THEATRES DES VAMPIRES began life as a melodic black metal band, and gradually moved towards a gothic metal sound. These Italian goth metallers are back after five years with a new release. Zimon Lijoi (bass), Gabriel Valerio (drums) and Fabian Versi have been around since 1997, seeing the full journey of the band.

This album is more of a keyboard-driven release than most metal albums, and so it may not be to the tastes of those who prefer a more guitar-driven approach. That's not to diminish the efforts of the band, however; I can imagine songs off of "Candyland" doing well at a goth event. Initially, I found Sonya Scarlet's vocal performance a bit overdone, but in the end her style works well for the band's brand of metal. She adds an operatic touch to her diction, most notably on "Pierrot Lunaire" and "Opium Shades". Lijoi and Valerio add some baritone male vocals to the mix. Baritone clean vocals seem to be a staple of male gothic vocals, and this album is no different. I particularly liked the male vocals on "Seventh Room", which harmonise well with Scarlet's vocals.

After seeing a revolving door lead guitarist lineup for some years, the band finally found a steady lead guitarist in the form of Georgio Ferrante. "Seventh Room" is the album's most abrasive track, with the distorted riffs and harsh vocals hinting at the band's old style. Ferrante does a cool little solo on "Morgana Effect" and adds a slight grittiness to the rest of the album. His riffs add to the sombre mood of "Resurrection Mary", and shines on "Parasomnia".

The keyboards add a dramatic touch to the proceedings in the form of pianos, electro parts and symphonic elements. For example, on "Delusional Denial", the symphonic parts add heft to the song. The band do a good cover of DEPECHE MODE's "Photographic", where the electro elements are strongest. I also liked the synth lines on "Your Ragdoll", which meld well with the metal riffs. The album ends with the piano-based track "Autumn Leaves", which is a fittingly gothic ending for a gothic metal band.

While some metal fans might not welcome another gothic album from the band, there are others who will love it. I found this album to be a fun and mostly pleasant listen, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys music with a gothic touch.