Band: Theatre of Tragedy
Albums reviewed: "Musique" (2000), "Assembly" (2002)
Genre: Industrial/Techno
After
gaining global respect in the metal scene with their previous three albums and
a solid fan base, Theatre of Tragedy took a decision that shocked fans and
reviewers alike. In 2000 they released the album "Musique" in which they took an
180 degrees turn in their musical style, experimenting this time with
electronic music, specifically a mix of industrial, techno and electro-pop. This
period went on for several years with a follow up album called "Assembly",
which continued with the same style.
It goes
without saying that they lost a lot of fans with that turn but at the same time
they gained listeners outside the metal scene. When comparing both albums, it
is clear that "Musique" is a rough and not so good experiment with bad male
vocals (to the point of being pathetic) and a good performance by Liv Kristine
(as always, she is indeed an outstanding vocalist). The electronic elements are
simple and uninteresting. On the contrary "Assembly" shows a band more comfortable
with the new style, mature and convincing. The LP includes good tunes with an
acceptable vocal performance by both singers, standard instrumentation and some
good moments in the synthesizers department. The lyrics switched to modern
technology and urban life topics instead of the romantic and poetic lyrics on
previous releases.
These
albums are not for the metal music purists out there. They may be appealing for
persons into industrial metal, electronic music and pop although there is not
groundbreaking music to be found here...
Download Theatre of Tragedy´s discography here
Song: "Universal Race" from "Assembly"
The pulsing of the flare reflected in the air
Stick-stuck goggles deflecting the stare
Underground, overdrive
Countdown, take off
Were gone, theyre here
Head for planets far and near
Dont know what upsets you
Were gonna take you to the outer space
Find planets red, blue
Lets make a universal race
Were gonna take you to places never seen
A rigid-like gesture since we were nineteen
Inner space, outer space
Head off, head on
Slot in, interface
Bounce back and forth like electrons
Were gonna take you to planets never seen
Solar systems run by machines
Out of code
Crash, reboot
Redo from Start, who is he anyway?
Dont know what upsets you
Were gonna take you to the outer space
Find planets red, blue aha
Lets make a universal race
