Band:	Draconian
Album:	A Rose For The Apocalypse
Style:	Gothic doom metal
Release date:	June 2011

01. The Drowning Age
02. The Last Hour Of Ancient Sunlight
03. End Of The Rope
04. Elysian Night
05. Deadlight
06. Dead World Assembly
07. A Phantom Dissonance
08. The Quiet Storm
09. The Death Of Hours
10. Wall Of Sighs [bonus]

Whenever I hear Draconian playing, I feel a bag of mixed feelings: calm but heavy, deep and majestic. And especially something I don't feel with many bands... chills all over my spine. And that for me is priceless.

The first time I heard this album it didn't hit me exactly like I was expecting. Fortunately, what I thought of the album upon my first listen has been completely changed with the subsequent hearings. Now I put it at a high level of excellence, at the level of previous Draconian works. It brings them a more mature sound, but with the same geniality and force as ever, clearly showing that they are a top gothic/doom metal act with merit.

The album flows over 10 beautiful compositions of melodic genius. The junction of the serene and sublime vocals of Lisa Johansson and majesty of the gutturals of Anders Jacobsson are employed in a wonderful way, making Lisa (and her voice devoid of any touch of rebellious rocker but epic and perfect for the purpose of the band) much more prominent than in previous works. She's probably one of the most magnificent voices in the metal world at this moment. Then there's Anders who brings us everything we need for a more extreme metal sound. Wonderful composition aided by perfect grunts that lift us to a dark heavy atmosphere, black and absolute.

Doom elements are more present than in Turning Seasons Within; the symphonies are perfect, the voices, the guitars, dramatic compositions... The feeling you get when the album ends is a need to hear it again and again and again... Also notice the introduction of experimental touches, very evident in the song "The Quiet Storm," more present in the voice of Lisa. All the songs are guided by a tornado of power and melody and I really think that Lisa glows on this album. Her voice is passionate, calm, serene, simple and beautiful.

It is true that this album follows the line of its predecessor. More gothic, less doom, but the end result is a perfect balance between these genres and it would be cruel and not fair to compare this with previous works, because each of the Draconian albums are special. In fact I dare say that they are special and unique. You may think now I am a fanboy. If the meaning of that is loving their music by its geniality then I'll be glad to be one.

In short, I didn't find anything as good in the genre (or even in other genres) this year. I believe it is questionable and also a matter of taste - which means that what is perfect to you can suck to others or vice-versa - but I think this album is the elevation of the excellence of music, the perfect contrast of sunlight and darkness.

This is an album that cannot be assessed properly without the necessary attention. It is necessary to caress it and in the end one will be highly rewarded.