This is Tristania's first full-lenght album, after the release of Tristania EP a year earlier. This is probably one of the greatest blends of gothic doom metal and oiperetic symphonical orchestra that a mind like Morten Veland's could only create. This album along with Beyond the Veil are considered to be two of the masterpieces in the scene, and sure these are not overated opinions.
From "Preludium" to "postludium" this albums is probalbw with no flaw. It begins with a slow classical medieval-scented intro, until the guitars of "Evenfall" grab you by the neck. Headbanging is unavoidable. Vibeke Stene's angelic vocals can make Liv Kristine and even Tarja Turunen shiver, and blends perfectly with Morten's growls, creating a gothic medieval atmosphere. Moving on to "Plae Enchantress" maybe the most beautiful song along with "My Lost Lenore", gothic doom songs, heavy and slow, melodic and beautiful. The keyboards have almost a leading part, and surely give out melodies that cannot be easily forgotten.
"December Elegy" takes its row to a slow melodic intro and Vibeke's own song, till Morten's growls blast your ears off. Nice to add, is that despite the growls, you can understand each word perfectly, which also shows the great attention given to production. You can definetely see Veland's direct influences from The Sisters Of Mercy and The Fields Of The Nephilim in "Angellore", until "My Lost Lenore" and it's absolutely majestic piano melody, that could easily be a Tim Burton's movie soundtrack, joins Vibeke's voice, where there is actually a Theatre-of-tragedy-an duet between her a dn Morten.
"Wasteland's Caress" carries a heavier tune, a song built to be played on stage., and kinda shows the way the band takes on to it's next album. The album closes in the beautiful way it begins through "postludium" and a choir.
All Lyrics are written by Morten, are in some sort of middle English.
If you are a fan of dark-metal in general, meet the band that defined it. An absolut masterpiece, flawless.