Forget Me Not

I like melodic death metal. I really do. The idea of fusing the intensity of death metal with power metal esque melodies is a really good one. I also like the random Italian music played in the background of mob films, The Godfather being a very notable example. This kind of music is very commonly played in scenes where the 'humble beginnings' of the mob boss are being shown. The mixture of violins and cellos is very effective in conveying the emotion these films try to get across. But what happens when you mix melodic death metal and this distinct style of Italian music? You get this album. But is it interesting? Is it good? Or is it just plain stupid? Let's try to find out.

First, let's analyze the instruments that are not too traditional in metal i.e the violin family and the piano. The cellos, violins and violas are constantly used throughout the album. They might complement the vocals, they might accompany the guitar melodies, or they might just fly solo. But the question is, do they sound good? Well, they do flow very nicely sometimes, especially when there's a softer than usual riff along side them, and also when female vocals take their queue. However, they do sound pretty awkward when they try to force in the violin family with a very intense riff. In these instances, it sounds as if two completely different tracks are playing simultaneously. As for the piano, it's not nearly used as much as the violin family, but it is used rather well on the rare occassions it is played. For example, the piano intro in Serenity is very well done and provides the basis for the rest of the song's melodic side.

The more metal side of things, it's generally pretty standard stuff. If you've heard any popular Swedish melodeath band, you'll know what I mean. The usual deep, screamed vocals, the downtuned guitars and the blastbeat and double bass filled drumming. The bass, however, is very strong in the mix. But unfortunately, the bassist fails to provide anything too interesting. The songs definitely try to be complex and layered. The structures are definitely interesting. Random acoustic riffs after a full throttle session, the female vocalist showing up out of nowhere, replacing the vocal melodies with the violin family are just some examples. But just because they're interesting doesn't necessarily mean they're good. I mean, sure the trade off between Mark and the female vocalist sounds very good in Fragile Caress, but much of the time the female vocalist is placed in the weirdest of places. For example, sometimes she starts singing before Mark has even finished his part and it almost sounds like she's interrupting him. Many other attempts at complexity don't fare too well either. Defaced has a guitar riff that gives the exact same sound you'd expect when you'd connect to your internet modem back in the day. Another example is the out of place use of choirs in the title track. It's as if the choir just randomly wandered into the studio while band was recording the song. The ending of the album, 2 minutes after the last song has concluded, plays the same melody as the beginning, just with a weirder production. And then plays it agin incompletely, but this time on piano with a carnival-ish feel. What's the point of this? I really don't know. And as the songs try to be complex, they are rather long. And to be honest, because of this the album gets tiring to listen to towards the end.

In conclusion, this album has a lot of faults in it. It's not something I could sit down and listen to too many times. If it was shorter and more concise, I would've liked it much better. However, it is good for what it is and I do listen to one or 2 songs from the album regularly. Not highly recommended unless you're a big melodeath buff but I definitely recommend at least listening to Through The Non-Time, which is the shortest (excluding the intro and obligatory soft ballad) and also the best tune on this recording. It siginifies everything that is good about the album. It gives us the subtle, soft and catchy melodies while also retaining the aggression and dark nature the album showcases a lot.

That's right, Dark Lunacy is not only one of the most positive bands to emerge from Europe, but one of the more positive bands to surface in recent years.

With all the talk around bands such as In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Hypocrisy, and the plethura of Melodeath bands, one fails to mention Dark Lunacy. This is quite the anomaly because for the sheer uniqueness of the band. Them being unique does not compramize the song writing ability. In fact it allows the limits of the genre to be tested. It's been done before yes, but never to the extent, perfection, greatness, and emotion that Dark Lunacy brings you.

So much emotion is poured into this cd. It's not about being brutal, which it is. It's not about being cheesey with keys, which it is not. It's not about using cliche after cliche that plagues the genre, which it does not. This is a fresh look at a fading genre. Mulitple string sections, Organs, piano, various woodwinds, hell, this could be an orchestra. be it a very bleak, depressing and brutal orchestra but they could pull it off. Every instrument is played to perfection and seamlessly blend together to bring you a pouring of emotion. This is what music was intended to sound like. Pure, heartfilled emotion. Not only that, but its death metal, bringing this hybrid mix of beauty and absolute brute sound that is death metal. Bands like Dimmu Borgir try this sound with some success. And Im sure this is the sound they were trying to achieve. Nothing feels forced here. The instrumentations intertwine and never conflict.

