CD Review: Poisonblack - Lust Stained Despair

This time Sentenced did what they've been singing about for years: they ended it all, with their fans having to carry the load of sorrow. A wonderful twist of reality, really, an agony smoothed over when sentimentally poring over more than a decade's worth of music to use as heartened mementos. I presume they will keep their room exactly as it was left. The blood that still flows from that fatal self-inflicted wound ending one of the best bands in the business, a familiar voice screams out, but this time it's growling to a different tune.

Poisonblack, the once side project, now full time band of Ville Laihiala, who plays guitar here instead of vocals only with Sentenced, comes forth with their second studio album. Their 2003 release, Escapexstacy, was played in the vein of love metal, or dark, gothic, down-tuned hard rock. Although good, I felt it lacked the very elements for which the genre is known: dramatic and passionate highs and lows, drawing off the listener's hidden emotions and creating an environment that is primed to let them flow. The album had some initial appeal, but lacked staying power for me. Thus it received the ole heave-ho from my CD player rather early in it's young life. Although I was disappointed way back then (3 years ago), I was still happy to see the new Poisonblack slide across my desk, and being a fan of Ville, I'm willing to give it a few spins with an open mind.

Immediately, I was surprised to hear Ville's voice instead of J.P. Leppaluoto, lead singer of Charon, who sang on the Poisonblack debut. Just as well that the band could not secure him for this album, due to the fact that they have a resident vocalist in Ville. That circumstance turned out to be for the best, as this album is slanted toward straight-forward hard rock, sometimes metal, sometimes gothic, sometimes similar to Sentenced, a sound that I believe is better suited for Ville's voice anyway. You only need to hear the opening tune "Nothing Else Remains," a song that wouldn't feel too out of place on Cold White Light, as proof of my point. Pleasing to the ear, I have to admit, as well as the follow-up "Hollow Be My Name," which directs your attention to different waters, but not completely displaced from the Sentenced boat. "Nail" and "The Darkest Lie" tilt in the gothic direction, as they are slower, and vocally playing like ballads. After many spins, I just cannot connect to their version of goth, prefering the musically upbeat, yet fatalistic lyrics of "Raivotar" over the up and down tempos of "Love Controlled Despair." There is one exception to the rule, the dark ballad "Pain Becomes Me," in which the emotional vocals are arranged very well with the acoustic guitar, piano, and keys.

Article Author: Brian Gould

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