Firstly, the band’s name is absolutely ridiculous. If you are not familiar with them… Well, I must say that I envy you since you will listen to this requiem the way it should have been done.Review Summary: Surprisingly solid doom metal.īefore listening to Virgin Black’s latest release, I made note of a few things. If you are a fan of the band do yourself a favour and complete the Requiem experience with this beautifully dark yet tranquil album. Listening to the whole Requiem in one sitting (starting on this one and finishing with Fortissimo) does make for one incredible ride though! In that sense, this album truly shines. Perhaps it should have been shorter? My opinions seem conflicted as my expectations were a bit higher and Virgin Black seems more adept at using the orchestra as a support like in the two other parts. The range of emotions and explored landscapes are lacking just a bit though. It flows extremely well and it changes tones quite often, thus giving plenty of replay value.
That being said, I still believe this album achieves its' purpose though. I must admit however that I don't find this album to be as engaging as the other two parts of the Requiem series. I take pride in not being a stereotypical "but where's my metal?!" kind of person.
#VIRGIN BLACK REQUIEM PIANISSIMO REVIEW FULL#
Previous riffs and lyrics are referenced through the dark classical lens of the orchestra, thus providing a full satisfying disclosure for the fans.
#VIRGIN BLACK REQUIEM PIANISSIMO REVIEW SERIES#
As the fans will surely know, many melodies and sections are repeated throughout the requiem series but through different filters. The string section is mostly responsible for the build ups in intensity like in "Libera Eis Domine" or " Lacrimosa (I Tread Alone)", with the later also having a gorgeous piano passage. The ominous and mournful atmosphere pours out of my speakers when the leading voices and the lovely piano introduce melodies that are further carried out by the full orchestra and choir. Now, I'm far from being an expert in classical music but to me Pianissimo is nicely composed. Even though he did a good job in the band's humble beginnings, it's impossible to compare those achievements to the ones presented here: Quiet and sincere, or passionate and mad… But forever a lamenting voice. Rowan truly brings it when he shows the full range of his operatic voice. Not a single harsh moment (music nor vocal wise) can be heard here. A ballsy move, since assembling a classical piece that evokes the same feelings and recalls the same passages as the other pieces cannot be an easy task. As you may have guessed, the lost first part of these series is purely classical. The third and final part, Fortissimo, focused solely on the most extreme and savage aspects of the band within their death/doom/gothic metal sound, with only a hint of the orchestral ingredients. Mezzo Forte was the perfect marriage of sound between the band and the orchestra/choir. On their Facebook page, Virgin Black released chronological images of their past… And present: The Requiem had been completed.Īll three parts were recorded at the same time. All hope was nearly lost until late 2018 when the band rose like a phoenix.
Rumours started circulating as the band also seemed to vanish out of thin air. The rest of the story is well known by now: The first two parts were released fairly quickly but the elusive first part, Pianissimo, never did. Each album showed a wider display of songwriting that culminated in the Requiem series: A mass for the dead that involved a full collaboration between the band, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the Adelaide Stamford Academy Choir. Virgin Black has been ambitious from the beginning. 15 years later, with a decade long hiatus, and the Requiem series finally completed… These words remain as truthful as ever. "All is lost but hope" were the last words sang by Rowan London on Virgin Black's sophomore album, released back in 2003.