yet to hear anything with the same combination of heaviness, beauty, and darkness. Interestingly enough, after the succss of Leaves' Eyes, TOT released a more metal oriented album (wankers!!).

Anybody else familiar with this great album?

One of the best goth metal albums ever! And it's easily Theater Of Tragedy's best album.

this was the last album i liked by these guys. after this, they lost the death aspect in their music & started to sound dull to me.

yeah the first two ToT albums are fantastic.

I still like them. Very good band, both eras—I think.

I'm a huge Leaves' Eyes fan, but I've never heard Theatre of Tragedy. Sounds like something I need to look into.

I've picked up everything Leaves' Eyes has put out though.

Great stuff, and one of the very few albums of that style I like.

blackieboy wrote:

I've picked up everything Leaves' Eyes has put out though.

I'm pissed that there's two exclusive bonus tracks on the US version of Vinland Saga. I bought the damn import!

Eyesore wrote:

blackieboy wrote:

I've picked up everything Leaves' Eyes has put out though.

I'm pissed that there's two exclusive bonus tracks on the US version of Vinland Saga. I bought the damn import!

I got the US version - and they are good bonus tracks. I would have thought the import would have had it's own bonus tracks though.

I love TOT as well as Leave Eyes!

Wargod48

blackieboy wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

blackieboy wrote:

I've picked up everything Leaves' Eyes has put out though.

I'm pissed that there's two exclusive bonus tracks on the US version of Vinland Saga. I bought the damn import!

I got the US version - and they are good bonus tracks. I would have thought the import would have had it's own bonus tracks though.

It doesn't. That's why I'm pissed! Haha. I bought the import because that was release way before the US version. Then the US version gets all kinds of bonus stuff. Pffft!

"Senses Capture" is my favorite by them. Love that tune!

Speaking of Leaves' Eyes - I sure hope they release a new full length soon. They've been touring with their EP for long enough.

blackieboy wrote:

Speaking of Leaves' Eyes - I sure hope they release a new full length soon. They've been touring with their EP for long enough.

Next up is a DVD after the new year, then they'll start on a new album.