Band:	The Wounded
Album:	Atlantic
Style:	Gothic metal, Atmospheric rock
Release date:	February 21, 2004
A review by:	Undercraft

01. Hollow World
02. 18 Carat Dust
03. Running On Empty
04. Day Of Joy
05. Northern Lights
06. "Prelude"
07. Smells Like Teen Spirit [Nirvana cover]
08. We Are Darker
09. Atlantic

The Wounded are a peculiar Gothic Metal act from Holland, this is their third album, and their first one new label Ebony Tears (sub label of Cold Blood Industries).
Although I've heard their previous album "Monument" a few times it didn't strike me as much as this one, maybe it was because I wasn't in my "Gothic Metal phase" as I am now.
I must really say that this album is quite impressive, simple yet catchy, melancholic yet entertaining. This is the prime example of how Gothic Metal should be.

The album starts vocalist Marco Van Der Velde singing a capella the first lines of "Hollow World" a fantastic song that builds up slowly and reaches a dramatic conclusion. Next is "18 Carat Dust" which features a addictive guitar line at the beginning , I just can't get it out of my mind! At the end of this song (and here come the weird part) there's a sample of Jim Carrey sayin' hello to his neighbors in the movie "The Truman Show"? eh.. ?
"Running On Empty" is a melancholic song that reaches me each time I listen to it, really great song. "Day Of Joy" features some back up female vocals, this adds a very special touch to the music.

"Northern Lights" slow things down again and shows us another melancholic song with a great atmosphere, mainly because the great deep, emotional voice of Marco Van Der Velde. Another surprise is the cover of a grunge classic, Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit", of course, with a Gothic touch.

Once the record is finished, only one thing is left to do: push the play button and start listening again from the top.
The Wounded is one of the best Gothic Metal acts out there, no doubt, and offers much more talent than any of those Finnish Gothic Metal bands, as a matter of fact, the result here is much better that most of the bands from the overcrowded Gothic scene in Finland, a truly great effort from these guys, this one will get a lot of play in my stereo.