Embraced “ Within “

This is where melancholy and agressiveness combines to conjure one of the most brilliants cds from the previous year! After the release of their debut album “ Amorous Anathema “ in early 1998 ( which has been one of the best debuts I’ve ever heard ), Embraced have come up with another Cd that still sets a higher standard as it easily sets aside from all those so oh! so sweetly melodic bands that have granted a more mainstream approach to metal with such experimentalism through gothic/heavy and rock!
Be sure, you all that still wander in cold driven darkness, that “ Within “ ( Whenever I Think Hatred Is Near ) blows away their latest release ( and some others ) as it guides us through rather epic, certanly majestic ( yet putrefacted ), passages that inflames an eerie loss portrayed by a tearing horizon when solitude beckons its graceless smile.
The screaming anguished vocals ( falling sometimes towards some dramatic growling ones ) acompanies in perfection the heroic melodies portrayed by the keyboards ( believe it or not, they have two keyboardists ) or the guitars, manifesting still, the latter, stormy and hateful rhythms that grow in you like a bloodthirsty plague as the drums slay our ears with it’s pounding and very technical ( at some times ) rhythms, followed by quite powerful and dynamic bass lines...
As each track is played ( there’s a total of nine songs being the last one an excelent instrumental ), one is more and more convinced that they are one of the best bands of the genre around as they have all that it takes to make them even bigger.
Even if this Cd has been released in October last year, Japan only saw the release of “ Within “ at the end of May, acompannied by two bonus tracks: a cover of the german pop/electronic trio, Alphaville, that started out on the 80’s, “ Big in Japan “ which is now more speedy and agressive without loosing it’s melody and a song that follows the same path as the other songs found on the Cd “ Book of keys “! Surprized as you may get, you just have to download both of them from their site to marvel yourself with more ageless poetry turned into music!
As night closes the golden marvelous of tiring days and strugles to survive, only a masterpiece may seize all your frustations... embracing you with silvery delights!!!