Angels of Distress [Import]

Shape of Despair | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 25, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Sp.Fa
• ASIN: B00005Q5B4
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #38,348 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Fallen

2. Angels of Distress

3. Quiet These Paintings Are

4. ...To Live for My Death...

5. Night's Dew

Editorial Reviews

Shape Of Despair includes: Pasi Koskinen, N.S., P.K. (vocals); J.S. (guitar, synthesizer); T.U. (guitar, bass). Additional personnel: Toni Rachalme (violin). Engineers: Kaide Hinkkala, Antti Lindell, J.S Sophomore album for female fronted act from Finland. Beautiful synth based slow sound. 5 tracks in all. Digipak. Spinefarm Records.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bleakness is sexy. Really., March 26, 2002

By 

B. "busternaut" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Angels of Distress (Audio CD)

Very much along the same lines as My Dying Bride, but with more sonic depth. Pasi Koskinen does the lead vocals (old Amorphis fans should rejoice to hear him growl again), but don't let that mislead you. The "J.S." (lead guitar/keyboards) person, whoever that is, wrote the entire record. Very long, heavy, dramatic, slow songs, but never boring. Sounds very cold, but with miles of headroom. Who knew doom metal could be this spacey without stooping to wallow in faux-psychedelia? The "alluring female vocals" that the label flaunts act as more of an added texture than a centerpiece. None of the sounds take spotlights, but refreshingly work with each other to create a massive -- yet wide open -- sound. A must-have for the beautifully disenchanted.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is music to be melancholy to...., April 28, 2004

By 

William F. Soule "f_ll_nth_bl_nk" (Clearfield, UT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Angels of Distress (Audio CD)

If you really want to be in a depressive mood, put this album in. As you may already understand, the music in here is slow... It is so slow that one may doubt the credentials of this band's musicianship. But what this band does lack in musicianship, they make up in pure, depressive musicality. What I mean is, although the drummer plays very simplistic drum patterns (ones that I can play so easily) and the guitarist utilizes very broad and simple (but heavy) guitar playing, the band has made that up with the atmosphere they created - a very haunting and dreary, depressing mood that could be a soundtrack to someone's life that has gone totally wrong in the tear-enducing, melancholy sense. There really isn't another way to describe this band's music.
Additionally, the two vocalists really show two different sides of the spectrum while simultaneously having a coexisting vocal affinity. The male vocalist emits his deep growls which may turn off some listeners from the music (the band could stand alone with just the female vocalist, although I wouldn't want THAT to happen). He also doesn't really do much (but he does enough, in my opinion). Most of the album is instrumental. The vocalists feel like they are there for the added touch and dimension in the music.
The female vocalist, for the most part, does not sing with lyrics. She mostly uses her voice as a lulling and drifting melody that accentuates what the other musicians are doing, and she does it VERY well and effectively.

The keyboards, synthesizers, and the violins display the most musicianship and feel like the foundation of Shape of Despair's music.
All the songs are good, but the all-around favorite is: Quiet These Paintings Are. This is a long song and is probably the most depressing/sad/melancholy/(input a depressive word here) song on this album.

If you can stand slow music (all 5 songs are slow and long), that is heavy, depressing, and atmospheric, then buy this. For the most part, I think the mainstream isn't ready for this kind of music (it's not upbeat and lacking in musicality for goodness' sake!)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My God..., July 8, 2003

By 

diego (Coral Springs, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Angels of Distress (Audio CD)

My God, I've just had the most powerful musical experience of my life listening to "Quiet These Paintings Are". The utter beauty, the immeasurable sorrow, the soul-wrenching pain ingrained in every single note of that song.......just, wow. I sat riveted to my seat, unable to move for fourteen minutes, nearly moved to tears. I have never, ever had music grab me by the heart like that song just did.