On disc: Elegy

 
- Forbidden Fruit
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
- Principles Of Pain
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 

Principles Of Pain

(Locomotive Music - 2002)



 
 

 

The Dutch band started back in 1986, but with singer Ian Parry joining they made a step forward and not just the media got a bigger interested in Elegy. The progressive metal band been through some line-up changes meanwhile and is now an international band with members from 3 countries! At least guitarist Patrick Rondat made not just metal fans interested in the band, Rondat played in the band of Jean-Michel Jarre.

Their latest release Principles Of Pain is dealing with love, relationship and all the matters of the heart! Topics almost everybody experienced, partly daily life, but isn't daily life we all have to deal with? Listen to No Code No Honour, a track which is more straight forward than you might expect. Musically Principles Of Pain offers ballads, heavy rock, mid-tempo tunes and neo-classical ones. A large variety which keeps it interesting to listen to. A kind of bonus is the acoustic version of Silence In The Wind, a track from this album. Still underrated, but perhaps this album and the festival appearances as well as a tour will help them to spread the word...
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
up 










Forbidden Fruit

(Noise International - 2000)



 
 

 

Again the line-up of the Dutch-British band changed. Henk van der Laars and Chris Allister left the band and the newbie is Patrick Rondat who is known for his work with Jean-Michel Jarre. Now even more international the band decided not to do another conceptual album, even if a red fathom is running through the whole album and is also reflected in the artwork and the album title. The search of the ultimate sin, the forbidden fruit which is presented in a metallic version on the cover.

Musically the band is still following the path they chose playing progressive metal with power. The filigree guitar work of the French guitarist Patrick Rondat fits pretty good to the sound of the band. The track Force Majeure for example is a fast track with double bass drum, but at the same time complex song structures. Partly the songs were co-written by former guitarist Henk van der Laars, but also Patrick Rondat was involved in the song writing. It's like this album is presenting the past and the future. One of the tracks which are written by Rondat / Parry is Behind The Tears, a track which has faster parts, more complex parts, but is catchy at the same time. One of the longest tracks is also written by the duo and is called 'Til Eternity. Lyrically it's a love story, but not a ballad! Even if it has balladesque parts.

Keyboarder Chris Allister isn't permanently replaced yet, on this album Vanden Plas keyboarder Günter Werno played the keyboards. It worked out well. What the future holds for the 'new' Elegy.... It's wait and see!

Meanwhile I should mention that Forbidden Fruit is also released as a digi-pack and has the following bonus tracks: The Forgotten, Angel Without Wings (both acoustic versions been recorded in 1998 in Japan) and Sweet Revenge.
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
up 





 
 • E-Mail: contact@ice-vajal.com