Lacrimas Profundere

Songs For The Last View

Written by: PP on 02/08/2008 09:17:32

Last time German gothic rockers Lacrimas Profundere released an album, I didn\'t get to check it out as it landed on the review desk of one of my fellow (now departed) scribes of Rockfreaks.net. Some of you may remember that she really didn\'t like the album (mildly said), and as such I was put off from checking out the band by a bad review. After listening to \"Songs For The Last View\", however, I\'m convinced that she was being a little bit too harsh on the Germans.

Sure, they do have a vocalist who sounds like a crossover between Ville Valo from HIM and the vocalist from The 69 Eyes (someone help me out with his name, please?), and they occasionally have some doom elements that remind you of My Dying Bride. They\'re gothic to the bone, and as you\'ll hear on the album, don\'t have the slightest of problems admitting it. Now before you scream \"operatic female singer, oh no!\", let me assure you that although Lacrimas Profundere do have some female vocals here and there, they are only left to the background and don\'t carry a dominant role on \"Songs For The Last View\". The focus is on the gloomy atmosphere brought by the thick, heavy rhythm section, the melancholic lead riffs, and of course the dark, somewhat miserable voice of the band\'s vocalist.

Granted, their brand of gothic rock barely deviates from the formula at all, utilizing everything from the distant group vocals to the gloomy ballads (see \"And God\'s Ocean\"), and as such, the album has severe trouble to get going in the start. But after the ballad reveals the true capability of their vocalist\'s voice, the album is almost re-born. \"Suicide Sun\" follows thereafter as easily the best track on the album, defeating many HIM anthems with its dark melody and especially the ridiculously complex guitar solo at the end of the song. Interesting to note here is that while the guitarist is going absolutely berserk, the rest of the band maintains the same casual, laid back tone as on any other part on the album. Brilliant passage, if you ask me.

The rest of the songs have a little bit more speed, and subsequently more kick to them, coming across as decent gothic rock songs with good choruses. But aside from one or two gems on the album, nothing seems quite out of the ordinary on the album, leaving the listener satisfied over the album without going around screaming about it to his or her friends. Alas, if you\'re eating gothic rock bands for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, do check out \"Songs For The Last View\", you\'ll like it. Otherwise, pass this one on in favour of Amberian Dawn.

p.s. Napalm Records PR department, the voice-overs make reviewing this album really difficult.

Download: Dear Army, Suicide Sun
For the fans of: HIM, The 69 Eyes, My Dying Bride
Listen: Myspace

Release date 30.06.2008
Napalm Records

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