Theatre of Tragedy – Storm / 2006 Candlelight USA / 10 Tracks / http://www.theatreoftragedy.com / http://www.candlelightrecordsusa.com / Reviewed 06 August 2006

There are quite a few comparisons I can make for Theatre of Tragedy. One is that there is a definite comparison to acts like Nightwish (and to a lesser degree) Evanescence. However, the style of music that Theatre of Tragedy commits to disc is purely their own, and is not iinfluenced by what is popular or otherwise “cool”. This is not to say that the band does not have its own influences, but rather that the band builds off of these influences. During tracks like “Silence”, one notices that the style of metal that Theatre of Tragedy creates is something that extremely pop-laced, to the degree that it would be amazing if the band does not crack into the mainstream with this album. “Silence” is a track that is simplistic enough for listeners to sing along with, and still hard enough for metal fans to give a certain begrudging respect for.

The production is without fault; it smoothes out any rough edge and allows the band to shine. “Ashes and Dreams” is the first track that shows anything in the way of weakness for Theatre of Tragedy. In this track, the male vocals recreate the output during “Silence”. I am fine with a band attempting to create their own specific style with a disc, but there needs to be a little more in the way of differentiation to keep listeners on board.

This blend of goth and metal is a match made in heaven, and allows the band to grab an audience that is large in number and willing to pick up a CD from a new band. While some of the compositions (especially during “Voices”) may scale themselves back a little too much during the vocal sections of the tracks, the overall instrumental output is intense, with swirling guitars enveloping all other aspects of the instrumentation. The disc is extremely solid, with each track contributing to create a specific Theatre of Tragedy sound that individuals can then associate with the band. The band could keep up with this same general style for a few discs, but I would love to see Theatre of Tragedy try their hands at some other fields; thrash and grind come to mind – and see exactly what happens when they foray into that style, even for only one track. As it is, they do what they do on the disc perfectly, with only the most minor of problems standing in the way of listeners enjoying this album.

Top Tracks: Silence, Fade

Rating: 6.9/10

[JMcQ]