Review: 05.2008
By BloodAlone- Sea of Blood
If there ever were an indie/goth/slasher movie, By Blood Alone would provide the soundtrack. They’d even be the featured band at the obligatory concert/rave scene, performing as the victims fall one by one. The first track on Sea of Blood, “Serpentarius,” begins with thrash guitars and a crashing orchestra reminiscent of early Iron Maiden. Lead singer Cruella’s voice separates them from others of their ilk, though one would be hard-pressed to name another gothic prog-rock band reaching those deep and sultry notes as she does. In fact, it’s her voice that can reach those Siouxsie-like banshee pitches combined with the whining strings of the oft-featured violin that allow each song to meander towards jazz-pop before reeling back into the fast-paced and doom-filled world of goth metal.
The title track combines twisting prog-rock guitar solos with a sad, repetitive piano tune making it the closest to an actual ballad on the record. “Undead Friend,” has more of the melodic vocals Cruella seems more comfortable with. The haunting piano and occasional snare pairing off with seemingly random triangle tinkles sound like a ballet for the dead, even more so with the progression of swelling strings of the violins. By far the most original track on the album, it forgoes the obligatory guitar and accompanying solos until late in the song where it revives the weakening tune, wakes it from the dead if you will, and carries it to the end. The Addams Family keys of “Lovely Lies” comes in after a motorcycle gang guitar riff that heartily repeats itself throughout the song. The vocals and keyboards then build up to a biting chorus worthy of any pale maiden that got stood up at the Victorian equivalent of prom. As if the creepy horror flick aspect of By Blood Alone wasn’t prevalent, “Little Lady Lillit” should put your mind at ease. The cheerful rolling piano and nursery rhyme chanting of the layered vocals belie a sinister story of murder. A fitting end to the album. (Jericho Hill Records)
-Leyla Hamedi