Theatres des Vampires
Anima Noir

They started as one of the many Cradle Of Filth clone bands, and after many vicissitudes, Theatres Des Vampires have become a new band, transformed, with a precise stylistic identity. "Anima Noir" is their 7th album, a collection of 10 lullabies characterized by a gothic metal/rock filled with electronic influences, sung by the intense voice of Sonya Scarlet (former chorus singer of the group and official vocalist after Lord Vampyr's departure). It begins excellently with "Kain", one of the most appealing tracks on the CD, an electronic rock well-aligned with the group's gothic themes, with Sonya in her best performance ever, as well as her most varied. "Unspoken Words" is an aggressive piece with more metal tones yet surrounded by melodic hints, reminiscent of "My Lullaby" or "Bring Me Back", and beautiful piano parts. "Rain", a Cult cover, turns out to be the worst song on the album, a truly unsuccessful experiment. However, "Dust" is quite interesting, a gothic rock song perhaps too easy, with romantic keyboards and Nightwish-oriented rhythms. Beautiful "From The Deep", an orchestral ballad where in the chorus Sonya showcases a stunning yet unexpected lyrical singing. Truly unsurpassable, although sometimes the voice suffers from not-so-perfect production. "Blood Addiction" is a pleasant but not exceptional track that recalls the lighter Moonspell, with an aggressive male voice. The next two tracks turn out to be captivating: "Butterfly" is a rock-metal piece with a clean male voice this time and a very romantic chorus, while "Wherever You Are" moves on electronic rock shores (this track immediately makes you want to dance, I'd call it "bubbly":-)). Leaving aside the not so innovative "Two Seconds", we arrive at what I consider to be the masterpiece of the album, the beautiful "Anima Noir", a stunning ballad for piano and strings, where the group encapsulates an exquisitely gothic, tragic aura. Here, Sonya offers a truly heartfelt performance, whispered to then explode into an angelic lyrical singing, amid a myriad of accents and nuances of pure poetry.

An album recommended for fans of the T.d.V.-Scarlet period, although a change from the gothic metal of "Pleasure And Pain" towards more electronic and dark sounds is certainly evident, without lacking a healthy rock component. But the work, except for a couple of episodes, is more than good, and certainly, the skill of these Italian vampires deserves praise.