Entwine

Entwine's third full-length release begins with a throbbing wave of low frequencies that lasts through the entire album. Keyboards are a crucial part of the band's sound, offering a few ominous interludes and thickening the already dense, bass-heavy guitars. Time of Despair softens up part way through with a melancholy ballad, "Safe in a Dream," before it speeds up again, but whether the songs are fast or slow, Entwine is always emotional. The focus of their music lies with Mika Taurianinen's tortured vocals. Supported by subtle background harmonies, his slight twang dominates almost every song. He shares the spotlight with an unbelievably smooth voiced woman on the quiet duet "Until the End," the second and more interesting ballad. The album's atmosphere of depression would get to be tedious if not for the energy of tracks like "Falling Apart" and "Learn to Let Go," but even at its most upbeat, Time of Despair is drenched in the dark, melodramatic side of romance.