Fact is this band can compose music. They don't sit in the basement and write riff after riff. It's obvious they take thier time to perfect whatever message they are trying to convey. The songs on this bleed brilliant composing. It's not often you get a band that performs metal combine 4+ instruments, including vocals. From what Ive picked apart there are 12 different instruments/vocal techniques. Best thing about it, not one keyboard used in the entire album.

Words cannot do this album or this band justice. The must listens if you had to hear two song to truly get a feel for this album are Through the Non-Time, and Fiamm.

Through the Non-time is the shortest track on here (minus the intro and balladessque time song) but makes it point. From the opening riff you will feel the energy of this song flow. The bass in the back looming, than a crushing yell comes in. Violins playing ever so softly to the brutish music in the foreground, it's fantastic. Once the vocals start th e violin takes a bow out for a while until the chorus. Once the chorus hits you hear more violin and the backup vocals chanting in the backround. After another verse and chorus it changes tempo and builds up until at the 3:14 mark the guitars kick in to provide a stellar solo the just seems to make this song even more melancholy. But that's not it! At 4:09 the song takes one last turn blooming back into the chorus after the music calmed following the solo. The 5 minutes of this song carries along a lot faster than one would anticipate.

Fiamm, no amount of words can describe how epic and perfect this track is. It starts out with appears to be an Oboe or Claranet. Something straight out of a war movie, the ravaged city after days of fighting. The smoke and rubble settling. Soldiers emerging. Than BOOM right back to war. It's a picture they paint with sound, not to mention through all the brute created by the metal aspect of Dark Lunacy. They create a depressing melody through the use of orchestral instruments in this song. In a couple of passages the lead guitar is the instrument producing such a sad, melancholy riff. Simply amazing. The addition of female vocals sets the mood even more in a tasteful way. Tempo changes, spoken growls, orchestras, different vocals, different guitars, the brutality of Death Metal, beautiful melody, sad melodies, I could go on, but you get the point, all this wrapped up into one song.

This cd and band should, and have to be heard. This is music in what some could consider it's purist form. Deep rooted human emotion, embedded into an orchestration of metal and symphony. If you like to pick apart songs and listen for every subtle sound a band includes to get thier point across, and love a well composed album, Forgot me Not is not a miss.

“Forget me not” is a unique album that mixes death metal and violin but sounding way more obscure than the typical symphonic/orchestral metal band. Using death metal as skeleton, “Forget me not” has atmospheric times like gothic keyboards, rain sounds, and violin/string work, which has given an ambient of depression and aggression at the same time. DL has seen their style as “Dramatic Metal”, and it clearly sounds like their music expresses desperation; the Death Metal growls sound quite furious like anger and pain. That’s what this album is all about.

The first time that I listened to DL was in the album “Devoid” and I thought it sounded very rough; but after a while, the “Forget me not” album got into my ears and I clearly saw some “evolution” towards melodic death. Better explained, their guitar riffs are more orientated to melodic death in comparison to their last album, maybe the band doesn’t play standard melodic death metal (Gothenburg style) but perhaps they do reach that style, for their guitar riffs sound like a tough version of now days Dark Tranquillity. I’m already comparing Dark Lunacy and Dark Tranquillity, but there’s plenty of differences too, starting with the drumming that is brutal and clearly tougher than Dark Tranquillity’s last album.

“Lunarcyrcus” is the most brutal song of the album and it has an awesome start, a melancholic dark keyboard, followed by a blast of Death Metal that could open the gates of Hell itself. Then the verse has a great violin mixture with a distorted guitar riff, and I’m glad that most of the songs are like this, distorted guitar riffs mixed with an awesome violin and string work. In the other hand, the song “Serenity” has more atmospheric elements and I was even getting bored in the verse till Mike growled the Hell out of his lungs showing how tough and talented growler he is.

“Through the non-time” doesn’t sound as brutal as “Lunarcyrcus”, as a matter of fact, this song is the closer one to the traditional Gothenburg sound, and don’t get me wrong, the violin is still there and makes real presence in the chorus, but the guitar riffs are more melodic than other songs of the album.

My favorite songs are “Defaced” and “Forget me not”. “Defaced” starts with a violin riff which studio work made it sound like a very old recording, an average person would never expect the upcoming growls and guitars. The chorus is one of the most catchy ones of the album and goes along with a very beautiful violin/string work.

There are many good elements in this album, but the following really stand out: the death metal vocals, the awesome violin work, and most important: the blast of drumming, I got really impressed by the double bass sound and the ability of switching from metal drumming to vals rhythm. This is one of those incredible albums that fit into diverse metal tastes, probably because is not pure melody and not pure brutality, just an awesome masterpiece.

