Song of the Week: Mandragora Scream - Dark Lantern

"Aaaarrgghhh!!"

Well that's one evil scream to start the song off. If the starting moments of 'Dark Lantern' doesn't strike you as gothic, then you don't know what gothic metal is. As part of the Italian band Mandragora Scream's 2006 album, Madhouse, 'Dark Lantern' is quite an interesting track. Founded by Morgan Lacroix (a cool name if I ever saw one) and Terry Horn in 1997, Mandragora Scream regularly craft their music into concept albums that features rather prominent gothic elements to their music, more so than its metal elements that they can sometimes be classified under the genre of gothic rock. 'Dark Lantern', as it is, has a rather sinister beginning with its ethereal wails and synthesized growls but is otherwise almost exclusively sung in clean vocals and is quite mild really. Nothing really taxing for the ears.

In terms of its musicianship, 'Dark Lantern' is really quite simple. The 'boards repeat the same creepy tune over and over again, the guitars has very little to do 'cept for that bit near the end which I don't think can be even counted as a solo and the bass is chugging away on atmospheric duty. But simplicity is its strength- the song is not difficult to follow and the main melody of the song doesn't scatter into different layers at all. What deserves special mention though, is Morgan Lacroix's rather unique singing. Her voice can be rather deep and raspy for a female and if it weren't for the music video you'd be wondering about the gender of the vocalist. Her Italian accent (I think, or it could just be her own special way of pronunciation) also somehow accentuates the atmosphere of the song in a way that I can't explain. If any linguistic semiotics professor would like to leave a comment below, that'll be great, thanks a lot. Otherwise, I guess you just have to listen to get what I mean. Conversely, the harsh vocals done by (I think) the guitarist Terry Horn is surprisingly high pitched and should be considered as screams rather than growls. Still, that downplays the aggression and brings out more horror, which fits the theme.

Lyrically though, 'Dark Lantern' is barely coherent to me. I can't make head or tail about what the song is trying to say but I reckon the spinal cord is there. There's just a lot of lines that combines words that I'm pretty sure are never grouped together conventionally, which is bound to sprout some question marks at the top of your head, like "darklin' in light" for instance. What the heck is that?

All in all, 'Dark Lantern' is a rather nice song, and deviating from all mainstream genres, including metal. Its currently their most-played song on Mandragora Scream's myspace page. Mandragora Scream's latest album, Volturna, has just been released a coupla weeks ago, featuring a different line-up apart from Lacroix and Horn. I haven't gotten round to listening to it yet but if 'Dark Lantern' intrigues you enough, go ahead and pick up Volturna to give it a spin and tell me how you like it.

Below is the music video of 'Dark Lantern'. Check out the funky microphone~

Angtoria: God Has a Plan for Us All

Year released: 2006
Label: Listenable Records
Official website: http://www.angtoria.com

Tracks:

1. The Awakening [1:31]

2. I'm Calling [4:57]

3. God Has a Plan for Us All [4:33]

4. Suicide on My Mind [4:15]

5. Deity of Disgust [4:59]

6. The Addiction [3:27]

7. Six Feet Under's Not Deep Enough [3:51]

8. Do You See Me Now? [4:25]

9. Original Sin (The Devil's Waiting in the Wing) [3:38]

10. Hell Hath No Fury Like a Woman Scorned [4:43]

11. Confide in Me (Kylie Minogue cover) [4:14]

12. That's What the Wise Lady Said [4:31]
__________________________________________________

I just finished this album last night, and I thought hmm.. this has to be up on Zetalambmary. Angtoria's debut and only album to date, God Has a Plan for Us All, released in 2006. Though if you listened to the songs, you'd realise its not a really nice plan probably. Fronted by Sarah Jezebel Deva (her real name's Sarah Jane Ferridge, you'd think she'd have picked a stage name that's shorter than her real one ain't it..), widely known as the backing vocalist for Cradle of Filth when they're on tour, she first met Chris Rehn in 2001 and along with his brother Tommy, they formed Angtoria.

