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Review:
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This debut album from the Czech progressive symphonic
metallers is the culmination of years of gradual evolution.
They started as a death/thrash metal band called Gate back
in 1997, founded by guitarist/vocalist Roman Turacek. Gradually
they added a guest female opera singer and keyboards to
their albums, as they became increasingly melodic. In 2005
they decided to demonstrate this by changing their name
to Gate of Sorrow and recruiting a full time operatic singer,
Milada Miltakova, who also looks after all the deeply emotive
lyrics, and keys player Ludvik Cihanek. The final piece
of the jigsaw was when guitarist Libor Miklas joined the
band in 2008. ****
A suitably mournful intro leads into eight songs packed
with melodic orchestrations, soaring operatics, and deep
melodic growls, with elements of prog, thrash, Epica (death/prog
symphonic) and Nightwish (gothic/power symphonic). This
is so much crammed into each song, it is difficult to pick
out favourites, but I was particularly taken with ‘Tears
in the Ashes’ and ‘Follow Me to the Other Side’. The album
ends the solemn and achingly beautiful piano ballad Sirius.
****
The producer has created an almighty, powerful, and
thunderous sound, but everything is perfectly balanced and
crystal clear. The interplay between melodic growls and
operatics is excellent, mainly due to keeping the male voice
deep in the mix and in the bass register, so that it does
not become dominant. Easily available for only 5 Euros plus
postage from their website. Even anti growlers like me will
find an enormous amount to enjoy in this awesome CD, full
of atmosphere, drama, emotion and soaring melodies.
http://www.myspace.com/gateofsorrow
9 out of 10
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