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date: 01 1 2000
When it comes to gothic metal, most people probably think of some guys dressed in black leather, odd haircuts, some hot chick in a red or black velvet dress, lots of keyboards and symphonic harmonies and of course a garden of roses (we are not referring to gothic rock, neither to dark wave here). Well, that would be the fancy side of gothic. But those who founded this genre had nothing to do with this sort of attitude. Most people agree that the gothic metal's birth certificate is Gothic of Paradise Lost, but as far as I am concerned, the one who led it to perfection were the Swedish Cemetary. Of course, that's a subjective statement, as Cemetary is my favorite band in the gothic area. But in the same time, this marvelous album named Black Vanity is one of the few able to gather all the specific elements of the genre.
Black Vanity is a perfect symbiosis between vocals, instrumental, atmosphere, lyrics and feelings. We deal with a depressive album (as gothic is but wedding music), but not that depression making you want to cut your wrists, as for the doom, but with a pleasant melancholy guiding you to introspection. The instrumental sounds perfect, the guitar riffs are pretty simple but effective, Mathias Lodmalm vocals fits the context great. Nothing is forcefully attempted, everything flows, all in a perfect unity, song after song. Cemetary also proves how a sublime atmosphere can be suggested without the keyboards.
Another strong point of the album is given by the lyrics, whose sense is pretty difficult to perceive at once, as they evoke personal states of mind of their creator. Black Vanity is that rare kind of albums with no drawbacks, that album that represents the major highlight in a band's life, that album that couldn't be recreated despite all the attempts, as it is the supreme inspiration. And that one rarely comes second time. The most glorious moment of the album is Sweet Tragedy, one of the best songs of the entire genre. One sole regret: this one is too short. Other songs worth mentioning: Pale Autumn Fire, Last Departure or Rosemary Taste the Sky.
I end up recommending to spin this album as much as possible to understand the roots of gothic metal or, at least, as a perfect antidote for products like Theatre of Tragedy. No offence…
1. Bitter Seed
2. Ebony Rain
3. Hunger Of The Innocent
4. Scarecrow
5. Black Flowers of Passion
6. Last Departure / Serpentine parade
7. Sweet Tragedy
8. Pale Autumn Fire
9. Out In Sand
10. Rosemary Taste The Sky