Disco de Theatre of Tragedy: “Forever Is the World”

Like a lot of my favorite goth-metal bands, these guys have had their ups and downs, along with a few abrupt musical style changes (see "Musique" or "Assembly" ). Then, with the loss of their signature singer Liv Kristine, the band had to weather a new vocalist, as well. Thankfully, the album that came out of that upheaval, 2006's "Storm", was sort of a return to form - the Euro-electro sound of the two previous releases was gone in favor of a more typical gothic metal direction, and overall, became one of my favorite recent albums within that often-repetitive genre . Unlike, say, Paradise Lost, who have felt an increasing desire to abandon the atmospheric gothness of their past, and now try to pummel 15-year old metalheads with a sound that mimics every band who have come after them (just check out their new album "Faith Divides Us"), the new ToT is truly a gothic band again, not afraid of keyboards and atmosphere, and while not a return to the highpoint sounds of the great "Aegis" album, this is definitely the best they've been since then. In fact, "FITW" could best be described as a combo of "Aegis" and "Storm". Thankfully, they also decided to forgo the latest Lacuna Coil approach to "female goth rock", and chose not to produce complete blandness in a desperate search for stardom. For me, that makes this album the best of the genre (although much of this record could hardly even be described as "metal" at all). If you don't mind NOT having your ears hammered for fifty minutes, and thirst for some dark beauty back in your goth, here it is!

If you like Aegis you'll no doubt enjoy this. I'm not sure anything they do will ever top that album but this comes mighty close. They've abandoned their strange experimental "synth pop" sound found in Musique and Assembly in order to return once again to their goth-rock roots (with gutteral vocals and all), which many ToT fans would consider a wise decision as this is what they do best.

I can easily recommend this if you are a fan of Aegis or Velvet Darkness They Fear, even though I feel it is still missing that great female/male dynamic that was in the aforementioned albums. Perhaps it may just be that a majority of the songs found on Forever is the World have the female vocalist up front and center on a majority of the tracks, but either way it's still a great album and worthy of four stars.

So sad that this is probably the last album we'll ever have from ToT, but in my books they're going out on a phenominal high. There's not a single weak track on the album, and the title track provides for the most gorgeous ending. I'm a big fan of Liv.K, and so the thought that a ToT album could eclipse their best from the past, with a different vocalist, didn't seem possible to me. The ethereal quality of her vocals added so much to the spirit of many of their albums. However, in Nell they've found a real gem. There is something about her vocal style that is just perfect for this album; I can't imagine any other vocalist who could have made this album more special. Having done a little searching I learned that she's had her own band (the Crest) and so had to start buying their albums, but I've got to say that the songs on this album capitalize on her strengths much more than her own band. There are quite a few songs on this album where she really has to work pretty hard, and the quality of her voice is just breathtaking when that happens.

What I can't do is find a good way of describing this album in reference to any particular genre. The closest thing is their previous masterpeice, Aigis, which in my mind comes a very close second to this album. Somehow the music manages to come across as both relaxed and yet driving at the same time; I don't know how they do that! Maybe it's the driving base guitar in many songs that somehow acts as a catalyst to bring out the wonderful melodies and generally relaxed tempo. Basically this is an album to turn out the lights, turn up the volume, and let the music take you to a different world.

If Amazon had a rating for 5 stars ++ then that's what I'd give this, but a straight 5 stars is the highest rating they have, so that's what I've given it.