On disc: Secret Discovery

 
- A Question Of Time
 
- Volker Raabe -
 
 


 
- Slave
 
- Volker Raabe -
 
 


 
- Pray
 
- Katja Müller -
 
 

Pray

(Drakkar - 2003)



 
 

 

In 1996 they released A Question Of Time, a milestone of German gothic metal. Then they released Slave in 1997 which sounded much colder. Then they broke up. Now 4 years later they are back with a new album - Pray. As in the past most songs are written by singer Kai Hoffmann who sings on this one in English, German and French! Musically they sound less melancholy / depressive and have more pop-elements in their sound. So there are more similarities to bands like Sisters Of Mercy, Fields Of The Nephilim and The Mission. On the other hand there are still metallic guitars - Falk Hoffmann got support. Some are dark atmospheric tunes like Tragedy Within and the title track Pray, others are guitar-driven songs with a hit potential like Down - the album opener which has some Sister Of Mercy female choirs, here they got help from Lisa (Xendria) - and Some Of This. A very positive song is Une derniàre fois - means 'one last time'. A surprise is the song they chose to cover - it is a song from Mel C. (yes, the former Spice Girl) - I Turn To You. Here it's presented as a double-bass rock-pop tune with fat guitars and all electronic stuff stays in the back. Live it'll be a real rocker, I guess. With Sieh nicht zurück (= don't look back - ed.) they have a German song recorded. Very interesting. On this disc Kai Hoffmann can show the whole spectrum of his voice and using different languages also creates different atmospheres which are supported by the music. A great comeback album!
 
 










Katja Müller
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)

  
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Slave

(G.U.N. Records - 1997)



 
 

 

It was to expect that the latest release Slave couldn't keep the high standard of the predecessors. And in my opinion exactly that happened. Anyway, after some spins the album grows. The band from Bochum experimented on Slave and worked with many different influences. The songs have the typical Secret Discovery sound, but can't keep the level of A Question Of Time. I can recommend songs like I Don't Care, Slave To The Rhythm and Night Falls. Check it out and make your own decision about Slave.
 
 










Volker Raabe
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)

  
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A Question Of Time

(G.U.N. Records - 1995)



 
 

 

What a nice surprise! The debut of the German band Secret Discovery is called A Question Of Time and is released by G.U.N. Records. I just knew them as a gothic wave band, but this is metal.... Gothic metal! The opening track Colour My Life has - beside of the chorus - definitely influences of Celtic Frost. At One Good Reason the band offers a slow atmospheric track. The variety of their music is obvious when you listen to the title track which has some pop elements and influences of Depeche Mode. That makes Secret Discovery differ from other genre bands. Dark parts webbed with bittersweet melodies gives you shivers and make the future look bright for them!
 
 










Volker Raabe
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)

  
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