Tiarra - Post scriptum 4/5
Reviewed: 1-23-09
Tracklist:
1. Prologue
2. Ielele
3. In the arms of an angel
4. Tiarra
5. Everything for her
6. Requiem
7. Post Scriptum
8. Broken echoes
9. Epilogue
10. Door of innocence (bonus track)
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From the land of the obscure comes Tiarra, a Romanian band that has recently released their full-length debut 'Post scriptum'. This quickly caught my interest as it's in a style that was at its best earlier in the decade, but the quality and quantity has been diminishing recently. I speak of gothic metal with the "beauty and the beast" vocal style of course, a style that has been a favorite of mine for about 10 years.
To simply label Tiarra gothic metal would be incorrect however, as there are elements of doom present, and the CD wanders throughout symphonic and atmospheric realms as well. 'Post scriptum' is sometimes dark, sometimes soothing, and it's a journey through drama and emotions. While the female vocals (the "beauty") dominate, the "beast" has his moments, and there are also clear male vocals. They all compliment each other nicely and I can easily call the CD's vocal side excellent.
One thing that's noticed right away with this debut is that there are a lot of strings (violin and cello) and they seem to carry the songs, much like what's heard with the earliest CDs from Tristania and Sirenia. For additional overall comparisons, I'd add Tetriconia, Odes of Ecstasy, Myriads, Even Song, Penumbra, Via Mistica, Eeriness, Vanguard, Inner Shrine and The Sins of Thy Beloved, though I also think fans of Draconian and/or (in a different direction) fans of Haggard might enjoy this.
Every song on 'Post scriptum' is special in its own way, but my favorite song is the emotional track 5 "Everything for her", as everything about it is magnificent, especially the chorus. Some of the songs are quite long (with the pace varying from slow to fast within each song), but for those familiar with this style, that is surely expected and is a good thing. The songwriting is truly exceptional throughout and I really don't have even one negative thing to say.
What's so great about this debut is that it brings back memories of a decade ago, when this style was so captivating for me. Tiarra has proved that it can still be done in excellent fashion, and 'Post scriptum' is one of those CDs that brings me hope that the style will never die.
CLINT
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