cover art by Travis Smith.

Recorded at Klangschmiede Studio by Markus Stock

Pity, because......   

To tell the truth i  am  a little bit disappointed. From the album successor of "Burning: A Wish" and from the band of "Adorer &  Somebody" i was expecting something more and not necessarily something softer or undecided.  Here we don't know exactly if we want to be heavy or not, if we want to be Gothic Rock or if we want to maintain still something of Metal , but the worse of everything is that , if in the previous album the influences from Katatonia were rather clear, well now what kind of influences are we listening to ? Oh gosh,  to the  unbearable (in my opinion) H.I.M. ones (sigh ...of not relief) . I don't want to say that this album is  bad, on the contrary it showcases brilliant moments,  but i move away from the chorus of the general very enthusiastic  critics and this for the following reasons: 1)  i don't appreciate the kind of evolution done by this band starting from doom-death and landing to gothic-alternative rock (in my eyes a kind of fall indeed), 2) i cannot stand ANY H.I.M. influences (vocals included) and even more in a softer music like melancholic rock is (i explain better: if Sentenced showcase here and there some chords which can recall HIM, well Sentenced remain Sentenced and their music absolutely metal), and finally 3) i cannot praise a general  lack of decision. I mean this album could be great if the genre of music proposed would be underlined with much more decision in the area of  a more definite direction. In "Fall, i will follow" there are  common factors among the songs  like the very emphasized dark feelings, the melancholy, a general basic rock and roll structure, a good instrumental work (from guitars till drums which are very often in foreground), a good production, but still we don't understand well where we want to go. As if the band would be still in search of its style, and vocals are not excluded from this situation, on the contrary maybe they are the most involved.  

Nevertheless "Fall, i will follow" includes also many positive qualities: above all the presence of a fantastic song like "Sear me pale Sun"  which elevates the artistic level of this album: and in this song one can still find a reminiscence, an echo of  the doom-death roots of the band perfectly mixed with Rock and Roll and with  the sad, melancholic and filigreed dark style. Vocals are in this song really nice to be heard , ranging from an almost growl-style to  filtered clean (even if too filtered for my tastes). The track is catchy , heavy, rather speed, "metallic" enough and fades into the second and last part where the prevailing hammond key and the square drums, soon joined by an almost orchestral soundscape, perform a deep, atmospheric , emotional and decadent melody. A masterpiece which violently contrasts with the other tracks .   The Nothingship is a killer of sadness, it leads you down in an abyss of despair and discouragement, and the thing is very valuable cause it's  not a slow song, on the contrary it is very good rhythmed and heavy ,  underlined by an excellent piano: The Nothingship is  able to be one of the most depressive song i have ever heard. These just above mentioned 2 songs only are the whole album worth, and express, also in the vocals field, the true style of the band, which is amazing and not commercial at all, but is it really enough? Another positive point, i was saying,  is the general good instrumental work which lets suppose how talented is this band whose playing can range from a deep melancholy to a fresh and lively rock, and that should create more songs like Sear me pale Sun or The Nothingship, instead of running after HIM, alternatives and co. 

Liquid is something of its own, with its emo-rock influences mixed with the usual sadness à la HIM , and the ability of the band to enrich this song with a cool technique turns this track into something interesting, though the  song structure is not that astonishing.  Under your... is a cool , sensual, catchy, intense song, really enjoyable, spoiled by the usual HIM influences and by a filtered voice that here should have nothing to search. Under your... with another interpretation would be  a fascinating track of (love)gothic metal, but no , it seems that the will to create "something for the masses" (which anyway will never "buy" Lacrimas Profundere) is too strong... patience. The instrumental, piano oriented ....and her Enigma is heavier than For bad Times, but not too persuasive, though those piano loops are really involving. Fornever is very original, articulated  and heavy, sign that the metal is always there in wait. 

On the contrary, For bad Times, unfortunately opener, with a foreseen structure and with the  vocal opening which seems a clone of Ville Valo, should take directly the way to the recycle bin, i think. Adorer Two, eh... it reminds me Rapture, but i'm not content about, cause it is not as much  good as Rapture are. Last is catchy and rocks a lot , with tempo-changes between slow , atmospheric, and faster passages, with rather speed guitars which can recall Sentenced too, but the "HIM" vocals again , in my opinion, couldn't spoil  this song more. I did it for you is very atmospheric but we miss here a stroke of genius in order to make it immense.

Pity, really pity: a killer album spoiled maybe by some compromises, masked in general with homogeneity. Compromises with art? Ah never! The talented German Lacrimas Profundere now, in my opinion are facing a crossroads: they can choose in future between giving more strength to their ideas, to the their darkness, without imitating anyone,   in the field of Gothic Metal, underlining  the doom roots, ....or...falling, but please, if you allow me, in that case,  i will not follow....

rating: 7.8/10

dalia di giacomo