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Band: Molllust
Album title: In Deep Waters
Release date: 25 September 2015
Label: Self-Released
Tracklist:
01. Ouvertüre Nr.2
02. Unschuld
03. Evenfall
04. Paradis Perdu
05. Voices Of The Dead
06. Paradise On Earth
07. Spring
08. Lampedusa
09. König der Welt
10. Number In A Cage
11. Papa
12. Passage Nostalgique
13. Sabrina
14. Erlkönigs Töchter
15. Traumwelt
The leading German opera metallers Molllust are back with their sophomore album; three years after the debut, Schuld, and more than two years after the fantastic EP Bach Con Fuoco. In the meantime the bands mastermind, vocalist, pianist and main composer Janika Groß also became a part of renowned classical/medieval metal ensemble Haggard. I can't deny that I had some big expectations for this album, as Molllust have in their line-up, beside Janika, some really talented musicians and already on their first two releases showed that they have all the necessary settings to make something big, but unfortunately it didn't happen as expected. Musically the band actually showed some improvements regarding to their previous works, but compositions are more or less bland, uninspired, there's a lack of pathos and I miss kind of a flow in most of the songs.
Molllust offer on In Deep Waters 75 minutes and 15 songs of what they labeled as opera metal and to tell you the truth that's all about, but yet there is present all over kind of a progressive symphonic element, sometimes the song structures are almost jazzy, they added more of those typically classical elements, the avantgardish smell is still present there and also some gothy shades make kind of intrusion. The band must be once again complimented for using only real instruments and no synthetic sounds, even though I believe that some synths in the background could add a bit of depth and atmosphere. There's no lack of variety on this album, every song is very diverse, thus also dynamic, but it never reaches that captivating catchiness that hooks you and lets you fully enjoy in the composition.
Janika Groß is a great soprano singer, her voice is strong, dynamic, with a large vocal range, as well I must say that male vocals performed by Frank Schumacher are better than before. Drums are powerfull, technical, sometimes almost bombastic, guitar chords and riffs give to the songs that special metallic feel, but the real charm of Molllust's sound lies in use of classical instruments, violins, cello, doublebass and of course piano. The opener "Ouvertüre Nr.2" is maybe the best thing up here, as it opens the album with such a nice dark piano driven atmosphere where it seems that the band reaches at the very beginning kind of a climax. There's no need to deny that almost in every single song the listener is able to find great moments, just give a listen to "Evenfall" or "Paradis Perdu", there are some marvelous parts, but sooner or later the band starts to complicate and ruins the feeling with too much complexity. Also my other favorites, the doomy "Number In A Cage" and playful "Spring", both have the same problem, it starts with kind of dense metal drive, great riffs and marvelous vocals, but it soon loses the thread with those badly imposed baroque/classical insertions. It feels just like if the band out of the sudden started to improvise with everything.
I thought that use of other languages, beside only German lyrics, like it was a case in the past, would be a positive thing, but it doesn't help that much. On the album you'll find lyrics in German, English, French and even some tiny parts in Italian. In the end I find most of the songs more or less similar to each other, there's a metal part, followed by a classical and operatic part, then add some twists and turns and there you go. Thanks to the solid production the listener can at least enjoy in each and every instrument, and only if you focus on the tiny details than you'll get out of this album the best what's offered. Still, if you think that kind of a complex classical opera metal could be a thing for you, than Molllust can became your next great discovery, but those who are searching for something more emotive, deep, coherent, cohesive and flowing will only find 75 minutes of difficult time.
Review written by: T.V.
Rating: 6/10
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