Band:
Dawn Desireé Smith - Vocals (lead, backing)
Ted Tringo - Piano
Jennifer Judd - Vocals (backing)
Terran Olson - Clarinet, Flute
Molly Leigh Jones - Cello
John Clark - French horn
Tom Moth - Harp (classical)
George Ball - Snare drums
Chad Bell - Trumpet
Kelly Ralston - Viola
Julian Spiro - Violin (lead)
Brian Schmidt - Violin (lead)
Brona McVittie - Vocals (lead, backing)
Chris Abeel - Cello (tracks 5, 12, 14)
MaryBeth Kern - Clarinet
Germàn Domador - Timpani
Victor Fuenmayor - Trombone
Nathan Nasby - Vocals (leadm backing)
Luke Payne - Cello
Discography:
Love Poems for Dying Children - Act I (1996)
Love Poems for Dying Children... Act 2: The Garden of Crystalline Dreams (1997)
Absolution (EP 1999)
Love Poems for Dying Children... Act III: Winter and the Broken Angel (2000)
Eclipse (2004)
The Hallowing (2007)
The Origin of Sleep (EP 2018)
Guests:
Kamancheh on "A Pulse in the Celestial Sphere": Amir Mofrat
Trombone on "The Grieving" and "The Day of Wrath": Petar Milanovic
Cello on "In Remembrance"..: Christine Hardigan
Spiccato Cello on "Rainlight ascension": Charlot Rivero
Spiccato Cello on "Colors Hidden Within The Gray": Isobel Alsup
Classical Guitar on "The Impressionist": Oleg Maximov
Bansuri on Drift: Josh Plotner
Spiccato cello on "In Remembrance": Carolina Teruel
Medieval bagpipes on "In Remembrance": Simon Blum
Medieval bagpipes on "In Remembrance": Steeven Didier
Medieval bass drum on "In Remembrance": Charlotte Reckinger
Floor toms on "In Remembrance": Benjamin Wanschoor
Snare drum on "In Remembrance": Mattias Borgh
Info:
Composition, arrangements, lyrics, piano: Ted Tringo
Lead / backing vocals, vocal / lyric arrangements: Brona McVittie
Lead / backing vocals, vocal / lyric arrangements: Dawn Desiree Smith
Lead / backing vocals, vocal / lyric arrangements: Nathan Nasby
Lead / backing vocals, vocal / lyric arrangements: Beraud
Lead / backing vocals, vocal arrangements: Jennifer Judd
Lead Violin and string arrangements: Brian Schmidt
Lead Violin and string arrangements: Julian Spiro
Bagpipes, toms and bass drums on "In Remembrance" engineered by Manon Deltombe
Artwork: Graszka Paulska
All tracks mastered by Olaf Parusel except "Drift" mastered by Ted Tringo
Released 2019-01-18
Reviewed 2019-02-13
Links:
bandcamp
Darkwave is a label used on this band; they deal with classically styled compositions. It is inspired by late Icelandic composed Jóhann Jóhannsson, and seems much focused on the female vocals and the atmospheres. Strong production. Kind of restrained, not bombastic in appearance despite the symphony and that sort of thing. Some might miss the grandeur. But the production is really strong and I really like the vocals, they are kind of hypnotic I think. Quite the long album though, with fourteen tracks it has a playing time that passes the one-hour mark. And it is an album that requires that you give it both time and attention if you want to get into it and discover its depth and storylines.
It is quite an interesting album. It is good. I like the atmospheres, the feel, and the vocals. It is hypnotic and draws you in. At least it does so for a while, after my favourite track Prodigy I tend to lose interest and it has happened several times that I have turned the album off when the title track begins. But while I have these reservations I still think that the album is good, and it is interesting. The thing is that the album feels a tad on the long side, either it is long or it could have been a bit more dynamic with a more bombastic track or something a bit faster, something more grand perhaps. More dynamics is something that I think would have benefitted the album quite a bit.
I like this album; I like it in parts, or parts of it. The album as a whole is a bit too long for me, perhaps it is ADD, or I might just not get the whole picture. I have trouble with albums that are long and don’t really move much, low pace is not something I tend to like and this is a low paced album. But it is so attractive in parts and you have to really like that, and you also have to like the way that they do their thing and really dare to follow their vision. That is always a plus for a band, but no matter how well they convey their atmosphere it is hard to see them make any major impact as the album is not memorable or accessible enough to reach the wider audiences.
HHHHHHH
