Band:	Evenfall
Album:	Cumbersome
Style:	Gothic metal
Release date:	2002
Guest review by:	hottercraft

01. Rawish
02. Frontloader
03. Dogma
04. Entre Dos Tierras
05. In Absentia Christi
06. Overcast Sky
07. Cumbersome
08. Vangelis Mundi
09. Unworshipped
10. Conspectu mortis II

This is an interesting group. To start, I'd like to say that this is the first good Italian band in this style, and I think they should be more listened to. When we talk about the Metal in Italy, we usually listen names like Rhapsody, Luca Turilli or Lacuna Coil, but people don't usually think of Evenfall. Well, they do an awesome mix of Death Metal and Gothic Metal with female voices, and they have done it really good. They have made a really good CD with these ten songs, and this can be probably one of my favourite Gothic Metal CD's at this moment, because they have wanted to do a different Gothic Metal, this is not the Gothic that we usually listen in groups like Lacuna Coil or The Gathering. Here, there are melodic female voices mixed with some strong Death Metal vocals (we can listen this kind of vocals in groups like Opeth). I think they have different influences, because we can listen a lot of elements of another groups in their music, and their mix of styles is really amazing.

Well, here we can hear some amazing songs like the opener, "Rawish." Along the CD, we'll hear some excellent guitars and vocals. A mix of these two elements usually makes a masterpiece in this release, and we can hear some masterpieces in this CD, like "In Absentia Christi" or "Overcast Sky." "In Absentia Christi" is a more powerful song, with some amazing vocals, guitars and drums, it's faster. However, we can listen a slower song in "Overcast Sky," I think that this is a more Gothic Metal song, it's slower and more melodic. The vocals are more looked after here, and there are a symphonic ambient, but with a catchy guitar riff. I'll mention "Entre Dos Tierras," I think it's a masterpiece. Well, it is sung in Spanish and the guitars are really wonderful. There are also a really catchy chorus that we'll remember. This song is probably the most popular song of this CD, but we shouldn't forget the rest of the songs. To finish this CD, they have made a long song called "Conspectu Mortis II," obviously another masterpiece, this release is full of masterpieces. Here we can find all the styles of vocals that we can imagine, really wonderful. I'll also mention the start of "Unworshipped," it can't be more strange, we can think that we're in a terror film, it's wonderful. The song is really good, and there are a lot of vocals styles too. In my opinion, the worst song of this CD may be "Dogma," is the most strange song; it isn't exactly Evenfall, I think they have wanted to make a different song, but they haven't done it well...

In conclusion, I think this Italian group must be more listened to because we'll see a different kind of metal that we can't usually hear. There are some few groups that mixes Death/Doom Metal vocals with female Gothic Metal vocals, but here the mix is completely different, and it isn't similar to anything. Really original, really great. Good luck for this excellent group in the future, they have a long road to walk, and a lot of years to make good music. I want to listen a new CD of this band, because this CD was released in 2002, so that it's a lot of time. Believe me, you should listen this if you're fan of groups like Nightwish or Tristania, I think you'll like this.
This shit... is a good shit!!!!