Search - Eisheilig :: Eisheilig

Excellent Gothic / Industrial Metal

Twitch | Atlanta, GA | 02/02/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Hailing from what seems to be the gothic / industrial capital of the world, Germany, this interesting mix of both the aforementioned genres and a fairly heavy metallic edge with their excellent self titled debut album. Combining what seems to be a mix of the gothic inspired dreariness of November's Doom and - not to sound cliché at all - the keyboard driven heaviness and vocal approach of Rammstein (not just because they are a well known German band, I just hear similarities between the two), Eisheilig create a depressing, symphonic, and alluring atmosphere as well as some of the most innovative gothic metal in quite some time. Though very melodic and moody, the brash and heavy nature of the guitar and bass keeps this from becoming another boring Casio keyboard driven pseudo metal. Perhaps the aspect of this album that separates Eisheilig from the rest of the gothic pack is the dark, but not quite dirty, vocals; his voice adds to the atmosphere even more than the riffs or the keys. Another great aspect of the album is their professional use of symphonics on the album. Surprisingly they use this tool quite sparingly and allow it to add to the sound of their music and not allow it to become irritating and basically redundant. As previously mention, the guitar and bass sound can be quite heavy but like the vocals, they do not go over board and make this sound any way like a death metal type record, but are still fabulous. "Vater Unser" is perhaps the most enjoyable track; it is the epitome of their sound. Quite simply put, Eisheilig is one of the best gothic metal bands in quite some time, and definitely a new favorite. This is dark and brooding metal of the highest order that you have to hear to believe."