Label: Hammerheart Records

Release: 2000

By: Psycho

Points: 8

    
The following concerns a totally unknown duo from the land of kangaroos and last olympic games, who have released their debut album The Secret Kingdom. Praised on their newssheet with pretty courageous references to Dead Can Dance and My Dying Bride, I decided to stay sceptical at first.

But, because you are just a prisoner of your own subconscious, the first listens were really tough. It's true Judy Chiara has a wonderful voice but she is miles away though from an expression of a Lisa Gerrard. But to our luck, she doesn't really stay in this direction, no, she confines herself to a "normal" Gothic- / Mediaeval style, but that she does very well. The more enigmatical and scanty inserted Gothic / Metal elements are unspectacular and suffer under this mushy guitarsound, which should be better after a year long productionphase. But like to compensate this shortcoming, the guitars are mostly mixed in the background. Instead the production is dominated by significantly better produced acoustic guitars, piano tunes and extensive keyboard sounds, as soon as choirs this happening, by which it has created a very quiet and solemn atmosphere. You could paraphrase it with a pleasant melancholy. Matching to that Simon Gruer only uses clean vocals by his seldom entries and suggested orchestral bombast-moments are so discreet, that no one will fall down from his couch while cuddleing. Only exception is the song Qlipoth, without warning it starts with wild battle-din but it is quited down very fast.

And at all I have to say, is that the strength of The Secret Kingdom is in the area of solemn? melodies. And whoever says that I don't like AVRIGUS, is wrong. All in all, it is a really successful album which is more than just worth to listen to it by all of this gothic flood over the years. The mixture is a simple fitting of heavy guitars, mediaeval influences, dark ambient, elegiac melodies and female singing. For example Dark Angel's Ascension and Til Death Do Us Unite but, the best mixture will celebrate in already mentioned song Qlipoth. And not to forget the wonderful sad ballad Veritas.

So, before I start now to invoke some bands to comparisons ( well, first grumble and then get myself into trouble ... ) I give , in spite of little objections ( e-guitar sound ) 8 points!

Avrigus