A World in Their Screams (A World In Their Screams - Elend)

Member Name: Frankingsteins

Product:	A World In Their Screams - Elend
Date:	03/07/08 (13 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent grasp of symphonic composition.

Disadvantages: Electronic elements sound awry.

Elend's most recent release is another enjoyable and dynamic neoclassical album, one that avoids tedious repetition by striking an intriguing balance between melodic, classical beauty and blaring, electronic ugliness. This balance is shifted significantly towards the former, with only 'Ondes de sang' and the synthetically screaming 'Borée' crossing over into electronic territory.

This album apparently forms the third part of a trilogy, but as the lyrics are all in French, it's a tale entirely lost on me. The band utilises an impressive male and female choir and a large complement of classical musicians, while the rock end of things is only held up by a drum beat pervading most of the songs. The album makes interesting use of silences without resorting to minimalism, and is rarely ambient, occasionally going (deliberately) too far in the layering of instruments.

An experienced classical music scholar would doubtless have more technical bones to pick, but for me it's a fine modern classical album, even if it's a bit of a shame to have no idea what it's about.

1. Ophis puthôn
2. A World in Their Screams
3. Ondes de sang
4. Le dévoreur
5. Le fleuve infini des morts
6. Je rassemblais tes members
7. Stasis
8. Borée
9. La carrière d'ombre
10. J'ai touché aux confins de la mort
11. Urserpens

Summary: Elend's seventh album (2007).