It was a beautiful Saturday evening; I was tired to go out so, I thought that it would be a good idea to listen some of the promos I had to review. The first one on the, fortunately small pile, was the new album from MANDRAGORA SCREAM. After the first 3-4 minutes I was sure that it was a bad choice.

This band is from Italy and is the personal music vehicle of Morgan Lacroix that started as a solo project until she met Terro Horn. The duet released two albums, before turning into a full band with two additions in 2008. So, this is the fourth full length album from MANDRAGORA SCREAM.

Ok, I was 100% sure just by looking at the cover of Volturna and the band photo that I was going to listen to gothic Metal. But I wasn't prepared for this. A less than mediocre album, full of cliche ideas, childish lyrics for gothic girls and boys that like to go to Wave Gotik Treffen and dress like vampires. They are trying to mix some industrial(?) elements, with gothic, HIM like, keys and riffs(??) and to copy ideas from bands likes DEATHSTARS, MARILYN MANSON and BIRTHDAY MASSACRE but without any success. As for the two covers, Bang Bang is so and so and I don't think that Fade To Grey adds anything to the rest of the album.

Every time that I come across bands like MANDRAGORA SCREAM I'm thinking how they manage to sign a contract. Probably having a good management always helps. Volturna is an album that can't even be described as a mediocre one. They need lots of work, but on the other hand, when you already have three albums on your back, I don't think that you can change anything. What you listen is what you'll get in the future too.