Sonic Cathedral - A World of Sirens
CD Info
2008
Sonic Cathedral
32 Tracks
English Lyrics
Hail to Sonic Cathedral for this wonderful, fantastic release! If you want to know where women stand right now in the world of (hard) rock, (heavy) metal, gothic metal and alternative music, just listen to this double CD and you’ll have the answer to your question. Thirty two (yes, you’ve read that right!) songs are on this double CD, that spins around for one hundred and forty minutes and spits out the female-fronted rock bands, that rule the world music scene here in 2008. Let's take a walk down this female metal labyrinth and see what they have in mind for us. AFTER FOREVER opens the release with "Equally Destructive". Do I need to say more? If there ever was a band, that rocked their career to a sky high position, then it’s AFTER FOREVER. I still remember listening to their first demos and interviewing Floor for the very first time. Amazing how things can go very fast, after that. This song comes from their album "After Forever" and shows a band that is capable of ruling the world in their style of music. It's cool to hear a mix of well-known stuff and bands that we didn't hear yet. I was not familiar with the music of EBONY ARK. "Ecstasy" was taken from their album "When The City Is Quiet" and the sound of this Spanish band comes close to a lighter version of WITHIN TEMPTATION. Leave out the bombastic add some power and you'll come close to the sound of EBONY ARK. Beatriz Albert is the female vocalist in the band. STOLEN BABIES from America is also totally new to me. "Tall Tales" is a sort of electro, techno punk attack. Dominique Persi screams her lungs out on this one and surprises me with the enormous power she puts in her vocal parts. The song comes from their album "There Be Squabbles Ahead". CARDAMON plays a more traditional rock sound. Floortje Donia is their front lady and one who really astonished me with her great voice. The band is based in Utrecht in The Netherlands and very recently they added Luuk van Gerven to their line-up as a bass player. It's not certain yet, if he will permanently fill this position, but at least the band is ready to attack the Dutch club scene right now. The song "When Space & Time Collide" is taken from their album "The Primrose Path". Strong guitar riffs, a heavy repeating beat and thundering drum salvos open "Highlight" by the Brazilian metal band SHADOWSIDE. People who dig bands like IRON MAIDEN or HELLOWEEN, can safely take a bite here. Dani Nolden is the front lady of these Brazilian metal heads. Check out their album "Theatre Of Shadows" to be part of more Latin metal. BLOODFLOWERZ invites you for "The Last Dance". My feet hurt by the idea alone. I’d better listen to the song from their album "Dark Love Poems", which could be a description of their music. It's dark gothic like metal or rock, if you prefer. Kirsten Zahn is the female member in this German based band. BRAVE is on next with "Hold On" from their recent album "Monuments". An album, that has got some exciting musical moments and can be categorised as progressive metal. This "Hold On" is a good example of the fact, that BRAVE is not willing to follow the paved path. They search for side paths that sound so much more adventurous and innovative. Front lady Michelle Loose has got the emotion of TORI AMOS and the power of LANA LANE. After that, we're ready for UNEXPECT from Canada. Well, better get ready for the unexpected. This song is called "Meet Me At The Carousel" and it comes from their album "In A Flesh Aquarium". If you would say, that this was written by FRANK ZAPPA, after he had listened to NAPALM DEATH, while drinking ten bottles of cheap whiskey and eating cotton candy soaked in the fresh blood of the Holy Virgin Mary, hanging upside down on a steel cross with pierced nipples and a broomstick up his ass, I would also believe it. Welcome to the world of different styles in music. Is this a circus act or am I just being too modest not to see the beauty by this weird bunch of people? Leïlindel is the only born child between the marriage of DIAMANDA GALAS, NINA HAGEN and TORI AMOS and only God knows, who the father is. It's art, it's eccentric, it's vaudeville, it's powerful, it's like swimming in a flesh aquarium with a dozen piranhas giving you a blowjob, only ten times worse. It's so UNEXPECTED! We’d better continue with MARKIZE from France, who take "Another Breath". Alina Dunaeskaya adds something special to the music of this French band. You can already judge by her name that she originally comes from Russia and sometimes the lyrics are in the Russian language as well. Together with the great musicianship by the male band members, this is definitely worth checking out. The band’s album is called "Transparence". I don't think, I need to introduce Anneke van Giersbergen to you at all. She now has got a new band, called AGUA DE ANNIQUE and this "Beautiful One" comes from her debut album "Air". The music on the album has much in common with THE GATHERING. Maybe it's a bit more dreamy and modest, but Anneke's voice sounds so beautiful, that she definitely has earned a place on this compilation. It just wouldn't be the same without her. SYLVER MYST is another exponent of the booming rock scene. "Emotions Revealed" perfectly captures the opera voice of leading lady Marjolein Hüsken. Think about the old sound of NIGHTWISH and you'll come close to their sound from the marvellous album "Devoted Yet Unable". The sad news though is that SYLVER MYST has