Search - To, Die, For :: Epilogue

Fantastic Finnish goth metal!

michael_crossman | Melbourne, Australia | 06/14/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"To die for's 2001 release, Epilogue, is a classic example of the high quality goth metal which has been pouring from the European continent over the past few years. Sentenced, HIM, Entwine, Type O Negative, Charon and Cemetary are just a few of the other bands which have produced similar dark and brooding messages of love and betrayal. All the ingredients are here: deep, soulful vocals, crunching guitars, mournful keyboards and a tight rythm section. I'd agree with earlier reviewers that the influence of bands such as Depeche Mode and The Mission are clearly there. But the production on this album is on another level. Mastered by the Finnish wizard Mika Jussila, the sound quality is just awesome -from the crunching guitars to the steady rhythm section. To top it off, frontman Jape Peratalo has one of the best set of vocals seen in this genre in years, and the top production clearly catches this. The 'guest' performances by drummer Tonmi Lillman (of Savatage fame) and Tanya (ex-Lullacry) are excellent, with Lillman keeping the rhythm nice and tight on drums and bass, and Tanya's voice being as beautiful as ever. Lillman's talent as a producer are also on display. While arguably not quite as good as more successful bands such as Sentenced or HIM, To die for are indisputably a quality band producing catchy and beautifully crafted music. Highly recommended!Album highlights: Crimson Twins, Vale of tears, Hollow Heart, The Unknown, In Solitude Album lowlights: Veiled"