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Beseech > Sunless Days > Reviews
Beseech - Sunless Days

A step in the right direction - 88%

John_Crichton, May 27th, 2006

Having listened to Beseech since the earlier days when Jörgen Sjöberg fronted the band, I have been somewhat disappointed in the route the band took after he left. His replacement Erik Molarin didn't have his easily recognizable voice, and even though the band put out some solid albums, they weren't the same band. But I was surprised by this album. In certain cases, it was a return to form.

The first track "Innerlane" was obviously mixed to be commercially freindly. It has a very goth-rock vibe. Lotta's vocals are spot on the entire time. With a good audio system, the drums stand out nicely. It's a catchy tune that you'll probably end up singing in your head over and over until to regret ever hearing the song at all.

The second track, "The Outpost", is another showcase of Lotta's voice. She gets it right with every line, hardly missing a step. The guitar work is painfully basic, but mixed with the vocals and drums it keeps you listening, especially after multiple plays.

The third track "A Bittersweet Tragedy" finally shows more of the bands potential in the gothic metal genre. Slower guitars and heavier riffs make this a stand out track. And again, as usual, Lotta's voice is great.

"Everytime I Die" seems to be the second of two radio friendly tracks. It's the kind of song that you can either love or hate, depending on how far into goth-rock genre your willing to get yourself into. Simple guitars and heavy drums give the song an incredibly catchy rhythm. Lotta's put her voice to work during the chorus, and Erik Molarin is hardly even heard.

As for the fifth track "Devils Plaything", I'm not sure what to say. I know this was a Danzig cover, but I have never heard the original. Even without ever hearing it, this is a great song on it's own. Erik Molarin FINALLY puts his voice to work. In certain lines I swear he sounds just like Jörgen, a plus in my book. Nice acoustics and a steady guitar pattern probably put this as one of the better songs on the album.

The sixth track "Lost", is probably the lovechild of Lotta's own musical talents. The band is nonexistent in this one, No guitars, no drums, no bass, and no Erik. Just Lotta and a piano. I would describe it as "My Immortal" (you know what I'm talking about) done right, without all the crying and whining. Great track for those who like this kind of thing.

The seventh song "Last Obsession" is actually the title track, renamed for some reason. Erik is the primary singer in this one, but for the most part he doesn't use his deep voice, sometimes sounding a little too much like a Ville Valo/Jörgen Sjöberg mutant freakshow. It works for the song, but could be better.

The next track, "Emotional Decay", finds a good use to Erik's higher voice. It works much better than any of the other tracks were he isn't singing in a deeper tone. The chorus is catchy and the duo portions of the song work. It includes a somewhat pointless audio cut from a movie, but you get over it.

The ninth track, "Restless Dreams" is the song that makes this album worth owning. It is THE return to the better days of Black Emotions. Listening to this one reminded me of "Firewalk", arguably one of Beseech's greater songs. Erik sounds more like Jörgen here than he ever will, and it really makes you wish he were still around. The vocals is this song couldn't be more polished.

The tenth track is really nothing more than random sounds mixed together. It's pointless, but it carries the same feel of the album.

The remake of "Manmade Dreams" surprised me. The original was one of my favorite Beseech songs, but even I can admit it got boring fast, partly due to Jörgen's slow voice. This new take gives it a much faster tempo and more upbeat vocals. Including Lotta also helps the track stand out from the original.

The final track defines the term "pointless". Emotional version? Don't let that get to you. This is the same track. Same vocals, same piano. The only noticeable difference is there is no intro. That's it. The original is better, you're getting a more complete song. This one almost sounds like a demo.

If you liked the second album, Black Emotions, pick this one up. They have many more similarities than any of the other post-Jörgen albums. It's a step in the right direction that the band hopefully continues.