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Final Fantasy (official studio MCD) Review Lords of Metal May 2004 - Score: 74/100 By: Vera "Gothica" “It’s all in the family” you hear people say sometimes, but you can certainly adjust that as well to this quite new Dutch group. I won't bother you with who fetched in the brother in law of the sister of the keyboardist, but the fact that married couple Ingrid van den Berg (leadsinger) and Willem van den Hof (guitar) are giving shape to the heart of the matter of After The Silence is useful information. That the roots of this family company are situated in the more earlier hardrock finds its expression in the many (and very succesfull) guitarsolo's. It is this fabulous playing and sound of the guitar why the band is making a difference from the others. Six people are giving shape to After The Silence and this mini cd was recorded at the Plug Unit Studio in Reeuwijk. And how is frontlady Ingrid doing it? At first decent and in some tracks surprising well! With the titletrack ‘Final Fantasy’ the group is jumping a little bit on the gothic train with a quite fragile singing Ingrid. What is making this song special is the distinguished guitarsolo which appears suddenly.. In the first instance not really appropriating in order the rest of the song, but in the last analysis a surplus value. ‘Weary Angels Heart’ has a infectious rhythm and slightly symphonic touches because also the keyboards appear very clearly. Also this track contains a spattering solo from the old hat, with much reverberation and warmth. The dark intro of ‘C’est La Vie’ becomes company by jazzy popstructures. Here leadsinger Ingrid is surprises by singing like Dani Klein of Vaya Con Dios. She would be a very decent bluessinger! Also in the way of the guitars there's a causing of an experience once again, very blues directed this time and this was put into the mix in such a way that it sounds quite authentic. The fourth and last track ‘Resurrection’ is a ballad with a piano intro which slow down swells to a equilibrated rocksong. So the sound of this four tracks is very good which are totally take about six minutes. The artwork is very well groomed and there was also including a biographybooklet in shining foil. Which way After The Silence will go finally on a full length album is still a part of the question, but that they have poptential in various ways is obvious herewith. source: Lords of Metal » |