Subsignal
Beautiful & Monstrous

After the unexpected breakup of Sieges Even, which happened just when everything was going well, the two pillars of the band, Arno Menses (singer) and Markus Steffen (guitarist), seek fortune with a new band, Subsignal, together with former Dreamscape members Ralf Schwager on bass and David Bertok on keyboards, and also former Sun Caged member Roel Van Helden.

For those who adored the extremely underrated Sieges Even, the news of their breakup was somewhat traumatic, but upon hearing that Menses and Steffen had formed this new band, a new center of interest emerged. Everyone hoped this new project could truly follow in the footsteps of Sieges Even. And so it has!

"Beautiful And Monstrous" is an album characterized by those very melodies that defined the last two albums of Sieges Even, the immense and, to me, never tiring "The Art Of Navigating By The Stars" and "Paramount". The melodies are sophisticated, refined, as is customary in a progressive album, yet at the same time bright, catchy, and not demanding for the listener, even suitable for more mainstream listeners, with that pop sensibility that emerges at various moments in the songs without ever compromising the quality of the compositions and never venturing into the kitsch, thus always remaining refined. The guitar sound is always clean, melodic, rarely dark, with few heavy moments, and plays an extremely crucial role in the emotional impact. New elements are the keyboards, absent in the Sieges Even lineup, which with their always delicate backgrounds and consistently accurate sounds, also play an important role. But the main vehicle for conveying emotions is definitely the vocalist Arno Menses. It's practically impossible to remain indifferent to his vocal lines; without him, it seems the music loses something.

The 9 tracks (10 in the special edition) are all excellent, but my favorites are the opener "When Angels Fear To Tread", good from a rhythmic perspective and with a beautiful yet rare keyboard solo; "Paradigm" with a decidedly lively rhythm, some timid metal influences, and a chorus that gives an idea of cheerfulness typical of few songs I've heard; "The Trick Is To Keep Breathing" with that deceptive Rammstein-style opening riff that gives way to a relaxed melody and one of the best choruses; "I Go To The Wind", also relaxed and delicate. But the album never has moments of decline; everything consistently meets the standards, and with each listening, this album could truly reveal itself as a highlight in your album collection.

One of the best releases of 2009. We really feared we would abandon the melodies of Sieges Even forever, but we were greatly mistaken because this album doesn't make us miss them at all. The band is still on their debut album, but if they continue in this way, they could become one of the most interesting and refined bands of the coming decade. Let’s hope for the best, and for now, let's enjoy this little gem!