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Band: Annodomini
Album title: Amourtality
Release date: 2012
Label: Gravitator records
Tracklisting:
01. Los Angeles Devils
02. Play Darkness
03. Orchids Entwined (feat. Nookie (СЛОТ)
04. To Say Goodbye
05. Venus
06. Post Scriptum
07. My Final Dope
08. Perfect Misery
09. I Am The Drug
10. Arms Of Sorrow
Annodomini is a young quartet coming from Russia and Amourtality is their second album, following Sixtrinity Secret released back in 2008. After some changes in line up we are facing at quite a mature album, but too much commercialy oriented sound aiming towards »rebellious« and »desperate twillight saga« teenagers who are for the first time in love and dress in black clothes with pink sneakers... Jokes aside, but I'm not so far from the truth.
Their music is a kind of pop gothic, as they say »love« metal/rock in the vein of HIM, The Rasmus, 69 Eyes, Lacrimas Profundere, Negative, Entwine, Evanescence and so on. Song titlles like »Los Angeles Devils«, »My Final Dope«, »Perfect Misery«, »I Am The Drug« and »Arms Of Sorrow« say a lot about the lyrical matter and if you are older than 20 you'll probably pass this subject. Radio and MTV friendly songs are actually showing a lot of musical skill, as they are able to create some nice hard rock and melancholic metal melodies, like in the opener »Los Angeles Devils«, or »Perfect Misery«. The best track up here is without doubt »Orchids Entwined«, featuring strong, rocking and captivating female vocals performed by guest vocalist Nookie from countrymates SloT, who formed a nice duet with singer Andres Danchin. In this song you can hear also some nice »suomi« kind of metal riffage with great sing along chorus. This one has certainly been responsible for a little bit higher rating from my side. All of the songs are accompanied with varied atmospheric gothic synths in the background, what it's not a bad thing as it gives more depth to their sound. Here and there are some cliche cheesy guitar solos and acoustic parts (e.g. in the ballad »Venus«). Andres vocals are not that bad, but again nothing especially great and somehow unoriginal, as he is trying to sing like Ville (HIM), Mika (Entwine) or even more like Rob (Lacrimas Profundere) and partly he even succedes, although there could be a little more energy in his voice. In the future I suggest him to improve his tone as he has kind of Russian accent within English words, which is sometimes distracting, but maybe is this just my point of view and somebody could find this exotic. Easy, but distinctful bass lines and the same kind of drummming are nothing special, but nevertheless not bad, as they are giving a nice drive to those songs.
All in all, those 10 songs are flowing nicely, are well composed and produced and if you are not a demanding kind of person about your »dark« music, then you should try it. Even if this release adds nothing new to the genre and even if out there are many better releases I must say that the fans of above mentioned bands have a new player in the field, who mustn't be overlooked. These Russians have skills, but are trapped inside the walls of safe play within the genre.
Review written by: T.V.
Rating: 6/10
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