dark reviews

Virgin Black - Requiem-Fortissimo (2008)
The End Records

This is the second of Virgin Black's Requiem trilogy. Last year saw the release of "Mezzo Forte", with Pianissimo still to come. "Pianissimo" means quiet, "mezzo forte" is medium-loud and "fortissimo" is loud. That means this CD will be the most intense of the three.Definitely heavier than its predecessor, Requiem - Fortissimo is another landmark for Virgin Black. Singer and mastermind Rowan London left his clean vocals home on this one. Growling from the first second to the last, this might take listeners by surprise. But true to himself, Rowan showcases once more that he is one of the best singers out there, managing to bring emotion, melancholy, and variation to his growls. At times, it sounds like Satan is in the house and can become quite disturbing if you are unprepared for this kind of vocals. Plus Rowan's vocals are often coupled with disturbing background vocals, either male or female. If I had to rename this album, this one would be called "Land of the Dead". It's so dark, it feels like we are projected into a twilight world where the dead are talking to the living.Virgin Black is one of the best Gothic/Doom bands of our days!

8,5/10