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Band: Bella Lune
Album title: Secrets
Release date: 6 April 2013
Label: Aetheria Music
Tracklisting:
01. Hollow Hearts
02. The Biggest Lies
03. Utopian Dream
04. The Afterglow
05. The Wrong Way Home
06. Common Consciousness
07. Another
08. Take A Stand
09. Transmissions (Live Mix)
And here are Phoenix (USA) based Bella Lune with a brand new album, the third in their carreer. After their in 2010 released sophomore album Synesthesia and an interesting maxi single Ophelia, released in 2011, now the band comes with quite surprising new opus entitled Secrets, which shows quite some progression on the musical side regarding their previous outputs. To say it right away, even if Secrets is a very good effort, I expected even more from them, but it seems that Bella Lune decided to slowly reach the ultimate masterpiece of theirs. This is again, like all their past works a difficult listen, with few exceptions that can seduce with the very first spin.
Secrets with its nine tracks offers more dynamic sound, more straight compositions where guitars, bass lines, violin and drums take the leading role over electronics. Don't get me wrong, there's still a lot of synthesized sounds, but everything is more organic. The main role and the ultimate "thing" is based on dreamy and ethereal Fuchsia's voice which caresses with its emotional, yet somehow gloomy tone. Bella Lune have finally reached their own recognizable sound, although if their musical expression consists of mixing so many different genres, from darkwave, gothic rock, dreampop, industrial elements, synthpop, post-punk and even techno, that all appear in so many layers that enrich the musical spectrum. So, where's the hack? The thing that disturbs me is that Bella Lune only with half of the tracks up here reach the point of what they're really capable to do.
The ultimate track here is the highlight of the album "Utopian Dream" with its amazing and catchy melodies, great violin layers, nice guitar and dreamy atmosphere that gives a feeling of flying above all matters in life. Then the next in line, "The Afterglow", has captivating chorus and one of the best guitar leads up here, not to mention how fullfiled is the curtain of background sounds, where once again I must expose great violin lines, but the final touch is done by magical, still calm vocals. "Another" for example shows another level with one of the best vocal performances this band ever did, male/female duet here works great and the electronics in the background add the right dose of vintage pop scent. But why not make this one a little bit longer than only two minutes? Live mix of "Transmission" ends the line of good things up here. This track got its second version from Bella Lune on this album and I must say that this time with its rather upbeat pace really kicks ass.
Industrial/electro influenced "The Biggest Lies" and post-punkish opener "Hollow Hearts" are good examples of Bella Lune's progression, but in my opinion those two lack some character and glow. The guitars in "The Wrong Way Home" sound so similar to Depeche Mode, but the composition is too boring to make this one worth some points, also "Common Consciousness" and "Take A Stand" didn't make any impact on me and I consider those tracks more or less like fillers.
Still Secrets is the best album Bella Lune did in their history, not only from musical aspect, but as well from lyrical. It has perfect production and an amazing mix, but I believe that this band has still a lot of cards in their pockets that will be pulled out on their next albums. If this one will be an EP or a mini album with only those before mentioned excelent tracks, this would be a masterpiece, but unfortunately some tracks spoil the overall good picture. Anyway, I strongly suggest to all lovers of dreamy, yet modern goth sounds with a vintage peak to dig this one.
Review written by: T.V.
Rating: 7/10
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