Title: HANGING DOLL - Reason and Madness
Description: HANGING DOLL - Reason and Madness
Description: HANGING DOLL - Reason and Madness
metal4life - June 8, 2009 07:28 PM (GMT)
HANGING DOLL
Reason and Madness
Obm 2009
'Beauty and the Beast' metal is big business over in mainland Europe so why shouldn't we in the UK have a piece of the pie so to speak which brings us nicely onto Hanging Doll who fit the description to a tee judging by looks and sound and anything other criteria you care to mention. The fact that the band comes from Birmingham - perhaps the home and starting point of heavy metal, is somewhat against them although of course you can't compare the band to Priest or Sabbath or any classic heavy metal band. They are purely a melancholic Gothic metal band with grand and melodramatic lilting vocals mixed with deep beastly growling, all held together in a web of classical orchestral metal.
Hanging Doll are one of those bands that sound like they have some good ideas going on in their music but cannot write more coherent catchy songs which stick with this particular listener. This is a criticism that applies to many goth metal bands I find. Goth metal is one of those categories where the vocal melody in the song is all important for me. Having heard the album a couple of times I have come to the conclusion that Sarah Halliday's voice is not strong enough and nor are her melodies memorable enough to trigger those all important goose bumps that break or make the deal.
Not to say that the band themselves wouldn't appeal to the goth metal hordes across Europe because I'm sure there is a market for this out there. The main point of comparison that I can hear, are the early Theater of Tragedy albums with Liv Kristine before she left to join Leaves' Eyes. That sort of dark and haunting melodramatic sweeping Gothic metal is prevalent throughout this disk and if you are a fan of those types of bands then Hanging Doll should work a treat for you.
Personally speaking I am more a fan of bands like Within Temptation and Edenbridge who put the songwriting at the forefront of their musical output. Hanging Doll need to concentrate more on that aspect of their craft in order to gain further success. They definitely have a decent production on their album and should be applauded for a valiant attempt at equaling the female led symphonic metal hordes across Europe but ultimately failing due to not quite the highest level of song writing one would wish for. My rating will therefore reflect how I feel but a further point or point and a half can be added if you are a particular fan of the more haunting, darker style of goth metal.
© Pirage Forsi
Rating **1/2 (2.5/5.0)
Buy @ Amazon
Reason and Madness
Obm 2009
'Beauty and the Beast' metal is big business over in mainland Europe so why shouldn't we in the UK have a piece of the pie so to speak which brings us nicely onto Hanging Doll who fit the description to a tee judging by looks and sound and anything other criteria you care to mention. The fact that the band comes from Birmingham - perhaps the home and starting point of heavy metal, is somewhat against them although of course you can't compare the band to Priest or Sabbath or any classic heavy metal band. They are purely a melancholic Gothic metal band with grand and melodramatic lilting vocals mixed with deep beastly growling, all held together in a web of classical orchestral metal.
Hanging Doll are one of those bands that sound like they have some good ideas going on in their music but cannot write more coherent catchy songs which stick with this particular listener. This is a criticism that applies to many goth metal bands I find. Goth metal is one of those categories where the vocal melody in the song is all important for me. Having heard the album a couple of times I have come to the conclusion that Sarah Halliday's voice is not strong enough and nor are her melodies memorable enough to trigger those all important goose bumps that break or make the deal.
Not to say that the band themselves wouldn't appeal to the goth metal hordes across Europe because I'm sure there is a market for this out there. The main point of comparison that I can hear, are the early Theater of Tragedy albums with Liv Kristine before she left to join Leaves' Eyes. That sort of dark and haunting melodramatic sweeping Gothic metal is prevalent throughout this disk and if you are a fan of those types of bands then Hanging Doll should work a treat for you.
Personally speaking I am more a fan of bands like Within Temptation and Edenbridge who put the songwriting at the forefront of their musical output. Hanging Doll need to concentrate more on that aspect of their craft in order to gain further success. They definitely have a decent production on their album and should be applauded for a valiant attempt at equaling the female led symphonic metal hordes across Europe but ultimately failing due to not quite the highest level of song writing one would wish for. My rating will therefore reflect how I feel but a further point or point and a half can be added if you are a particular fan of the more haunting, darker style of goth metal.
© Pirage Forsi
Rating **1/2 (2.5/5.0)
Buy @ Amazon