Despite being one of the lesser known outfits on the Black Mark roster (along with Germany's Thundersteel), Swedan's doom merchants
Lake of Tears are one of the most talented bands on that label. Headstones, a follow-up to 1994's impressive debut platter, Greater Art (see
the review in CROM #3), shows the band undergoing serious growth, yet at the same time it indicates their move towards a little simpler
direction.
What's really great here is David Brennare's decision to drop the growling altogether and continue on with clean vocals, very muscular and
heroic. Brennare's new singing style is now a mixture of Paradise Lost's Nick Holmes' James Hetfield impression (did you get all that?),
Rock'n'Rolf and occasionlly Wino (St. Vitus/The Obsessed). Musically, its faster than Greater Art, with a nod toward Icon era Paradise Lost,
Year Zero and a great Sabbath-y guitar sound. The band makes some stunning use of keyboards and backing vocals on "Dream Demon," my
personal fave track (now, is it just me, or does Brennare sounds exactly like Rock'n'Rolf on that one?). The disc's opener, "The Foreign
Road," is the album's most accessible tune, hinting at the more direct approach without being primitive. The solos here are kept simple,
melodic and very Scandinavian (a la Quorthon on Hammerheart).
For now, what little Lake of Tears had in terms of death metal is gone, allowing the band to develop as a top notch atmospheric doom band. I
hope Amorphis will learn something here (like get that "clean" singer in the band!).
From CROM #5
Rating:
(7/10)
Lady Rosenred EP, 1997
Genre: Heavy Rock
Reviewed by: Adam Bromley
As the melodic/doom metal band Lake of Tears has evolved over the
last few years with two previous records (_Headstones_ and _Greater
Art_), it seems as though the band decides more and more to make
their music take on multiple personalities, rather than gearing
towards a certain genre of music. Case in point: _Lady Rosenred_ EP.
Each song on this three-song offering (a release issued before the
forthcoming third LP, _A Crimson Cosmos_) is different from one
another, as the band explores duo singing arrangements on the title
track, a dance/techno metal feel on "Devil's Dinner" and the Pink
Floyd-esque song "A Crimson Cosmos". Much like the experimental ways
of Cathedral's _Hopkins: The Witchfinder General_ EP, this release
just goes to show that Lake of Tears feels the need to search out and
find new ideas to bring to their music. It also shows that they enjoy
playing those creations too.
Yeah, I know, yet another high ranking review, but this disc is really damn
good! The vocals are clean sounding, sometimes with a slight edge to them, but
the playing is rather doomy but more heavy metal/rock oriented. Their lyrics
are strange, though, especially on 'Boogie Bubble' and 'Devil's Diner,' but
they're rather trippy, check out 'Cosmic Weed!' I didn't enjoy 'To Die is To
Wake' very much, it's an okay track that features some guest female vocals,
and 'A Crimson Cosmos' is a little more mellow, which is cool for me but some
may find it a bit too mellow. I think these guys are going the route that
Cathedral went, check out the waaaaay cool artwork front and back covers!
Really trippy, man, I dig it, and it's definitely different! Oh, and I guess I
forgot to mention there's some piano playing in there too.
Despite being one of the lesser known outfits on the Black Mark roster (along with Germany's Thundersteel), Swedan's doom merchants
Lake of Tears are one of the most talented bands on that label. Headstones, a follow-up to 1994's impressive debut platter, Greater Art (see
the review in CROM #3), shows the band undergoing serious growth, yet at the same time it indicates their move towards a little simpler
direction.
Yeah, I know, yet another high ranking review, but this disc is really damn
good! The vocals are clean sounding, sometimes with a slight edge to them, but
the playing is rather doomy but more heavy metal/rock oriented. Their lyrics
are strange, though, especially on 'Boogie Bubble' and 'Devil's Diner,' but
they're rather trippy, check out 'Cosmic Weed!' I didn't enjoy 'To Die is To
Wake' very much, it's an okay track that features some guest female vocals,
and 'A Crimson Cosmos' is a little more mellow, which is cool for me but some
may find it a bit too mellow. I think these guys are going the route that
Cathedral went, check out the waaaaay cool artwork front and back covers!
Really trippy, man, I dig it, and it's definitely different! Oh, and I guess I
forgot to mention there's some piano playing in there too.