Can we expect anything but brilliance from this group? I was wondering the effect that the marriage of Sam Rosenthal and Lisa Feuer would have on the band,given it's themes of isolation and love betrayed. It seems to have given a new strength and edge to the group rather than staying in the same course. While not the tour de force of "As One Aflame Laid Bare By Desire,",it is a force to be reckoned with, a guiding light for an often redundant ethereal scene. Elizabeth is the songbird of deepest winter, with a raw sensuality to her vocals that may well siren call you into the stereo. Sam's piano/synth lines flow over his elegant poetry, painting the lost heroine and her tragic tale like a pained sculptor of emotion. Lisa's flutes are like hearing the voice of a lost lover in your mind, filled to the brim with melancholy and crushing emotion at the same time.
My favorite is "Floats in the Updrafts" which is also the shortest. I could have standed for this to be alot longer. And a guest appearance from Spahn Ranch on this one?!The guys vocals are actually quite elegant.
Also I reccomend the aforementioned "As One Aflame", which is too powerful to even start describing. But where is our old buddy Oscar Herrara?!? Rating:10

I know this review may be a bit late,but most people in the ethereal genre may tend to overlook this great band for the reason it's on a label associated more with metal than ethereal, though it gave us great bands like The Gathering. After hearing this band's "To Myself I Turned" on MP3.com, this Italian band hooked me. Extrememly strong female vocals, at times subtle guitars sometimes louder guitars, and intersesting drumming,make for a very strong formula,especially the vocalist,Christina Scabbia.
The album is strong throughtout,though a bit heavy for most ethereal fans. Think This Ascension with a brighter side and more versatile vocals, or TA crossed with the Gathering.
The strongest points on the CD are "Heir To a Dying Day" and "Senzafine" which is all done in their native Italian.
The band, though they tend to go heavy at times,are best at their most subtle, adding sprinkles of keyboard to add to their uniquely dreamy mood.
Overall, a very strong CD, and to me,a must for fans of both the hard gothic rock and ethereal sides of the spectrum. Rating: 9.

When Love Spirals Downwards left off/disbanded, the last effort, "Flux" a masterpiece by all means,left us with a poppier,more upbeat version of ethereal. And like me, alot of people may have expected those influences to seep through. But with the new group,which appropriates the name change, new influences have come through, with a strong jazz element. To think of it this is like Billy Holiday with better vocals and more of a mood!
The first track, "Oh So Long" starts off with a sensual horn section and Anji Bee's masterful ethereal vocals, which go for mood and emotion,not a high pitch like alot of ethereal vocalists. She reminds me alot of the girl from Portishead a bit,but softer. As good as Suzanne Perry was, Anji Bee has her matched,though I would damn well love to see them do a song together. The rest of the album flows with a very controlled calm,very laid back and sensual.
Overall, I still like "Flux" better mostly because I have great memories with that CD,and soothed me in some bad times. But this is still a welcome shift of direction,and should please fans of both jazz, ethereal, and emotional folk music. And if you're looking for that CD for you and your lover to listen to under some candlelight,this is it!Very recommended. Rating: 9
P.S.,
Look for an interview with the group I'm conducting right now as we speak! And find out the shocking news on what has become of Suzanne Perry of Love Spirals Downward! You will never guess.Thanks to Anji Bee and Ryan for the CD!

For those of you who decided the August 6th domestic date of this CD is too far away, I say you're right!
Keeping to his promise, Adrian Hates delivers yet another disc of raw emotive power, uniquely dark classic-tinged electronic ambience, and enigmatic lyrics ("Emotion dealers that have not learned to cry liquid pearls" from Traum:A,or Dream:A in English). Adrian explores new vocal styles including a soft flowing voice that seems very unlike his super deep bass vocal style of usual. Still, his vocal style blasts with a powerful turret of emotion layred on top of almost Anne Sexton-crossed-with-Death in June type metaphors. This is a guy who could tell you he's cooking you breakfast and make you cry out loud at the same time, his vocals are that emotional and incomparable. Even a couple of German tracks, which was missed on the last CD. Highlights are TRAUM:A,THE CURSE,BASTARD,VERDICT,AND SHE AND HER DARKNESS. While not as strong as his magnum opus,One of 18 Angels, this is definitely a strong buy, as well as anything by DOD and his old band,Garden of Delight. Rating:10++++++

Spacey, aggressive and sedative, all at once. Having discarded the classic distorted vocals and harsh electronic aggression of "Eulogy For a Buried Child" this is a shift of direction for the young group. With this CD, they switch to a fuller, rawer sound, with nontreated vocals and danceable industrial-electro ferver, not too unlike the old Pendragon Records sound of experimental and progressive industrial, a little like Fektion Fekler a bit... They even incorperating a female vocalist for the ever-popular ethereal effect on "Disoriented", but none of the corny ethereal cheesiness incorporated wit most electro-ethereal transitions. Lizabeth Boada sings with pure sensuality, lacking from most ethereal vocalists. All in all I think this is a healthy mode of change for IR, that the first CD was their learning experience of sorts. Definitely recommended. Rating: 9.
Look for an interview here with the group very soon, by the way. Thanks Sara/Nocturna for the CD!