Flowing Tears - Serpentine


Year of Release: 2002
Label: Century Media
Catalog Number: 8070-2
Format: CD
Total Time: 42:51:00

Flowing Tears is a melodic gothic metal band from Germany with female vocals. They have five CDs - Swansongs (1996), Joy Parade (1998), Swallow (1999), Jade (2000) and Serpentine (2002), though only their last two have received wide-spread distribution.

I have not heard their first three CDs. Jade and Serpentine are fairly heavy, accessible and very emotional melodic gothic metal with primarily melancholic songs along with more energetic choruses. I like Jade, but Serpentine has much stronger and more varied song-writing - whereas Jade has almost unmitigated melancholy with just touches of groove in the choruses, Serpentine presents a much richer blend of melancholy and groove.

Serpentine is crunchy guitar-driven gothic metal with thunderously heavy bass and nice backing keys. Each song presents a mix of excellent, deeply moving, somewhat melancholic melodies and practically danceable upbeat, energetic, groovy choruses. Though there is not enough complexity in the songs to call this progressive, there is still remarkable variety around the basic formula. Each song is compact, individual and emotive, without any filler or needless repetition. The female vocalist, Stefanie, provides most of the melodies in the songs. She has a wonderful style - deep, sultry, even a touch husky, but still very smooth and beautiful, and filled with passion and emotion. The production is superb - crisp and clear, with room-shaking bass.

For my tastes Flowing Tears and Chalice are currently the two premier female-fronted gothic metal bands. They are able to weave together melancholy yet beautiful melodies with infectiously catchy and groovy choruses, making for a startling and very satisfying contrast in moods - you can't quite decide if you should cry or dance.

Similar to: Artrosis, Chalice

[This review originally appeared January 2003 at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.]
Tracklisting:
Intro (1:14) / Starfish Ride (For A Million Dollar Handshake) (4:20) / Serpentine (3:52) / Children Of The Sun (4:01) / The Marching Sane (3:17) / Breach (5:24) / Portsall (Departure Song) (3:13) / Justine (3:41) / The Carnage People (3:01) / Merlin (3:24) / Cupid Of The Carrion Kind (3:33) / For Tonight (3:51)

Musicians:
Stefanie Duchene - vocals
Benjamin Buss - guitars and programming
Frédéric Legny - bass
Stefan Gemballa - drums

Discography:
Flowing Tears & Withered Flowers - Swansongs (1996) (OOP)
Flowing Tears & Withered Flowers - Joy Parade (1998) (OOP)
Swallow (ep) (1999) (OOP)
Jade (2000)
Serpentine (2002)

Genre: Melodic Metal

Origin DE

Added: December 18th 2004
Reviewer: Chris Mitchell
Score:
Artist website: www.flowingtears.de
Hits: 2334
Language: english

  

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