Diabulus In Musica – Secrets
Renaissance
Come to Paradise
Nocturnal Flowers
Evolution's Whim
New Era
Lies in your Eyes
Lonely Soul
The Seventh Gate
Ishtar
Under the Shadow (of a Butterfly)
Beyond Infinity
The Forest of Ashes
St. Michael's Nightmare
Bolstered by all-star connections with Epica and the finest names in classical music, Diabulus In Musica appear to have hit upon a formula for sonic success. But despite these ornate trimmings, the Spaniards’ debut offering falls flat with an overdose of saccharine soprano, poppy melodies and random bursts of aggression.
Featuring complex arrangements and glittering guest appearances, the incredibly polished ‘Secrets’ is superb from a technical standpoint. The sumptuously gothic ‘Nocturnal Flowers’ features an epic combination of keyboards and choral vocals finished with layer upon layer of studio gloss. ‘Lonely Soul’ demonstrates the band’s classical talents particularly well with a bittersweet piano solo accompanied by Zuberoa Aznárez’s honeyed verses. Though DIM’s (an unfortunate acronym) metallic influences are apparent from the off, any aggressive content is smothered by a series of perky harmonies and Disney metal-style vocals. ‘Ishtar,’ however, opens on a promising slew of death grunts, but Zuberoa soon barges in with an operatic section which, despite the Epica influence, lacks the passion of fellow siren Simone Simons. While these classical elements are expertly performed, the band’s attempts to add metal to the mix produce horribly mismatched results. A tendency to combine speed metal with warbling vocals is among some of the album’s most unattractive features.
While symphonic metal junkies will adore ‘Secrets’’ extravagant style, its sanitised riffs and touches of diluted death metal make for ultimately lifeless fodder.
Reviewed by Faye Coulman
‘Secrets’ is out now on Metal Blade |
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