One can fathom what attracts Goth fans to many brilliant symphonic acts: au minimum a diverse and atmospheric orchestration, a catchy lead guitar and primarily a genuinely talented soprano/mezzo or vocalist in general. None of what precedes is anywhere to be found on the latest release by the German Gothic Metal band SCHWARZER ENGEL, "Imperium I" as the first seconds of "Götterdämmerung" which had raised my expectations to the roof before the monotony not only regrettably overtook, but also stubbornly persisted during the whole process.

Heavily relying on image based on Gothic stereotypes, makeup and romantic figures yada yada, the record -supposedly a symphonic arrangement- consisted of (and literally hanging by) a mono-track orchestra, bi-layered at best. Even the attempted dramatic touch of the string ensemble was over the top, thus unable to deliver any of the targeted emotions but on one hand makes you wonder how such a background worthy overdub could be the leading track, and on the other hand, how is it supposed to be the album signature while it merely consists of roughly the same main riff on all tracks till the point that it gets draining to listen to the same verse over and over when there is no song structure at all, neither typical nor atypical. You can by no mean call this riff-based as the notion doesn't apply on Gothic/Symphonic Metal. By the same token, is this over-processed music reproducible live without resourcing to pre-recorded tracks?

As practically no instrumental skills got the chance to be exhibited, the record comes off over-padded with too edited vocals and toneless melodies in an endless verbiage, no matter how the German language is supposed to suit Metal best. The bass-baritone range itself is impressive, almost hitting on TILL LINDERMANN of RAMMSTEIN, consequently there aren't any explanation for the depleting schizophasia or the dystocic pseudo-growls struggling to be extracted. Let's take into consideration that composing is not just about gluing some notes together into a semi-tastable riff going on and on aimlessly and uncontrollably while thoroughly depending on the heavy cheap keyboards to cover your back. It's a dead end.

Still, the most inhuman torture device on the record is unequivocally the guitar play that absolutely every single mortal who has ever touched a guitar can mime when testing the tuning or pre-heating for rehearsals. Beginner on all levels, meager sets of chords, some tremolo scattered here and there without a single decent arpeggio, let alone dreaming of a solo on "Im Herzen wohnt die Trauer"! Indeed, the only time my face lit up - even temporarily - was during "Meine Liebe", with a one and only passage that can remotely be discerned as an interlude, which soon turned out to be as disappointing as the rest of the track, needless to mention the drumming which is limited to the most basic Rock groove and that - at its best - is unable to keep on the double bass drumming without taking pauses in between every bar, darn this is supposed to be METAL!

Extraordinary how potent cheap music is, said NOEL COWARD. And that's definitely the case for SCWARZER ENGEL, as "Imperium I" is bound to be that kind of music that you and I know more than well without the need to raise a brow, that paradoxically works commercially - bearing in mind the newly Metal converted pre-teen girls tendencies.