Search - Dark Sanctuary :: L'Etre Las L'Envers Du Miroir

In the "Miroir"

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 05/09/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Not a lot of neoclassical/goth bands lean this heavily on the "classical" part of their music. But French band Dark Sanctuary does in their third album "L'Etre Las - L'Envers du Miroir," a sweeping, dark album full of gothic flourishes and operatic vocals. It's all too easy to get swept up in.



It starts off soft, with a few heavy organ notes building in intensity, before they are joined by a chorus of aching strings. Having gotten the listeners melancholy and mellow, Dark Sanctuary then launches into a sweeping gothic anthem, full of operatic vocals and restrained drumming.



Things soften up after there, but they don't get less intense. The operatic tone continues even on the quieter songs, like the soaring violin-led title track, or the hymnlike "Les Larmes Du Meprise." The album really takes off with the medieval splendour of "Assombrissement De L'Ame," and a string of darker, bitter songs that follow.



Then it suddenly changes tone again, with the neoclassical gypsy-dance (huh? Yes, that's right) of "Vie Ephemere," where the only stately thing is the vocals. After that, the album starts to wind down to a close, with four stately, quiet songs. "Tout Ce Sang Verse," the ending, is the most poignantly simple song on the entire album.



Listening to a Dark Sanctuary song is a bit like walking through a haunted palace. It's gorgeous, dark, and a bit disturbing, and by the end you feel a little sad. It may take a little while for you to fully "get into" the dark mood of "L'Etre Las - L'Envers du Miroir," but it's worth doing just to hear the beauty of the music.



And it can't be denied that the music is exceptionally beautiful. They don't opt for some additions to neoclassical like gravelly voiceovers and grinding synth. It's kept restrained with piano, organ and violins, with church bells and music boxes thrown in to keep it interesting. The most openly dramatic part of the music is the sweeping melodies.



A few of the songs might leave you scratching your head, such as the fifty-second "Malveillance," an electro-Renaissance song that deserved to be at least a minute longer. And the murky "Profondeur De L'Ame" is sufficiently hymnlike and solemn, but is overlaid with whispering voices. Perhaps they're supposed to be the voices of the dead, or something; if they are, then they definitely add to the dark, bittersweet atmosphere.



"L'Etre Las - L'Envers du Miroir" shows Dark Sanctuary in fine form, with a collection of exquisite dark songs that will leave listeners pining for more. Magnifique!"