Lyriel – Paranoid Circus
The Opening
Welcome
The Feather in the Wind
The Regret
Elderberry and Lavender
Lullaby
Foeman's Bride
The Wolf
So Long
My Unawakened Soul
Paranoid Circus
The Wheel of Fortune
The Way of Nowhere
Another Time
The Closure
Just from looking at those songtitles up there, you can probably guess that Lyriel play 'Gothic metal', of the Within Temptation variety. While the band have the requisite female singer, they don't follow genre cliché as much as you might expect. This is most obvious in the fact that instead of using a shitty synthesiser, the band include amongst their ranks a violinist and cellist. While this isn't incredible in itself, it allows the music to feel much more organic, and the mournful tones of a real violin can never be equalled by a keyboard. The record can also boast catchy hooks in abundance – the band sure can write a chorus that worms its way into your brain.
However, as is usually the case with this genre, the 'metal' element is lacking any any real force, and without any over-the-top symphonic lunacy to make up for this, the band can occasionally sound slightly lacking in power. This is also true of Jessica Thierjung's vocals; while not a bad singer by any means, she lacks the ability to really belt out a song like the genre's leaders. The band occasionally become even more restrained, and drop any pretence of metal altogether, such as on 'So Long', which is more folky pop than anything else. It is far less convincing than their more metal moments. A bit of restraint can be a good thing – but isn't melodramatic symphonic madness the reason people listen to this genre? The title track is the nearest they come to Nightwish-style epic bombast, and it's among the better songs on the album. It seems bizarre to say that a band are at their best when they're at their most clichéd, but in Lyriel's case, that's comepletely true.
Reviewed by Ed Chapman
Paranoid Circus out now on Femme Metal
|
6
|
 |
CD Reviews 
