Search - Faith & Muse :: Annwyn Beneath the Waves

A Great Mix of Medieval, Folk, Goth Rock, & Experimental Mus

M. Mierzwa | Davis, CA USA | 04/04/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"About the Band:

The Los Angeles based darkwave band was founded in 1993 by poet / musician Monica Richards (`the muse') and William Faith who had performed with various deathrock bands including Christian Death and Mephisto Waltz. Both Monica and William are accomplished musicians, with many fans adoring Monica and William's vocals and William's guitar work.



About the Album:

This album was highly recommended to me years ago by another Faith and the Muse fan. Alternating between medieval folk songs (Cantus - perhaps one of Faith and the Muse's most popular songs), guitar based gothic rock pieces in the tradition of bands like the Sisters of Mercy (The Hand of Man or Rise and Forget), and a few more modern experimental / neo-folk like tracks (such as Cernunnos), Annwyn, Beneath the Waves is not only a great introduction to Faith and the Muse, but also an incredible way to introduce people to darkwave / gothic music. Even if you aren't interested in darkwave / gothic music, there is enough variety in this album, that I highly recommend you listen to a few tracks.



My favorite tracks include:

- Cantus

- Fade and Remain

- Branwen Slayne

- Cernunnos (music with spoken word voices)



The CD liner notes include the lyrics for most of the tracks, which I'm sure you'll appreciate the minute you want to sing and dance along to this albums many great songs.



Similar Artists:

- Collide

- Deine Lakaien

- Helium Vola

- Qntal

- Clan of Xymox

- Collection D'Arnell Andrea

- Corvus Corax

- Sisters of Mercy

"

I've loved F&TM for years and still can't describe them

I miss Tee | 05/28/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This isn't my favorite of their albums but I still love it. I love F&TM's mix of traditional celtic, medieval dirges, world music sounds, and that kind of alternative 80's sound I never actually liked in the 80's. I was a metal head back then (always leaning toward kind of mythology-fantasy oriented stuff) then I got into Jethro Tull, and more recently the Chieftains and Dead Can Dance. And along comes this band that wraps it all up very neatly! I agree with a previous reviewer, "Cantus" is a very addictive, martial tune. I always picture Boudicca and her tribe descending on the Romans! I wouldn't say tracks 4-6 are non-descript however. "Arianrhod" is almost hypnotic. The whole album has sort of a water theme, and "Arianrhod" makes me think of a ghost ship for some reason. William Faith really isn't that bad, his voice has that kind of 80's alternative sound. "Cernunnos" is a very cool, angry song. If I have my mythology right, Cernunnos is a Celtic god and this song is about him raging against what Christianity is doing to the Old Religion."