Label : AFM Records
Review by Tony Cannella
It’s no secret that the long running Norwegian band Theatre of Tragedy have rich history and have been highly influential on many of today’s bands. Thanks in part to the tremendous work they did on their first three albums. After that the bands direction changed course and they released a couple techno/electronic CDs that polarized many of their fan base. Say what you want about those two CDs (“Musique” and “Assembly”) it was a bold move to tackle uncharted musical territories. Following the departure of original female vocalist Liv Kristine the band soldiered on with her replacement Nell Sigland and released a solid album (“Storm”) that was – in part – a return to their old vibe – while still moving full speed ahead – and was a welcomed return by many long time fans. Now the band is back with a new CD with the curious title of “Forever Is The World”.One thing you have to admire about Theatre of Tragedy is that they have always made the the kind of music that they want to and with “Forever Is The World” that continues. “Hide and Seek” begins things with an eerie vibe. This is actually a really good opener that sees Raymond Rohonyi starting off with a sinister sounding growl type of vocals before Nell Sigland joins in on the chorus. This song has a very dark quality to it that really makes it a favorite of mine. “A Nine Days Wonder” is next and sees Nell handling the bulk of the vocals on this one. The song contains a solid riff throughout that is just steady and like a guiding hand for the song. “Revolution”, “Transition” and “Hollow” keep things moving along steadily. Other highlights include: “Frozen”, “Deadland” and the fabulous title track “Forever Is the World” which brings the CD to it’s conclusion. The guitars are definitely up front throughout the CD and the CD is a good mix of their classic stuff and the more experimental musical approach that the band have been known for. It would be unfair to judge “Forever Is the World” based on the awesomeness of the earlier Theatre of Tragedy material. This is TOT in 2009 and beyond. The future looks indeed bright for this long running metal band. If you (like me) thought that “Storm” was a return to greatness, than “Forever Is the World” should appeal to you.
Rating – 80/100
Tracklist
- Hide and Seek
- A Nine Days Wonder
- Revolution
- Transition
- Hollow
- Astray
- Frozen
- Illusions
- Deadland
- Forever Is the World
Line Up
- Nell Sigland – Vocals
- Raymond István Rohonyi – Vocals, Programming
- Vegard K. Thorsen – Guitars
- Frank Claussen – Guitars
- Lorentz Aspen – Keyboards, Pianos
- Hein Frode Hansen – Drums
Links