Band: Theatre of Tragedy
Albums reviewed: "Theatre of Tragedy" (1995), "Velvet Darkness They Fear" (1996)
Genre: Gothic/Doom Metal
Norway's Theatre of Tragedy is such an interesting band that I will dedicate my next four posts to review its different facets, which can be divided in four musical periods: gothic/doom metal, ambient goth rock, techno/industrial and gothic metal.
Theatre of Tragedy was a landmark in the gothic/doom metal scene back in the nineties because it was one of the first bands to introduce the "beauty and the beast" vocal style, this being clean angelical vocals by the excellent singer Liv Kristine (currently member of the gothic metal act "Leaves´ Eyes") along with deep growls by frontman Raymond István Rohonyi. Their first two albums "Theatre of Tragedy" and "Velvet Darkness They Fear" were of huge influence to many rising bands in the gothic metal field. In those albums, the band played beautiful music characterized by prominent piano lines, background low tuned guitars, slow to mid tempo songs, obscure soothing atmosphere and the already mentioned vocals. The addition of some violin melodies filled the music with a romantic melancholic mood. Along with all those elements, the lyric department was of a huge originality because the language chosen was Middle English. The topics are varied, walking through poetry, literature and darkness.
"Theatre of Tragedy" and "Velvet Darkness They Fear" are immortal albums that remain influential to many different bands today. They started the wave of gothic metal that saw the birth of similar acts such as Within Temptation, The Sins of Thy Beloved, Tristania and After Forever. Definitely they have to be in the "must have" list of any metalhead around...
[Play by Raymond, Music by Theatre of Tragedy & Pål Bjåstad]
"Be my kin free fro varnal sin,
Bridle the thoughts of thy Master."
"There hath past away a glore fro the Earth;
A glore that in the hearts and minds of men,
Men dementéd - blindfoldéd by light,
Hourisheth as weed in their well-groom'd garths."
"Might I too was blindfoldéd ere,
"The quality of mercy and absolution,
Tho' years have master'd me
Whence cometh such qualities?
A masque of this to fashion:
Build thyself a mirror in which
Seer blest, thou best philosopher!"
Solely wanton images of thy desire appear!"
"'Tis the Divine Comedy -
"'Tis the Divine Tragedy -
The fool and the mocking court;
The fool and the mocking court;
Fool, kneel now, and ring thy bells!
Fool, kneel now, and ring thy bells!
We hold the Earth fro Heaven away."
Make us guffaw at thy futile follies,
Yet for our blunders - Oh, in shame;
Earth beareth no balm for mistakes -
We hold the Earth fro Hell away."
[ Dialog from "And when He Falleth" ]
[Male Voice]
That cross you wear around your neck;
is it only a decoration, or are you a
true Christian believer?
[Female Voice]
Yes, I believe - truly
[Male Voice]
Then I want you to remove it at once!
- and never to wear it within this castle
again! Do you know how a falcon is trained my
dear? Her eyes are sown shut. Blinded temporarily
she suffers the whims of her God patiently, until
her will is submerged and she learns to serve -
as your God taught and blinded you with
crosses.
[Female Voice]
You had me take off my cross because it
offended....
[Male Voice]
It offended no-one. No - it simply appears
to me to be discourteous to... to wear
the symbol of a deity long dead.
My ancestors tried to find it. And to open
the door that separates us from our Creator.
[Female Voice]
But you need no doors to find God.
If you believe....
[Male Voice]
Believe?! If you believe you are gullible.
Can you look around this world and believe
in the goodness of a god who rules it?
Famine, Pestilence, War, Disease and Death!
They rule this world.
[Female Voice]
There is also love and life and hope.
[Male Voice]
Very little hope I assure you. No. If a god
of love and life ever did exist... he is long
since dead. Someone... something rules in his
place.
"Believe? In a deily long dead? -
I would rather be a pagan suckléd in creeds outworn;
Whith faärtytales fill'd up in head;
Thoughts of the Book stillborn."
"Shadow of annoyance -
Ne'er come hither!
...And when He falleth, He falleth like Lucifer,
Ne'er to ascend again..."