They're musically impressive. Unlike most of their peers who feature female soprano singers and overall less exuberant music, Angtoria brings out the Metal in symphonic metal. The guitars are very prominent, the keyboards play supporting actor in this gig and the drumming is plenty aggressive. Yet through it all, they don't lose that symphonic and gothic flavour. And Sarah's voice, for someone who is, to quote Shadori's words, somewhat horizontally inclined, is surprisingly alluring in its femininity and yet simultaneously strong and soaring. From ballads like "The Addiction" to more aggressive tracks like "Original Sin", you quickly get struck in the quality of her voice. Overall, both the music and the voice are very well done and they come together to make really wonderful songs, particularly in moments such as the chorus of "Hell Hath No Fury Like a Woman Scorned" where they feel just perfect together and raise you to musical nirvana. Some harsh vocals provided by guests musicians have also been masterfully included.

So, drawbacks? Well you've seen the album cover, it isn't hard to guess what the lyrical theme for the whole album is about. Some songs, like the perversely titled "God Has a Plan for Us All" is so blatantly obvious that you'd almost squirm to hear the words sung out. I dunno 'bout y'all, but I keep wondering how popular an album filled with songs about rape, child sexual abuse and suicide can possibly be, even in the metal community. I know, there are black metal bands that promote even more creepy arcane stuff (anybody know Dissection? Or Soulreaper?) and gory images are prevalent everywhere in metal songs, but this kinda crosses over the line doesn't it. And its not like they do it gently, with a touch of surreality. Its as hard-on in your face as their musical style: largely blunt, with traces of intricacy. For the music, it works, its great. For the lyrics, I'm not so sure.

Dave Pybus (bass), Chris Rehn (guitars), Sarah Jezebel Deva (vocals), Tommy Rehn (guitars), John Henriksson (drums)

Alright no matter what, the quality of the musicianship displayed in this album cannot be denied. Angtoria doesn't just walk a fine line between mainstream listener-friendly and the raw energy and aggression of metal. They walk it with grace and style. As long as you're not opposed to listening to something that's slightly more straining on the ears than rock, no matter whether you're a metalhead or not, you're gonna be awed. Yeah, just don't pay too much attention to the lyrics huh.

Below is the official video for their title track, "God Has a Plan for Us All". Not the ideal song that I would have wanted our readers to try, but apparently its the only video Angtoria made, and I've seen the fan-made ones... Just don't strain yourself trying to hear what she's singing and it'll be fine, the song's still good, trust me.

Verdict: 8.9/10

Song of The Week: Celtic Frost - Os Abysmi Vel Daath

Yeah so the honour of being of our very first song of the week goes to Os Abysmi Vel Daath by Celtic Frost. A track off their 5th and last studio album, Monotheist, released in 2006. Its Celtic Frost's first full album released after they reformed in 2001, having disbanded in 1993, and will be the only one, seeing that they've recently decided to split-up once again for good.

Celtic Frost have changed their style a bit over the years, since their first formation in 1984, ranging from thrash to gothic and doom. But this Swiss band's reputation as a leading influence on extreme metal stays with them pretty much all the time.

This song works in a pretty cool way. Its has a commonly slow tempo with the usual distorted, abrasive guitar tone a la doom metal. But true to their avant-garde roots of experimentation, there's some really eerie squealing in the background music which, coupled with the continuously heavy chugging riff, makes it chillingly atmospheric. And the vocals are so creepily dead and somehow simultaneously vicious, it just raises the hair off your skin. Lyrics are kinda poetic, depressingly so, though the chorus, if it can be called that, gets rather repetitive. But that just makes the whole song more chilling instead.

This is not a mainstream song you jig along to on the streets while playing it on your ipod, or feel contemplative about when you sit on the bus listening to it. Its not melodic or catchy, few doom metal songs are, and not everybody take such songs well. What it is though, is frighteningly dark and menacing. Late at night, draw your curtains, sit in a dark corner and give Os Abysmi Vel Daath a try. Your blood will run cold.



Found a slideshow of Celtic Frost on youtube that goes with the song, check it out.