However, the band’s sophomore effort would take some time to reach the ears the world. Several things held up the band: one being the departure of keyboardist Kevin Kish. Easy enough, he was replaced by J. Lamm until a permanent replacement was found. On top of that, Hurricane Katrina struck. That would sidetrack the band for quite some time, and let’s hope that the generous donations made by more "mainstream" musicians to the fellow musicians of New Orleans was put to good use and helped to bring In Moderation to life!

But even if none of those donated instruments ever reached the members of Menagerie, it wouldn’t matter, because they marched on all the same and while New Orleans is still in the process of rebuilding itself, Menagerie has managed to write the second chapter of their history amidst the chaos. It would seem that In Moderation was almost an ironic title for all they had been through.

Dreamy keyboard work and soaring guitars take us directly to Brooke’s chanting vocalizations on "Echo", the opening track. Lovely, clean guitar work brings in Brooke’s vocals, the guitars growing heavier as she sings on. Her vocalizations are joined with her voice and "Brooke-bot" in the chorus. The ethereal keyboards carry the song throughout, always heard even when the rest of the band pauses. A nice guitar solo in the middle. "Over and over, repeating the lines"---this line gets repeated a few times before guitars end the song.

Slow guitars and Brooke’s soft singing open up the second track, "Analog". Her voice is heard loud and clear when the whole band kicks in. Ripping guitars, pounding drums, and light keyboards drive this song. Brooke’s voice is expressive in the chorus. Some more gothic-influenced keyboard work is heard at the bridge, then some tinkling piano work. Another chorus, then the guitars explode into gentle keyboards and ultimately the song’s end.

Track three, "Rewind", begins with a fade-in, and Brooke’s voice is also faint at first. Some dialogue from a movie is mixed in with the music. This song has some very pleasant guitar work. The song turns heavy at a point, with sound effects reminiscent of explosions, coupled with some spacey keyboards. Brooke’s voice and those keyboards bring the song to a close.

The sound of birds chirping bring in some Tool-esque rhythms on the fourth track, "A Word in Volume". Brooke’s hypnotic vocals join in a moment later. This is a slower track, but not lacking in heavy guitar riffs or intensity. "I’ve lived a thousand lives, still no one hears my cries", Brooke laments. A churning guitar solo in the middle, united with Brooke’s chanting vocals. The song comes to an abrupt end shortly after.

Track five, "Blind", starts off with wistful keyboards and fierce drums. Brooke’s voice is soft, but somehow matches the intensity of the song. The guitars and drums offer a nice punch to the tune, but the keyboards and Brooke’s vocals keep it anchored to an ethereal vibe. This song ends similarly to the last one, with Brooke’s voice wrapping it up.

Befitting its title, "In the Gray" begins with moody keyboards and dark guitars. Brooke’s voice is haunting as she tells a tale of trying to escape. The tempo of the song shifts slightly in the chorus, a slow, heavy groove before building up to the second verse. The band pauses for a sound byte: "I don’t feel anything anymore!" Another chorus, then the guitars let loose and take us to the bridge. The last choruses have Brooke’s vocals layered beneath, singing some other lines. The song ends with some tapping of the cymbals and trippy keyboard work.

A slow, dark rhythm is the foundation of the seventh song, "Limits". Wailing, mournful guitars lead us to Brooke’s evocative vocals. Strings and moody pianos only punctuate the song’s vibe. The song gets a little heavy on the chorus, but doesn’t stray from its dark groove. The guitar solo is not very flashy; very mellow and lets Brooke’s chanting harmonies carry us along, straight into a fade-out.

"Dogs" is a heavier tune; the keyboards are bright while the guitars are downright evil! Brooke’s voice is assertive on this track. This is one of the heavier tunes, definitely a favorite. More sound clips integrated within the tune. Brooke alternates between strong and soft vocals before we hear the sound clip screaming out the song’s title. The band pauses for a moment before continuing on. More sound clips before a guitar solo, which ends the song.

The final track, "Moderation", starts off with frantic guitar work so fast you wonder if the strings are going to catch fire! The band jumps in to compliment this with some heaviness of their own. Brooke’s vocals are strong and clear here. Turning to a slower vibe, but no less heavy, as the roaring guitars show us. Brooke coolly tells us of all the things she needs "in moderation". It is this chant that leads us to a soulful guitar solo, which takes the song to a calm pace. Brooke’s voice becomes almost soothing as the music takes a moody turn. These moving guitars are what slowly take the song to its end. This is a great album closer, starting off at a high point and gradually winding us down.

Overall opinion: Menagerie has made a fantastic follow-up to Cages, and it was worth the wait! While the first album was more indicative of the band’s influences, it is clear here that Menagerie has evolved into their own sound. The songs are tighter and more concise. The band doesn’t seem afraid to take risks, like on songs such as "Moderation", where they drift a little from the slow heaviness that has defined the first album. And there are those songs that will doubtless become Menagerie "classics" like "Echo" and "A Word in Volume". Brooke’s voice sounds great too. Her voice still has the warm, velvety tone, but she is doing more "belting out" and changing shift within songs, layering her low, moody vocals with her strong, higher vocals. The sound clips on the various songs are interesting too; it makes you wonder if there is some kind of theme going on there. If you are new to the femme-metal scene, Menagerie is definitely a band to check out, especially because they are one of those bands that show what else the femme-metal sound has to offer. Or, if you are a femme-metal fan who was not impressed by the new musical direction of Lacuna Coil, or simply feels that Flowing Tears take far too long to make new music, then Menagerie just might be the kind of band you’ve been waiting for.

9 / 10

For more info, check out the band’s website:  www.menagerieband.com