chordofsouls | charlottesville, va USA | 07/18/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"i suppose that this album is a bit different for me than it will be for you, as i have known the guys themselves since the first album and watched them grow and was on hand while some of these songs were being written. i remember watching andy program "relics" and saying "here, play this guitar part so i can sing to this...." but anyway..... where shadows lie is an album that is stronger than most anything you will hear by more established bands in the genre. i think that one of the things that makes bella morte so impressive is their ability to sit so keenly in between old school goth and the newer more synthy styles. play "rain within her hands" and then skip forward to "where shadows lie" than back to "doubt" or "relics" and you'll know what i mean. not many bands can do what they do and do it so well. all of the keyboard programming is extremely strong. gopal's bass playing is solid, and even carries the melody at times. sadly missed at live shows now is the guitar work of Frizzle, but luckily enough it is caught on this album. andy's vocals combine a list of influenes too long to mention and years of training. in short - grab this album. your money is well spent. the best thing to happen to goth and cleopatra records in years."
Haunted Romance
Xandriana | 10/29/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"A few years ago, I was fed up with music. All of the bands that I listened to kept putting out the same sounds over and over again. When someone introduced me to Bella Morte, and I heard a song from 'Where Shadows Lie', "Mist and Stone", I had hope again in music. It took me to a place that I had never been previously. This is the most origional and diverse band of all time. Whether you are in the mood for dark romance or horrorish punk, they got you covered. Andy Deane's vocals will send you on a vacation that explores the depths of the soul: soothing, anguished, angry, grief-stricken, playful, you name it, and with Gopal Metro hammering out the bass like a madman, you can't go wrong. Don't worry about skipping songs, you don't have to. This album rocks the whole way through. Bella Morte paints the perfect picture of human emotion in a way that can be done only by them. "Where Shadows Lie" is my personal favorite by them and I'd recommend it to anyone."
Excellent old school goth
nullfate | sacramento, california | 06/10/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"i was searching for ANY goth music that i hadn't heard of yet. i was getting tired of the typical stuff that is coming out now.. it's all techno and techno inspired. then i found this album. i was blown away. they remind me of hybrid of christian death and bauhaus, but mixed with their own style. this three piece band from richmond, virginia is going to open the flood gates on the goth scene. hopefully they get the credit they deserve."where shadows lie" features a delightfully dark cover of berlin's "the metro." andy deane's voice makes the song into that of a deeply, depressing tale, than a pop masterpiece. my favorite track however would be the title one, "where shadows lie." it is the definition of goth, just enough guitars, dancable drums, plucky bass rythms, and a moany male persona. it reminds me of a time past, of dark smoky clubs, with pulsating music running through the veins of all occupants, more tule netting than a wedding, and more hairspray than an 80's music video. *sigh*anyway, buy this sophmoric release! it is well worth it, and the wait. i dont know how readily availible it is in store yet, and they arent selling it over the website anymore. the other album is out of print, and they are not sure when they will print again. true, this is on a major label - cleopatra - but you never know. just do it!"
As haunting as the sea, as soft as winter's touch
Jane Rhynn | CA | 05/30/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The songs are sad and inspiring, deep and haunting, gloomy and beautiful, loving and sorrowful, all at once and at the same time. Autumn in particular is a song in which the music, the lyrics, and even the message can each bring tears to my eyes in its bleak beauty, and give me visions of myself maturing through the decades... and I feel this odd love, even longing, for the Reaper. I can listen to it over and over. So many other songs like Doubt, The Rain Within Her Hands, Relics, Mist and Stone, December Dreams, and Winter are also favorites of mine, though the entire CD is good."
Another "you won't get an unbiased review here" album
ruthven1819 | Chattanooga, TN | 09/30/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Great band, great friends. Of course, if it wasn't for the music, I wouldn't have searched them out to begin with. "Where Shadows Lie" is a great album of gothic rock. Highly recommended, although their material from their upcoming album "The Quiet" is actually better. But all in all, a great purchase for fans of the genre, as well as a perfect introduction for people who are interested in diving into the goth scene."