Wow! I've instantly fallen in love with this masterpiece! This is the best gothic album I've ever heard - so much melancholy, darkness, beautiful piano playing, and captivating vocal performances!

Written by F3ynman on 13.08.2022 at 18:34

Wow! I've instantly fallen in love with this masterpiece! This is the best gothic album I've ever heard - so much melancholy, darkness, beautiful piano playing, and captivating vocal performances!

Their other albums are worth checking out also, especially Requiem - Mezzo Forte.

Written by F3ynman on 13.08.2022 at 18:34

Wow! I've instantly fallen in love with this masterpiece! This is the best gothic album I've ever heard - so much melancholy, darkness, beautiful piano playing, and captivating vocal performances!

Virgin Black is among my favorite bands and definitely top 5 of gothic metal for me. I look forward to your opinions on the next albums. (Check out the debut EP for some wacky stuff. Not exactly fantastic But fascinating experiments. Crazy vocals too)

I envy you. Those who discover Virgin Black now are able to listen to the Requiem triology for the first time in the order it was meant to be (first Pianissimo, then Mezzo Forte and Fortissimo last).

Written by X-Ray Rod on 21.09.2022 at 12:38

able to listen to the Requiem triology for the first time in the order it was meant to be (first Pianissimo, then Mezzo Forte and Fortissimo last).

Oh thanks for letting me know! Why were they released in a different order than intended?

Written by F3ynman on 21.09.2022 at 13:07
Oh thanks for letting me know! Why were they released in a different order than intended?

Throughout the years I've never got a full picture for this but from what I understand it went like this: All the three part were composed at the same time and were finished roughly at the same time as well. Their intent was to release them all at the same time as well. Naturally the label was like "fuck no, we want more money". So they were forced to release them individually. Now, after the release of Fortissimo there must have been a problem with the band and the label. If I understood correctly (from the little info I got from the band' facebook aeons ago, so don't quote me on this), The whole project did cost a lot of money. I guess due to them involving a full orchetra and choir for 3 albums?. And the label maybe wasn't into helping them out anymore(?). Virgin Black got out of the label.

So Pianissimo saw the light of day a decade after the third part, Fortissimo, was released. Pianissimo was released independently. Wouldn't surprise me if part of the decade was due to contract time with the label? Again, this is based partly from the little info I got plus some educated guess of mine.

As for WHY they were released in the wrong order (part two, part three and finally part one): I can only imagine that it had to do with the style of music. The second part, Mezzo Forte, was stylistically the closest to what the band was doing on the first two albums so maybe it was to not alienate the audience too much?? Bear in mind that the first part is pure classical music, Mezzo Forte being a balance between the orchestra/choir and the band, with Fortissimo being straight up death/doom with only a little of the orchestra/choir involved.

Your first comment made me want to revisit this forgotten gem. I'm still so pleased with how unique and varied it sounds while still keeping such a dark and even "mad" vibe.
The trance-inducing indutrial(?) touches in "Walk Without Limbs" and "Lamenting Kiss", The sheer intensity/insanity brought by the vocal performance on "Of your Beauty" and "I Sleep With The Emperor". The acoustic, beautiful yet oh so dark and blasphemic "Museum Of Iscariot"... And then the all-around perfect "A Poets' Tears Of Porcelain" with one of my favorite guitar solos of all time. Samantha Escarbe is a genius. An incredibly underrated and overlooked guitarist with her very own style. Partly because her second instrument is the cello and you can clearly hear the weeping, slow melodies of a cello through her guitar solo in that song (and in "Museum Of Iscariot" as well).

Went overboard with my comment. I love this band and I'm happy to remind myself of that fact thanks to your comment!

Written by X-Ray Rod on 21.09.2022 at 19:53

(part two, part three and finally part one): I can only imagine that it had to do with the style of music. The second part, Mezzo Forte, was stylistically the closest to what the band was doing on the first two albums so maybe it was to not alienate the audience too much?? Bear in mind that the first part is pure classical music, Mezzo Forte being a balance between the orchestra/choir and the band, with Fortissimo being straight up death/doom with only a little of the orchestra/choir involved.

Very interesting. I'll keep that in mind when I listen to it. I'll try to do it in the correct order instead of order of release. Should be cool

Written by X-Ray Rod on 21.09.2022 at 19:53

Your first comment made me want to revisit this forgotten gem. I'm still so pleased with how unique and varied it sounds while still keeping such a dark and even "mad" vibe.
The trance-inducing indutrial(?) touches in "Walk Without Limbs" and "Lamenting Kiss", The sheer intensity/insanity brought by the vocal performance on "Of your Beauty" and "I Sleep With The Emperor". The acoustic, beautiful yet oh so dark and blasphemic "Museum Of Iscariot"... And then the all-around perfect "A Poets' Tears Of Porcelain" with one of my favorite guitar solos of all time. Samantha Escarbe is a genius. An incredibly underrated and overlooked guitarist with her very own style. Partly because her second instrument is the cello and you can clearly hear the weeping, slow melodies of a cello through her guitar solo in that song (and in "Museum Of Iscariot" as well).

Yeah I was absolutely blown away by this album. I agree with all the things you describe.

Is this the style they continue in their next albums or is Sombre Romantic unique in its strange dark style? I've honestly been wary of listening to their other albums because I'm afraid they won't be able to top this one

Written by F3ynman on 21.09.2022 at 20:21
Very interesting. I'll keep that in mind when I listen to it. I'll try to do it in the correct order instead of order of release. Should be cool

Please do so! Like other triologies, say, Deathspell Omega's with SMRC, Fas And Paracletus... There are plenty of passages that are revisited but altered. It's great to listen to the classical melodies slowly morf into extreme metal.

Quote:
Is this the style they continue in their next albums or is Sombre Romantic unique in its strange dark style? I've honestly been wary of listening to their other albums because I'm afraid they won't be able to top this one

I can understand if my answer disappoints you: No. Their albums differ from each other. Not entirely though. The structures from "Opera De Romanci", "Weep For Me" and "A Poet's Tears Of Porcelain" are followed in the next album. "A Poet's Tears Of Porcelain" in particular is a perfect way into their next work for its grand, "epic", feeling is the main basis for "Elegant... And Dying" as a whole. In particular the soaring guitars and gorgeous melodies.

The erratic, near schizophrenic, aspect of the debut is fairly gone though. The Sophomore album is, like I said, fairly epic in its structure with very long songs and a lot of classical elements. Would even call it "progressive". Other adjective would be "ritualistic" as the religious themes are more upfront. I really enjoy the riffs on it though as Samantha became more inventive (The last two songs are God-tier on that album). One thing that always improved was Rowan's vocals. At the time of Sombre Romantic's release he was just beginning his professional training if I recall correctly and you can clearly hear his progress on every album! His clean vocals still have that "about to break" mad undertone. His screams are less insane but more painful and depressive. So my advice is: Expect something different but with the same quality musicians. "Velvet Tongue", "And The Kiss Of God's Mouth", "Beloved" and "Our Wings Are Burning" are all major highlights in their discography, if you ask me.

Written by X-Ray Rod on 21.09.2022 at 21:30

So my advice is: Expect something different but with the same quality musicians. "Velvet Tongue", "And The Kiss Of God's Mouth", "Beloved" and "Our Wings Are Burning" are all major highlights in their discography, if you ask me.

Alright! Looking forward to it! Thanks for the detailed overview!
Oh, by the way, it's funny you should mention Deathspell Omega - I'm listening to "SMR,C" right now and enjoying it quite a lot!