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By RYAN MAVITY
Is it just me or are chick-fronted metal bands more prevalent than “Michael Jackson buying a house on the Eastern Shore of Maryland” rumors? It’s as if you can’t throw a stone without hitting on a pretty, typically raven-haired gal (usually pretty attractive, if I say so myself) operatically singing about whatever torment she’s been through while backed by a crunching rock band with mostly anonymous “that guys”.
Not that I am beginning this as a sexist commentary or that I’m against this trend. Better this than bands that sound like Nickelback. But there has been a huge increase in the amount of bands like this getting signed, riding the wave of success ignited by Evanescence, Lacuna Coil and Flyleaf.
The latest band to take a stab at this is Norway’s Octavia Sperati, who come to us with their new album Grace Submerged. Unlike those bands above, this one is almost all girl. But it maintains a similar approach. Lyrically, it’s a bit more progressive, singing about castles and maidens and dragons and shite like that but with a grungy, downtuned sound. Octavia Sperati takes their influence a bit more from doom metal, and they rely on exotic harmonies, which are lush and pretty.
As nice as the harmonies are, it doesn’t hide the fact that the music quickly becomes kind of generic. The gals (and guy) manage to throw in some surprises such as the haunting piano ballad “Don’t Believe a Word,” the album’s best track, which outdoes Evanescence’s “My Immortal” in just about every way. But the band doesn’t take enough chances and despite the album running less than 40 minutes, some of the later tracks feel like filler.
I’ll give Grace Submerged positive notice, mostly for “Don’t Believe a Word.” But part of me thinks this one could have been better.
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