The quasi-self-titled 8th album of gothic doomsters
Hanging Garden feels like a summary of their work to date without conveying stagnation. Everything that fans of the typical Finnish melancholy have known and loved over the past two decades of the band's history can be found on
The Garden: a well-balanced blend of dreamy doom, catchy gothic, and melodic death metal. However, new accents are also set. While
Hanging Garden's music could be accurately described so far through exclusive comparisons with well-known Scandinavian (
October Tide,
Draconian) and domestic (
Swallow The Sun,
Ghost Brigade,
Insomnium) greats, stronger influences from the English-speaking world can now be discerned as well. Especially
Draconian Times-era
Paradise Lost are now more frequently cited, and from there, it is not too far a step to the electronic elements of
Host and even a brief musical nod to
Depeche Mode. Also, one is occasionally reminded of Peter Steele's
Type O Negative, and this is thanks to the extensive vocal diversity of the seven Finns, who at no point rely solely on the dynamics of Beauty-and-the-Beast duets.
Hanging Garden's three vocalists are capable of covering the entire spectrum from enchanting female singing to male clean vocals, deep growls, and shrieks, which may be the greatest strength of
The Garden.
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