Artist: Tristania
Label: SPV
Release Date: 2/1/05
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Title: Ashes Artist: Tristania Label: SPV Release Date: 2/1/05 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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3 | ||
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3 | ||
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Abyss's Review:
I swear, every time I see this band's name I'm expecting some over the top German power metal. But alas, Tristania instead are a fusion of epic progressive metal and goth, a perfect compromise between Opeth and Nightwish. And while I'm sure fans of this band loathe those comparisons, I don't know what their beef is about, because it's dead on the money.
"One word review: Solid." This album starts off impressively with the Blackwater Park-inspired "Libre." In fact, this song takes a little bit away from the rest of the album, which struggles to keep up with lofty first impressions. But there is no denying that this is a quality album. The problem with this band isn't the time or effort they put into their work, but the fact that the final product seems either partially borrowed or uninteresting. Even when this band strays from formula, like on "The Wretched," the outcome still sounds heavily influenced by someone else (in this case, Marilyn Manson).
Regardless, many a younger fan will have no problem looking past all this, and maybe that's not such a bad thing. Because, I will be first to admit, there are a handful of tracks on this disc that are well worth listening to, regardless of who they sound like. I for one don't think a band has to break new ground on every disc that they create, but the simple fact is that, even four albums into their career, I still don't know who Tristania are. To me they're that band with the stupid name. And in a way that's a real shame, because one can tell within seconds of listening to them that they are a talented lot.
So for those of you who still crave chocolate in your peanut butter and Opeth in your Nightwish, Tristania is a pretty safe bet. Of course the bad side of that is that's all they are . . . a safe bet. One word review: Solid.
Death's Review:
I don't really know much about Tristania's history, although I had heard of them before of course and have now learned that they are a seven-person band from Norway (three vocalists, drums bass, and guitar, plus a synth player), and that this is their fourth full-length and first since 2001. But possession of those or any other of the usual background facts are not necessary to enjoy their new album, Ashes. The music stands on its own, and all in all is really cool, an interesting, eclectic mix of metal subgenres and styles. I hear Opeth, Moonspell, Lacuna Coil/The Gathering, Danzig, Type O Negative and Dream Theater, all within the first couple of songs. The female vocals are very good, and the male vocals are cool too. I like the confidence of this band, and the Opeth-style flow to some of the riffing stands out within the darkwave-speckled brutality. Those with open minds and open ears will find a lot to enjoy. Definitely worth checking out.
"Definitely worth checking out."
Hel's Review:
To be perfectly honest, this album is driving me nuts. I keep spinning it 'round and 'round, hoping to force it into distinct components, as if my cd player were some kind of crazy musical centrifuge. And it just isn't working. I have undertaken this exercise in an effort to parse out exactly what it is I am listening to. Yet I continue to fail. Why does it matter? Because I have a need to feel like an album is ultimately going somewhere – getting to a point, if you will. An album should be a collection of work that somehow fits together, not a random collection of songs. In this regard, this albums causes me to feel as though Tristania cannot fully commit to an identity. Do they want to be prog? Goth? Black? Instead of taking bits of each and combining them into something their own, this strikes me more as, “in this song, we’ll be ___” and “in this song we’ll be ___.” At this stage, I’m just looking for a way to make it all fit together somehow.
"At this stage, I’m just looking for a way to make it all fit together somehow." I would probably be remiss if I did not point out that I don't have any prior experience with Tristania. Though I have heard of them, I've never heard anything that compelled me to want to make a big effort to check them out. As has been said on these pages many times before: too much metal, too little time. Frankly, this album doesn't really make me regret my lapse, though there's really nothing wrong with it. The songs are, taken independently from one another, rather good and the performances are solid across the board. Even the female vocals are palatable. But the lack of an overall direction to the album troubles me for some reason. Without it, I feel as though Tristania is aimlessly wandering the musical landscape.
It is entirely likely that I am being unduly critical. A headache has been plaguing me for a week now, and this may have negatively impacted my opinion of the record. Maybe I'm just not in the mood for something this goth at this point in time. Whatever the case may be, while I can appreciate Tristania's good points, the album as a whole leaves me feeling baffled and frustrated. In the end, it is a matter of personal perspective; another may find this album varied and interesting. If you are on the fence, definitely give Ashes a spin for yourself before you make your decision.
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