Gloomy Germans Give Great Goth Music
Marius Cipolla | 10/10/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Vocals are not the strongest point with this group (arrangements are) but they do a very impressive job with the voices they do have, whether the vocal is half-muttered male voice or a muffled female choir.
Goth bands tend to be spoiled by overbearing vocals from at least one operatic screamer, or sometimes a technically blinding but boring guitarist, or by starring The Incredible Hulk on drums. Lacrimosa are very different. For one thing, the melodies are real, and very varied (check out My Last Goodbye on this album). For another, a lot of orchestral instruments are used with sensitivity and taste. For a third, even when rawking out, there is something endearingly gentle about this group. Plus, they are Germans, and the Goth bloodline goes a long way back with them (several songs on all their albums are in English). I love their guitarist, too.
I recommend this album highly, but you can't go wrong with Fassade, Elodia or Echos, either. My son, who is heavily into Metal, thinks this stuff is too soft. Until his tastes mature, these beautiful records remain safely in my clutches."
If you love chamber music, you will adore Lacrimosa.
S. von der Feld | 09/06/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Long a fan of German bands Rammstein and Eisbrecher, who write in the 'harte rock' genre, which differs quite a bit from American hard rock and metal, I came across the line "Lichtgestalt in deren Schatten ich mich drehe" in a Russian co-worker's Skype profile. After a brief Google search, I was then on Amazon, picking up the Lichtgestalt and Fassade CDs. Fans of the deep, baritone sounds of Til Lindemann (lead singer of Rammstein) and Alexx Wesselsky (lead singer of Eisbrecher) will, at first, find Tilo Wolff's tenor range to be a bit jarring, especially when he sings loudly. However, once you establish the separation of familiar 'harte rock' from 'neue Goth,' -- as they are two unique, individual genres of music -- you can appreciate Tilo's tenor as well as his ability to compose and harmonize a variety of ranges of instruments and voices into song. While the title song, Lichtgestalt, verges more on rock than the other selections, I personally felt that more was needed -- a larger orchestra, and support from a Bach-like choir. By far Kelch der Liebe is the most amazing composition on the album. It is a beautiful work. My Last Good-bye is also gorgeous, as Anne Nurmi has a fabulous voice that ought to have received more air time on this CD. Yet, the songs I've mentioned left me craving -- not just for more of the CD, but also for more Lacrimosa, more 'neue Goth,' and more of the original, classical music that inspired the fusion of passionate and intense classical and rock music that became the signature of the Goth movement. The earlier Fassade album provided exactly what I was seeking. As a composer and lyricist, Tilo Wolff develops and delivers complex pieces that describe the highs and lows of the human experience. Perhaps with greater financial backing, more exposure of Anne Nurmi's ethereal voice, and a little less of the loudness that Tilo shouts into the microphone when he sings, Lacrimosa's complex harmonies and unshakeable talent will grow in much-deserved international renown."
Track Listings (8) - Disc #1