It's a beautiful deal seeing a double-combo of vocalists get on board in one band; here we have DRACONIAN, a fine Gothic/Doom Metal quintet releasing their sixth album "Sovran" on the record label Napalm Records. This is an album of which thrives excellence and performance. The already stellar vocal performance from the beautiful Heike Langhans makes this a typical and solid Gothic Metal album; but aside from that; to make the sound more brutal incomes: Anders Jacobsson who creates some impressive and deep growling elements which is a nice step-up from the clean vocals: Heike Langhans gives off. There's something for everyone in this record; from an epic atmospheric infrastructure to Heavy Metal perfection. The band has been around since the year 2003 and has released multiple records since...including; demos; singles and full-lengths. 5 years since the previous - "A Rose For The Apocalypse" "Sovran" enters our clutches.

It's crazy to think of a Gothic and Doom Metal fusion...but it works so well. If the artwork alone didn't give you that sense of genre combination; then the first track "Heavy Lies The Crown" might help. The main riff spells out Doom Metal. ...I don't want to make Heike Langhans this typical Gothic individual...only she makes it obviously so, on where the Gothic genre comes in...but she does a fantastic job with her vocals and it only brings that Gothic atmosphere to light.

"Stellar Tombs" makes for a particularly fine entry. Including some very fine Doom Metal grooves and and dark atmospheric exposure...easily one of my favorite tracks on this album. If you love a powerful duo...Heike Langhans and Anders Jacobsson perform with great precision and only make this duet sound masterful. "No Lonelier Star" also confirms this. Nothing but epic musicianship and perfection comes out of these particular tracks; the album gets better and better...

Speaking of musicianship - the two guitarists: Johan Ericsson and Daniel Arvidsson have some of the loudest and most powerful guitar tones I've heard in a Gothic/Doom band. Captivated by these two powerful tracks of speed and skill; Fredrik Johansson - on bass - and adding more power on the drums by Jerry Torstensson, adds a powerhouse of epic proportions. This is more so evident with the track "Rivers Between Us", while it's slowed down; it's an epic masterpiece and showcases more of the inner Doom within. Similarly felt with the final track "The Marriage Of Attaris" it's slowed down pace to this brilliantly; meticulously crafted; hour long masterpiece... ends the album with an epic riff and slowed down experience. "Sovran" is a beautiful, yet truly pleasing experience for not only old fans, but newcomers would be in for a treat if they were listening to this album for the first time.

So, should you buy "Sovran"? Yes. Why? Because it is a fancy and ridiculously fine album with quite a few surprises in store. From clean vocals to rough; dark; but atmospheric majesty...you would be missing out a great deal if you left this CD to collect dust in the record store.
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