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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thoroughly Impressive..., August 10, 2006
Angtoria, comprised of multi-talented musicians: Sarah Jezebel Deva, Chris Rhen, Tommy Rhen, with appearances by Dave Pybus (Cradle of Filth), and John Henriksson (amongst others) now bring us the powerful blend of orchestral inspired metal in the much awaited release "God Has A Plan For Us All."
Sarah, who has brought us her operatic female vocals for bands such as Cradle of Filth, Therion, and Mortiis, now graces us yet again with her beautiful voice as front woman for what I consider to be one of the year's best new bands. As a prominent female influence the metal world she shows that she is not just strictly a session artist, but has great qualities as a lead vocalist as well. Not straying from her opera style vocals, but rather building upon them in this album, she displays her ability to harmonize utilizing her multi octave vocal range, which is revealed in songs. For example in tracks such as "The Addiction," and "Original Sin," she demonstrates a mid range and soprano harmonization which is amazing. As not to overlook a very important detail....Not does Sarah do a fabulous job singing, but she is also responsible for the lyrical composition, with which I am very impressed.
In my opinion, this CD is very well put together and is strong in both vocals as well as having superb instrumentals. One might often buy a CD where the artist is either strong in one area and/or lacking in another, however this is lacking in neither. I find this to be a very strong album throughout its entirety. I highly recommend this new release from Angtoria. It is well worth the monetary expenditure to enjoy the experience of this aural stimulation. "God Has A Plan For Us All," shall remain in my stereo for a long time to come.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Angtoria-God Has A Plan For Us All, August 10, 2006
The Awakening-Is a nice peice of music,an insturmental, however after a while the songs starts to get boring, until the end in which they add alittle bit of choir vocals and make it more dramatic.
I'm Calling-Has a great intro, I like the use of keys and guitar they fit very nicely together. The vocals are amazeing, when Sarah's vocie comes in it is nothing that you would expect at all. Also I very much enjoy her vocals in the chorus. Her voice stands out much more then the music.
God Has A Plan For Us All-At the first note you know why that is the album name, the music is awsome, and is so dramatic sounding, the choir vocals that are in the first verse are very interesting, they are dark and eiry sounding. Then they add Sarah's voice and it dose not seem up to par with the rest of the song quite honestly, but I was mistaken, right at the chorus her voice once again out shines the music...This song I also feel I have to mention, they are very sad, and where quite surpriseing to me, its so nicely written, and if Angtoria, became mainstream I'm sure they would cause a few eyebrows to be raised.
Suicide on my Mind-Another great intro, this time with keys mimicing a lulby it sounds like and then, the guitars make a bold enterance. Also on this track the music and vocals are very blanced and on the same level, Sarah, is not out doing the music. Her vocals are still great however. There is but one thing I dont like in the song and it is surpriseingly in the vocals. She stop on a vowel and repeats it, which is a nice effect but I don't like the overall sound of it...Other then that the song is very, very nice.
Deity of Disgust-This intro is very diffrent from the others, in the sense that it started with guitar and went into keyboards where the other ones are keyboards and then guitar. When the vocals come in the music slows down, every now and again a strum of the guitar, and a rather nice bass line. Then inbetween, vocals sets (This song is a duet) they have a nice bit going on. Then the Male vocals which are done by Martin Haggstorm, are amazeing I do not normally like male vocals but Sarah has found a wonderful male vocalist in him and there voices sound nice together. Now on to the most intresting part of the song the keyboard solo, which is insane, the first time I heard it I knew it was keyboard but I was in Denial. Rikard Andersson, has laid down an awasome peice of work here, which is the major point of the song...
The Addiction-This song has small opera parts from Sarah, which I thought was great because I love that verson of her voice, tho I am likeing this Alot version better, its very bold and not what you would expect. The music in this song I did not care for, but her vocals still made it a nice track. They show Sarah, still has it, she shows alot of diffrent styles, a reassurence for fans the huge fans of Sarah.
Six Feet Under's Not Deep Enough-This was the first Angtoria, song I had heard, back in November, I think. So on this album it was one of those higly anticapated tracks, because I knew it was a re-recorded from the demo. Angtoria did not dissapoint at all! The music, was simple but very entertaining, and the vocals where nice, but on the same level as the music until the chorus, where we hear a some what new style from Sarah, but its good. She overtakes the music yet again, which is not surpriseing because she has been doing that for years with her voice. This song also has to have lyrics mention, I would love to know who they are written about, because Sarah Jezebel Deva, hates them, and has made a brilliant song about it.
Do You See Me Now-I enjoy the short keyboard part at the intro, the guitars are a nice accent to it, but I would have liked to see that rythem in that song, because its basicly discontinued. By this part in the CD you know what to expect in Sarah's voice, and it has a part where the music over takes her a bit. The music for this song is some of the better on the album. Not to mention an extreamly cacthy chorus, but her voice stays about the same style all the way threw.
Original Sin-I was excited about this song, one because I love My Dying Bride, but also I know Sarah has wanted to work with Aaron Stainthorpe, for quite sometime.I am pulled in at once, this song is very majestic and yet at the same time very dark, Chris and Tommy Rhen are displaying some of there finer work on this intro. Now for Sarah's vocals in the first verse, they where somewhat dissapointing until the end and then she added the drama need for the song. When Aaron comes in its amazeing with the music, and then with a blast comes in Sarah, and she is sound better then great, this verse is a very entertaining one as far as listening goes. Then when Aaron comes back in with his harsh growl I can see the two figting, in a place somewhat looking like hell.When Sarah's voice comes back in you do get the calamity vibe, and then she goes right back to the way she was after Aaron's, first vocals. The song ends with very dramatic music and vocals from Aaron.
