Band:	Theatre Of Tragedy
Album:	Velvet Darkness They Fear
Style:	Gothic metal
Release date:	September 25, 1996
Guest review by:	Ernis

01. Velvet Darkness They Fear
02. Fair And 'Guilding Copesmate Death
03. Bring Forth Ye Shadow
04. Seraphic Deviltry
05. And When He Falleth
    1 - Dialogue From "And When He Falleth"
06. Der Tanz Der Schatten
07. Black As The Devil Painteth
08. On Whom The Moon Doth Shine
09. The Masquerader And Phoenix

The following review concerns Velvet Darkness They Fear, the second album of the Norwegian Gothic ensemble Theatre Of Tragedy, released one year after their wonderful eponymous debut album. Velvet Darkness They Fear is a fine and strong continuation of the style the musicians brought to audiences with their first release, emotional and graceful songs in an atmosphere of doom and Gothic styles. Theatre Of Tragedy's sound is genuine, clearly distinctive from their colleagues of Tristania and Sirenia and more centered around mellow melancholy, in some ways more similar to My Dying Bride.

Velvet Darkness They Fear (what a title... in fact, Theatre Of Tragedy's titles always were well picked...) indeed has velvet darkness. The music does strongly associate with the feeling of dim candle-lit chambers with soft and heavy dark tapestries, with beakers of dark blood-red wine on the tables and radiant beautiful girls with prominent cleavage waiting for us to come and... drown in the bliss....

The album is a good and strong one of the era when Raymond still sang with fine growls suitable for the music instead of the carrot-voice he's using now. Liv Kristine is the queen of the album as she was also on the first release and remains later on Aegis (let's forget the sexy-bitch vocals on the infamous disco hit releases). The tender and slightly sad voice of Liv Kristine on Velvet Darkness They Fear is what makes the music most calming and enjoyable. She indeed is one of the loveliest singer in metal both in her stage presence and way of expressing herself in her songs.

The keyboard passages appear as the most expressive part of the instrumental construction and contribute a lot to the atmosphere. Some bands use more expressive and symphonic string melodies, Theatre Of Tragedy's trademark indeed is mainly piano, creating the distinct chamber music effect. A positive side is the old fashioned attitude and the lyrics in older English languages.

Now some prominent songs that can be found on this release, first of all, the beginning of the album with the title track as introduction and the second song "Fair and Guiling Copesmate Death" are both very suitable for opening the album in proper mood. My personal favorite is the German language track "The Dance of Shadows" or "Tanz der Schatten", one of the most haunting songs on the album and of all the music of the group. "And When He Falleth" is an interesting and thoughtful song with a pleasant dialogue from a play. "On Whom The Moon Doth Shine" is a song resembles the style of My Dying Bride but, of course, in Theatre Of Tragedy's own sauce with Liv Kristine as cherry on top of the tart.

Theatre Of Tragedy made a beautiful chapter in the history of Gothic music. The second part of their trilogy of three grand albums is an important piece of music and delightful for those who appreciate that style and the voice of Liv Kristine.