Elegant… and Dying is more refined, better produced than its predecessor, and features less of Roland’s raspy, I’m-a-tortured-soul snarls. I prefer it slightly more to their second release, 2003’s Elegant… and Dying, which certainly isn’t bereft of any of the passion shown on Sombre Romantic. The music is dramatic, theatrical, and hauntingly moving. Out of the many bands featured on Unquiet Grave, Australia’s Virgin Black stood out as the tragic highlight with their song “Drink the Midnight Hymn.” Incorporating black metal elements with Rowan London’s raspy growls, fit-for-a-graveyard sound production and lyrics centered on the contrasting, interlaced themes of beauty and loss, the song served as a good introduction to Virgin Black.Ģ001’s Sombre Romantic, from which “Drink the Midnight Hymn” hails, is Virgin Black’s first studio album. I saw the album art depicting a muddled angel and silhouetted graves, and I read the ultra-goth title, and I thought, “I should take a chance on this,” and so I did. 3 during my senior year of high school circa 2006. The comments are property of their posters, all other content © Sea of Tranquility SoT is Hosted by SpeedSoft.I remember with some level of clarity when I first heard Virgin Black after picking up Unquiet Grave Vol. Please see our Policies Page for Site Usage, Privacy, and Copyright Policies.Īll logos and trademarks in this site are property of their respective owner. If you have questions or comments, please Contact Us. More metallic, darker, and clearly the band's heaviest, darkest work to date.įor information regarding where to send CD promos and advertising, please see our FAQ page. Requiem - Mezzo Forte are reprised here - listen to "Silent" for a goodĮxample - although it's clearly a very different record. Relatively short piece at just 44 minutes, with 7 tracks averaging over 6 Whose songwriting skills and powerful vocals define this album. Virgin Black is the brainchild of Australian singer/keyboardist Rowan London, It's a clever idea that you'd be inclined to expect from a Nordic act - but Despite the big differences among them, theyĪll borrow themes from one another and progress in a musically linear path fromĬlassical to extreme metal, yielding a trilogy that ought to be collected in its released in early 2007 was a classical / metal crossover, and this album - isĪ heavy death / doom metal piece. Requiem - Pianissimo will be entirely classical Requiem - Mezzo Forte Virgin Black spent over a year and recorded three albums at the same time: Have a wonderful blend of tones that are at once disturbing and relaxing. Add the the choirs of clean male vocals, the veryĭeliberate pacing offset by occasional double-bass attacks, the purity ofĪdelaide Symphonic Orchestra and the rich texture of operatic sopranos, and you Samantha Escarbe's slow-as-sludge minor-key power chords played on powerfullyĭistorted, detuned guitars. The instrumentation is predominantly driven by You'll have to understand the slow melodicism of doom metal, and you can't be Thoughtful, well written album that will stand out among others in its genre.īut you'd better appreciate the genre - because this music isn't for everyone. Progressive or art rock, and the brutality of extreme metal to deliver a Virgin Black blends the discipline of classical music, the sophistication of This isn't just any old doom or gothic or beauty and the beast stuff, though. The sweet sounds of orchestral music starkly emphasizes those two tonal It's doom metal with a darknessĪnd melancholy reminiscent of My Dying Bride, yet the wonderful female vocals and That contrast permeates the whole record. You'll hear deep doom metal growling, contrasted with an angelic soprano, and This is a real "beauty and the beast" album.