Awake (Awake - Crematory)

Member Name: Frankingsteins

Product:	Awake - Crematory
Date:	13/06/08 (9 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Strong modern gothic metal album.

Disadvantages: Becomes repetitive and a little dull

Crematory's gothic tendencies come to the fore in their fifth album, hinted at with a Sisters of Mercy cover and expanded on to overtake their death/doom metal origins altogether, the growled vocals being the only real holdover from the early days. Katrin Goger's keyboard reigns supreme, now more than ever, and unlike much contemporary gothic music, such as that practiced by HIM and other Finnish bands, these Germans reproduce the classic gothic atmosphere perfectly, albeit with a modern metal touch.

This isn't an enthralling album, but it has its moments. After the customary keyboard intro, 'Lord of Lies' sets the more upbeat and commercial tone, then 'Away' finds the most satisfying balance between heaviness and melody, darkness and light that the rest of the album fails to achieve in the same way. Most disappointing is the comparatively soppy 'For Love,' the band's equivalent of the traditional power ballad, trumped by 'The Loss' which achieves a more effective result through prominent lead guitar work rather than over-reliance on vocals.

1. Maze
2. Lord of Lies
3. Away
4. Temple of Love (Sisters of Mercy cover)
5. For Love
6. Crematory
7. My Last Words
8. The Loss
9. Yourself
10. Mirror

Summary: Crematory's fifth album (1997).