Macbeth
Vanitas

Among synthesized orchestrations and organ notes begins "Vanitas", the second chapter of the Macbeth saga, a Milanese combo whose fame has always been overshadowed by the slightly more commercial success of their fellow countrymen Lacuna Coil. Although Dragonheart could not (for obvious economic reasons) offer Macbeth the production that Century Media was able to offer their colleagues, even Macbeth had the potential in 2001 for a single that was catchy and melodic enough to extricate them from the "underground" scene. We are talking about "Crepuscularia (Agony in Red minor)", an episode that focuses entirely on the melody of the keyboards and the theatricality of the male voice, presenting the band as a less extreme version of Theatres Des Vampires of the "Suicide Vampire" era. Sulphurous and passionate atmospheres are created by the keyboard, evoking images of dark and gloomy castles where, in rooms adorned with red velvet and illuminated by the faint light of a candle, romantic passionate stories worthy of a Shakespearean tragedy play out (not surprisingly, the band's name comes from one of his major theatrical works). Powerful heavy guitars counterbalance. Unfortunately, the poor production does not fully highlight the work of bass and drums, rendering the sounds produced by these instruments as an annoying background pulse.

Good premises shown by the band, but if the old Theatre Of Tragedy remain the undisputed masters of gothic-theatrical metal, there must be a reason. Certainly, Macbeth are also skilled executors of a tried and tested style, but they have completely failed in the choice of what should be one of the distinctive features of this sound: the female voice, on this album, is more noticeably out of tune, annoying in any situation, except for the spoken parts, which have a significant tragic component that distinguishes the band from the many clones that populate the scene. "Lady lily white", the second track, unfortunately shows a strong qualitative deficiency even in the male voice, which is as unimpactful in growling as it is forced in the clean parts. Nevertheless, the track is truly beautiful in its closing, where the superb work of the guitars stands out. "Fables" starts well, with an apt keyboard melody, theatrical and obsessive, but it is all marred by the vocal performance of both singers and a chorus that shamelessly quotes the early Lacuna Coil (the contemporaries of Macbeth's "Vanitas"). "Aloisa" carves out a space for itself: medieval and melancholic atmospheres dominate, supported by the delicate harmony created by the acoustic guitar and piano, against which the female voice stands out, which, far from being annoying, is unexpectedly effective in this context, with its sad and disenchanted singing. The spoken parts (dominant in this episode) filled with pain and despair remain excellent. After an incipit that recycles what was already done with some previous tracks, The Theatre of Vampires is once again plundered for the final rendition of "El diablo y la luna". It embraces more subdued and night-time tones in "Pure treasure", initially supported by keyboards (as always evocative) and verses recited by both voices, to then give space to the romantic melodies of the guitars and desperate whispers. It all culminates in an interlude, a romantic piano break (which cannot fail to recall the never-too-celebrated The Sins Of Thy Beloved, one of the master bands of romanticism in metal), which then gives way to a warm and enveloping guitar solo. Here it is, the emotional peak of the work. "Green orchestra (Sonata for leaves and trees)" would be anonymous if it weren't for that wonderful and poetic ending where a female monologue stands out, accompanied by an elegiac violin. We reach purely gothic shores with "Romanzo nero", another masterpiece of the work, where the guitars retreat to make room for horrific orchestrations and desperate verses recited by the male voice. The unsettling "Porteremo il nostro segreto lontano" pronounced by two children's voices then releases the accumulated tension in the conclusion entrusted to the keyboard-guitar duet. The female protagonist wishes to appear tormented in "Haeresis Dea", but unfortunately, the only sufferers of such vocal brutality are the listener's ears. And it is with an atmospheric-symphonic closure, reminiscent of the early Cradle Of Filth, that, with ups and downs, the tragedy staged by Macbeth ends.

Although the production gaps are evident and the originality often wavers, and despite the disaster narrowly avoided concerning the rhythm section and vocal performance, in this work, Macbeth demonstrate remarkable skill in modulating poignant melodies (the use of keyboards and lead guitar is always excellent), which embrace not only gothic but also heavy metal, and create dark, tragic, and suffering-laden atmospheres. I am very eager to listen to "Malae artes", the latest work of the Italian combo; I just hope that decisive changes have been made behind the microphones.