Myriads

It may appear that I'm ghettoising these releases based on the fact that each band uses angelic female vocals as a large part of their sound, and not giving my metallic sisters their due credit. But in the interest of space, there are enough similarities between bands that a three-in-one review is completely feasible and understandable, especially in the case of Tristania and Myriads. The former is the most classically influenced of this gothic metal trio, a point they really get caught up in and there are many points where the flow of their songs gets interrupted by some musical or vocal tangent. Myriads come from a very gothic background and sound not unlike In The Woods, the 3rd and the Mortal, and Sisters of Mercy. I must say, however, that if it weren't for Mona Skottene's heavenly voice there would be a lot of cringing goin' on because Alexander Twiss has a bitch of a time staying in key. Siebenburgen are the black metal bashers of this trio and their mixture of searing Norwegian mayhem, gothic depression, with the occasional major key riff, and Lovisa Hallstedt's haunting vocals makes Delictum the hands down winner here.