Hell Hath No Fury Like A Women Scorned-This intro is very flowing but no where near satisfying. Sarah, once again comes in with a new mournful style, that I have not heard from her. After her vocal entraced the music becomes more intresting and her voice is without a doubt bold, to say at the least. The vocals on this track are some of the best on the album.The lyrics are also very touching and Sad, I had no idea Sarah, was such a great writer.
Confide In Me-Quite Honestly I did not expect much from this track, because of its Origin. Boy, was I wrong, this song has the best composeing given by The Rhen Brothers, Its very addicting and a great high point of this song. Sarah's opening vocals are somewhat dull, but that does not last long, not at all.She provides a wonderful chorus yet again, and the music is right up there with her. At the times before when the music and Sarah where at a normal level together, this is like that but they are amazeing!!!!
Thats What The Wise Lady Said-To start off the lyrics of this song are enought to bring anyone to tears, and they are a great moral code to live by! I suggest everyone go to the Angtoria website and read them.Now for the song, it is one of the slower songs on the album but Sarah lays down a wonderful set of vocals to pacth up the slow music, which is quite good to. Its all very dramatic and emotional. This song holds one of those great musical powers! It is a great way to end an album.
Bonus Track:A Child Who Walks The Path Of A Man-For a few extra dollars you can get the Digi-pack which let me tell you it is more then worth it!The vocal entrace to this song hold the most emotion I have ever heard Sarah, sing with!This song is by far my favorite. Everything in this song is so great, the music and vocals.
Overall Angtoria, is a wonder symponic band, with one of the most beautyful women to front in, and I'm not only talking about her voice! She has proved to me, and to everyone for that matter that she is no longer a lady who belongs off to the side or in the back-ground. She is an amazeing vocalist and writer and she belongs at center stage.
As for the Rhen Brothers, any flaws in the music where covered up by a wonderful voice. Still they did mange to keep my intrest within the music. They have room for improvment, and on the next album they could make the music abit more diverse.
8/10
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Terribly impressed and highly addicted..., September 30, 2006
Where to begin...
After anticipating this release for quite some time ,I was not entirely sure if it might meet my expectations...
Infact it did not meet them,but exceeded them.
In one word,
Amazing...
Built upon such full, emotion-drenched soundscapes that can only be invoked by the likes of the Rehn brothers,led and graced by the glorious and multifaceted vocal stylings of Ms.Sarah Jezebel Deva,Laced with the ferocius basslines of Mr. Dave Pybus,and paired with the talented percussion work of Mr.Andreas Brobjer,not to mention the enthralling male vocals contributed by the likes of Mr.Martin Haggstrom,Aaron Stainthorpe,and Tony Konberg(To name a few).The aural experience that is"God has a plan for us all" commands and demands the full attention of your very spirit to delve deep and yet deper still,plunging into the forgotten,cobwebbed recesses of anguish that lie sleeping within a tortured human soul...Only to find yourself re-awakened from within and to breathe in deep, the power of sorrow.. hope..and revenge...
This saga,is not of the typical lighthearted and proud epic orchestral metal drones that seem to be popping out one after another these days in repetitive,mindnumbing fashion.Focusing more on how "big" a song can sound rather than how unique and meaningful the content could have been.
This Debut from Angtoria is anything but that,content is what this is all about.
The album is a story within itself,a tragic tale of innocence lost to blasphemy,a heart-wrenching drama of self-destruction centered around the demise of a young girl who was forced to suffer years of abuse behind the curtains of "blinding light" within her church,a false facade of holiness,with "the devil in disguise"lurking within...
Throughout the course of this album,many gears are shifted.Many emotions are explored.From the strong and catchy,yet erie title track"God has a plan for us all" To the angry and powerful serenade that is "Diety of disgust" and of the romanticised sorrow that envelops tracks such as "The Addiction",and "suicide on my mind". There is something surley to be enjoyed on this album by all walks of life,and srtife.
The songwriting here is superb,as well as the lyrical content with which Ms.Deva is soley responsible for and with which I am very well impressed.
The vocals and the music compliment eachother quite nicley,each playing the perfect partner to the other half.This is a great quality that Angtoria posesses,being equally strong in both areas.
Although these may not be the vocalizations of the Sarah many of us have come to know and expect,this album has given her the opportunity to shine in ways she has never had the chance to before.Stepping out from the shadows of being a session and "background" vocalist she proves her strong ability to lead,with a voice that is sultry,moody,strong and totally unique.
The band shows great success in creating thier own unique atmosphere right from the start,and from just a few minutes into "I'm Calling" you can already grasp that distinct Angtoria sound...
With film-score worthy instrumentals,and a deep,dark,moody and blackened core, Angtoria is a definite force to be reckoned with!
My favorite tracks thus far:
"Six feet under's not deep enough"
"Diety of disgust"
"The addiction"
"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned"
"Do you see me now"
"A child that walks the path of a man" (bonus track)
The world of metal is a changing one,ecspecially with more and more females taking center stage.
I am proud to see the level of talent unveiled in this debut,this is a brilliant band with so much to offer to the world of metal,and music in general.
For loyal Fans of Sarah's and the Rehn's this album does not dissapoint!As for new fans and curious beings alike,I can say that it shall standout as one of the most worhtwhile musical aquirements you will gain this year,and beyond!
The future of Angtoria is a bright one indeed.
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