Search - Cruxshadows :: Telemetry of a Fallen Angel 2004

The Angel falls....

R. Wolfe | AZ, United States | 08/02/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The fact that this album only has 3 stars at the time of this writing is a travesty. Even though there was technically one before it (Night Crawls In), I consider this to be the Cruxshadows' first album because it really sets the stage for their style, mythological themes, and the enigmatic story of the Angel IV. Really, if you could call any of their albums "conceptual", this would be the one. The songs are said in the CD book to be "transmissions" of an intelligent satellite, starting with "Descension" and ending with the actual crash. Yet in between you meet Egyptian gods in "Jackal-Head", the Greek God "Prometheus", and tarot symbolism in "Hanged Man". That's really just brushing the surface. The amazing thing about the Cruxshadows is their ability to mix evocative music with multi-layered lyrics. You can take it all literally if you wish, but there is so much more. And of course "Marilyn My Bitterness" is, as even the most casual fan knows, one of their most popular songs to this day, but only one of the great songs on here.



The style is perhaps not so polished and evolved as their later albums (Ethernaut or DreamCypher) but neither is it rough. There's a haunting purity and mystery to the whole feel of the album that carries into The Mystery of the Whisper (the album following this one.) Some tracks are instrumental with effects to set the mood (for example "Miss Fortune Returns", an eerie carnivalian interlude). I love every song on here.



If you're new to the Cruxshadows, the sound is not typical goth. Nor is it typical anything. Definitely darkwave, with a couple danceable songs.



The original release was great; this remastered version is even better. And the art by Mandem in the CD book is beautiful. This is a must for fans and great for anyone wanting to see the beginning of the story, so to speak. Highly recommended."