gotten into some severe heavy weather, now Marjolein and drummer Marc Jaspers recently left the band. What a shame. Luckily though, we have so many good new bands to choose from. What about A NEW DAWN then? Another promising band, that surprised us with their album "Falling From Grace". From that album, we hear "Veil Of Charity". IRON MAIDEN-like guitars open this song, which explodes in galloping metal riffs and continues in PANTERA-like beats and riffs. Surprisingly, we get some soprano vocals to accompany these metal influences. Another band, who really knows to create a style of its own, while combining other existing styles. Add to this an additional death grunt and you have an astonishing metal sound. Sanne Kluiters, Monica Janssen (who also plays bass guitar) and Jamila Ifzaren are the metal maidens in this fabulous young band that hopefully has got a long fruitful future ahead of them. ANADIES from America is on next with a song, called "Unseen", taken from their album "Prevail". Christy Lumberg's voice makes me compare them with WITHIN TEMPTATION and LACUNA COIL. It's sad to know that the second female member of the band, keyboard player Talia Hoit, left the band a year ago. But with "Unseen", they present us a good and very catchy song here. DENDURA also hails from America. Their song "Isis" is filled with Eastern influenced rhythms. Aziza Ami Poggy is the beautiful named front lady, who also plays the keyboards in this band. The Egyptian influences give the band a mystical atmosphere. So we can welcome yet another band, that knows how to do things differently, by staying out of the well known paved paths. The band recently supported LEVEL-C and their most recent album is called "A New Life". "Chosen Destiny" by ANCESTRAL LEGACY sounds more gothic again. This song is part of the "Nightmare Diaries", which is a beautiful title for an album that consists of dreamy, melancholic soundscapes. Elin Anita Omholt has got a voice, you can easily dream away upon. But not before we have a listen to the last song of the first CD here. Get ready for PIN-UP WENT DOWN with "Get Ready To Sweep". This band offers a strange combination of dark, doomy music with a possible link to the sound of the seventies (just have a close listen to the guitar sound here and there). Asphodel plays bass guitar and takes care of the female vocal lines. The sound by this French band can be described as artistic, eccentric and alternative. Their album "2-Unlimited" also captures this song. The first seventy minutes are now over. When you are ready for the second set of sixteen bands, you just continue reading here, because there is so much more to listen to including a whole additional cd.
We open with another odd mix of styles on the second CD. THE DIABLO SWING ORCHESTRA plays the "Balrog Boogie", which is a mix of dixie, swing, jazz, rock and opera. Annlouice Loeglund is the female voice in this Swedish band and things won't get more danceable and swinging than this one here. So put on your dancing shoes and enter "The Butcher's Ballroom", which is by coincidence also the name of the album, this song was taken from. On we go with a more traditional sound. EPICA is gaining more popularity each day. Simone Simons is the front lady, who has had some serious health problems recently. Amanda Sommerville temporarily filled Simone’s place for a recent tour but luckily enough this lovely lady is back at it again. They definitely earn their place on this compilation with "Sancta Terra" from "The Divine Conspiracy". Opera metal at its very best with a lot of bombastic parts, which is a real must for each fan of this genre. LA-VENTURA is another talented Dutch band that profile themselves with "Trefoil" from their debut album "A New Beginning". Their gothic type of metal will easily appeal to the many fans in this genre, because it's so easy on the ears. Which is the way to draw the attention of your fans. Nowadays, people don't sit down and listen to a whole CD anymore. Instead, they select and judge a band by hearing short snippets from Internet sites and go on from there. WITCHBREED creates a more progressive and melodic sound. The band hails from Portugal and Ruby is the front lady of WITCHBREED. Their song "Brotherhood Of Fang & Claw" contains some nice speed and mood changes. "Heretic Rapture" is the name of the album and if you like the more adventurous sound and a more progressive approach, than this is definitely for you. CHAOSWAVE also has a progressive sound only with a more thrash metal background. This Italian band contributed a song, called "Rise", which sounds fast and furious just like the Italian mentality. Blast beats are mixed with the beautiful sound of Giorgia, their female singer. Steve Smyth (ex-TESTAMENT, ex-DRAGONLORD, ex-VICIOUS RUMORS, NEVERMORE) is a guest player on this album, and if you think about NEVERMORE, you'll come close to the sound by this Italian combo. The album from which this song is taken is called "Fork Tongues And Foul Times". GWYLLION is from Belgium and they added their song "Trinity" to this masterpiece. Annelore Vantomme has got a great voice that reminds me of Nienke de Jong, the former AUTUMN singer. The band rocks and the guitars are up front in the mix with heavy riffs. I like this song a lot. It’s taken from their album "Awakening The Dream". Do I need to introduce PHOENIX REIGN to you? I don't think so. They surprised me in a very positive way with their album "Destination Unknown", which contains many furious heraldic metal songs. They