Since long time, including when a trend infested Metal on the past decade, with bands focusing their creative efforts on something deeper, introspective and sad on lyrics, but the musical conception of those bands could be in an ample musical range. Of course, "Big Daddy" heard many nasty things, as people calling bands as NIGHTWISH or KAMELOT being called "Gothic Metal", or just "Gothic". Of course my patience was tried time and time again. But what really is Gothic Metal?

There's no consensus, so I prefer always to stay away from this musical label. But if a band really could get near a true musical conception for this type of Metal, without a shadow of doubt, it would be the German duo LACRIMOSA. And if you hear their new album, "Hoffnung", you'll understand my words.

Their unique musical style (that they created back on the 90s, so we aren't talking about a newcomer) mixes influences from Gothic Rock, very good orchestral elements, and even something from Darkwave. And it evolved more and more, so don't be stuck on an idea for their pats works. Tilo himself produced and mixed the album, and Tom Meyer did the mastering. So we can say that the sound quality of "Hoffnung" is excellent. All was done in a very capricious way, all musical instruments and orchestrations are clear and in their due places, with a good weight when it's needed.

As a whole, "Hoffnung" is very, very good, indeed. It's intense, melodic, symphonic, darker and elegant, all at the same time. And there are moments that the music is complex."Kaleidoskop" (with its grandiose orchestrations and very good work from Tilo and Anne on vocals), the aggressive and a bit harsher than the others "Unterwelt" (very good work of the guitars), the excellent "Der Kelch Der Hoffnung" (it alternate between harsh moments with some more melodic and full of orchestrations), the tender impact felt on "Thunder And Lightning", the perfect mix between musical weight and very good melodic instrumental "Der Freie Fall (Apeiron, Pt. 1)" (full of grandiose moments and other ones more introspective), and the long and perfect "Apeiron (Der Freie Fall, Pt. 2)" (again a very fine work on guitars, along with some electronic effects and again, excellent and unique vocals from Tilo). And for the fans, on the deluxe version, there's a great bonus on "Keine Achatten Mehr (Jubilaums Version)".

An excellent album, indeed!