Dark Lunacy are still a fairly unknown band. They hardly get to tour outside of Italy yet, even though they accompanied Dark Tranquillity already. And oh, what a shame that is. Because whereas their debut, "Devoid", was still rather experimental and the band clearly needed to find its niche, the potantial was there in all its glory already. And it is with this second album that they have not only shown that they have mastered their unique style, but even evolved it and have thus turned into one of the best bands on Italian soil.

Dark Lunacy plays a style of melodic death metal that sometimes hints to Sweden (Mind the vocals and the song Through The Non-Time) and sometimes sounds nothing alike it. It is melodic death metal, alright, but the string quartet and pianos that have been so wonderfully mixed into the songs give it a sound unlike any other band, without getting too bizarre.

The album starts off with The Dirge, a short intro that sets the mood for the opener, Lunacyrcus. As you could guess, that style is of a twisted circus-type. While it starts off a bit messy, as soon as you catch up with the rythm and mysterious violins on the background it all falls into place. This song has an odd feeling to it, as it is both beautiful and twisted.

Fragile Caress comes afterwards, and my oh my oh my what an AWESOME song. The intro is soft and beautiful, violins and a piano working together like they were meant to be, but in a sudden burst of anger the guitars, powerful drums and vocals kick in. The violins keep setting the mood, and it's incredible how well they work with the harsh vocals and fast drums. This is one of my favorite songs off the album, as the melody constantly changes throughout the song without ever getting messy.
This is also the first song where the female vocals kick in, and they are once again an excellent example of how to do it right. Without sounding too overdone they are beautiful, the more because of the contrast with the male vocals.

Through the Non-Time is the most Single-sensitive song of the album, because it is faster and shorter than most of the other songs, and the unique Dark Lunacy-style isn't as emphatic. However, the good use of the guitars and the return of the violins at the chorus make it one hell of a song still. The chorus is even one of the best I know, fast and epic without falling into chaos.

Defaced has an odd intro: it sounds like a violin from an old record, but suddenly the 21st century production kicks back in and the song starts off. This is one of the lesser parts of the album, but it is still a good song.

But heaven awaits! Serenity is one of the best, if not THE best song on the album. The intro is slow at first, wondrous piano chords, then for a moment speeding up with heavy guitar riffs, then slowing back down again. You hear a hoarse, half-whispering singing, and OH MY GOD so beautifully taken over by a calm violin. After the second whispered part, BOOM! EVERYTHING kicks in, guitars, grunts, drums, it's like a huge 10-second blastbeat galloping right over you. A longer fast part is followed by a bridge with a layered female choir behind a slowly building tension of guitars and drums. Everything in this song just ROCKS.

My Dying Pathway is a bit like Fragile Caress again: though not excelling in anything, the whole of instruments is an awesome song with great structure.

Fiamm is a longy, with 8:22 second to longest on the album, and this one has one melody as a steady backbone, and the female vocals get back on track again at the 2:40 mark, while the steady drums keep up a fast pace. The violins and guitars exchange places sometimes, and there's some lovely surprises inside as well.

Lacryma is a break from the madness, and a plunge into a sad psycho woman's mind... or so it seems. This is one for the female vocals alone, and it mainly consists of a bass and a single guitar. Beautiful short break, with the only imperfection that it has been placed rather late in the album.

Then back to the real songs... BOoom BAMBAMBAMBAM! Die to Reborn just kicks in at full speed, and what a way to prepare for the final track. This is fast, heavy and beautiful, a rare combination, but a good one. The bridge consists of a solo, but with vocals over, until the piano picks it up again and finishes the bridge after a long, melodical part. The chorus is a great grunt-along: "ALL I NEED IS DIE TO REBORN!"

The final song is a little odd, but tasty nonetheless. How did they manage not to have any of these songs suck? I don't know, but they did it. The melodies sometimes put you on the wrong leg here, and there's some clean male vocals as well. A fitting end to this excellent album.

The last song has a tail: one of the best outros ever. In the rain, you sometimes hear some of the melodies from the album, resounding from somewhere far away. Rain does play a big part in this album, as it is used in The Dirge, Lunacyrcus, Fragile Caress and here.

The production on this album is excellent: everything sounds clean and in good proportions to the other instruments.

The overall feeling of this album is one of awe and awesomness. Buy it NOW. You won't regret it.