choose "Masquerade Angel" to end up on this compilation, which is a great choice in my opinion. It really gives you a good impression of what this New York based band is all about. Theresa Gaffney is the voice of this IRON MAIDEN-influenced outfit. I know I really don't do justice to their professionalism and their sound. But as a short description it's not an assault to their door, and for people who are not familiar with their great album, perhaps it’s all the more a reason to check it out. It's definitely one of the highlights on this compilation album in my book. The next band, DEAD-END TRACK from Italy was completely new to me. You've heard the name and checked out some sound files along the way, but this time we hear a full-length song here, which is called "Sun To Fall". It's taken from their album "Dead-End Track". Luisa's voice reminded me of Anneke van Giersbergen (again), while their music shows a bit more resemblance to SIRENIA, only a little heavier in places. Especially in the beginning of this song, they sound very much sound alike, although later on DEAD-END TRACK wins by a knock out. DYLATH-LEEN on the contrary is really loud with their METALLICA-like riffs and they will surely move your heads up and down. When listening very close to "The Awakening" you'll hear that their sound goes more into the direction of CRADLE OF FILTH or SIEBENBÜRGEN. The name of the band comes from the books by H.P. Lovecraft and it is the name of a fictional city. Kathy Coupez is the singer in the band and she does a great job. She doesn't only scream very loud, but she also uses her clear voice. In the beginning of their career, the band also had a female keyboard player, named Carine Pochet, but unfortunately she left DYLATH-LEEN in 2001. SKEPTICAL MINDS from Belgium definitely had to grow on me. I wasn't too impressed at first, but after listening to the album very thoroughly a couple of times, it hit me very hard. The band hails from Brussels and they mix industrial and gothic soundscapes with metal riffs and guitars. Above this all is the beautiful, erotic voice of Kristell Lowagie, which is the icing on the cake for me. "Skeleton Key" comes from their 2007 EP "The Beauty Must Die". As long as they don't mean Kristell, I am fine with that statement. ECHOES OF ETERNITY is a metal band from America and their album appealed to me very much from the start. Francine Boucher is the great singer of this band. Their album "The Forgotten Goddess" is a must for people, who like hard riffing metal with a good melodic female singer. And if the voice of Francine doesn't appeal to you, you must buy, steal or even lease yourself a new pair of ears and you'll definitely be astonished by her looks. "Voices In A Dream" is another highlight for me here. AKPHAEZYA, I would lie to you, if I said that I had heard about this band before. Their song "The Bottle Of Lie" comes from the album "Anthology II", and they hail from France. Listening to their music, it's obvious that I didn't cross their path before. I hear jazzy rhythms and an easy listening sound. Just before I want to pour myself a glass of wine, the band starts making more noise and female vocalist Nehl Aëlin really astonishes me with KATE BUSH-like screams and that weird combination of jazz and experimental music keeps playing in the background. Nehl also plays the piano and if you like the experimental outings of a band like ATROX for example, this would be for you. Maybe they are a bit too experimental for the real metal heads among us, but it was a very pleasant surprise for yours truly. ADASTREIA comes from England and their song "The Reach" shows a more traditional gothic sound, along with the soprano vocals of Alexandra Martin. I guess, NIGHTWISH fans will eat out of their hands. Their album is called "That Which Lies Within". DYONISIS comes with a more modest sound on their song "Hunter", taken from their self-titled album. This band from England had two female members in their ranks, but they parted ways with their keyboard player. Nel is the singer and she has a beautiful voice. DYONISIS plays ambient rock with a sometimes-folksy twist at its best. AYIN ALEPH was a nice surprise to us already, when listening to her self-titled album. The song "Walpurgis Night" was chosen to be on this compilation and I think that this is a good choice to get familiar with the surprising sound by this lady. TORI AMOS and KATE BUSH fans must definitely check out this lady. Her video clips are amazing and I am really looking forward to hearing more from this remarkably talented lady. This double CD set closes after seventy-two minutes with DREMORA and "Martyrs & Madmen", taken from their EP "Martyrs". Juliana Novo is the voice of this band that sounds similar to big names like WITHIN TEMPTATION and NIGHTWISH. And although we are dealing with a threesome here, the power they manage to bring across sounds like it comes from a five-piece band. This track is a worthy closure to this ultimate compilation of female fronted metal of today. I believe my time is up for now; more female-fronted bands are waiting to get a review of latest their release. This four-page review is only to let you know that this is the ultimate collection in the world "Where The Women Of Metal Rock!" I rest my case with a full score.
By: Toine van Poorten of Metal Maidens 10 / 10 points.Website: www.soniccathedral.com
Thanks go out to John Wolff for not only for compiling this great double CD, but also for the opportunity to review this masterpiece.
