Band:	Sleeping Sin
Album:	Engel
Style:	Symphonic metal
Release date:	2010
A review by:	KwonVerge

01. Engel
02. Was Bleibt
03. Spieluhr
04. Suendenfall
05. Heirate Mich
06. Spiegelbild
07. Zwielicht
08. Liebeslied
09. Am Ende Der Welt
10. Engelstraenen
11. Erinnerung

Sleeping Sin are newcomers in the scene and Engel has to be their debut album. As I have said before, I love newcomers, especially when they serve their purpose of existence. And this Deutsch act lives up to my expectations. They move in symphonic/gothic metal soundscapes and if Lacrimosa's Deutsch lyrics haven't harmed you, then I don't see any reason why the fact that Sleeping Sin use their mother tongue would keep you from checking them, so let's move forward with the review.

On Engel you will notice moments that reflect a Nightwish vibe from the Oceanborn era, more as a feeling and ambiance that sometimes is being injected slightly in their vocals and maybe their musical structure. Some other references have to be from Lacrimosa's most tranquil moments and Theatre Of Tragedy's Aegis' atmospheric floating passages, on the same amount of reference as stated above, more like a feeling, a sound mirror, rather than on structural matters. But I have to be fair on them, the sound they possess has something on its own as well, they caress their influences gently, yet they don't draw their inspiration only from them, they still rely on their own powers and they prove it. I know, there are many bands that move in the female fronted, generally speaking, scene, such works though, especially from newcomers, require a more critic and at the same time kind approach, you can't cut the wings that just started to flicker, you lend some wind to take it higher and only time shall tell whether the destination will be chosen wisely or not.

The importance of their sound varies from time to time and is being transferred among the members of the band. At times you will enjoy the melodic solos/leads, at others, the serene atmosphere-evoking keyboards accompanied by the lurking riffing and at the same time accompanying the ethereal, with an operatic vibe whenever needed, vocals of Steffie that tend to clear your mind. Even the rhythm section plays its important part, with the drumming depicting the required dynamism and the bass lines offering quite an omnipresent pulse. And even though the overall sound harmony may seem a bit monotonous at times, the emotions that come forth are beautifully filtered through the inspiration of the band that makes the album sincere, quite good and ear-friendly.

Intense whenever needed, the same applies to the more fragile side, along with the ideal marriage of both of them, that's what Sleeping Sin offer within 44 minutes. I'll hear more from them in the future and I believe Engel is only the beginning, I hope they won't let me down. As for you fellow reader, particularly if you enjoy symphonic/atmospheric/gothic metal with female vocals, give them a chance, I believe they'll appeal to you.