Customer Reviews

Mystery of the Whisper

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Very rarely do you find an album that is at once a musical feast and an epic storytelling event. "Mystery of the Whisper" is as brilliant as "Downward Spiral" (NIN) in concept, and yet musically and lyrically far superior.

Its combination of melodic (even classical) arrangement and hard-edged, danceable rhythms make it a treat for the discerning fan of goth, darkwave, industrial, folk, 80's rock, even opera!

The plot is also intricate and sophisticated. It does deal with the simple and traditional "album story" where lovers meet and tragically loose each other. But the subplot of religious development, disillusionment, and completion take it far beyond the typical cliche stories of modern music and into the realm of mythology.

"Mystery..." is, as its title's allusion to the old mystery-cults implies, at last an experience of transcedent art and a deeply personal expression of the divine.

The Cruxshadows' ( pronounced: Croo - shadows) latest offering, demonstrates this band is built to last. Many have heard their song "Monsters" on the Black Bible compilation and may be anticipating some more of the same playful spooky goth dance chords. Wipe that sound from your head and take notice that this band strives for yet another sound that will begin a new rage. "The Mystery Of The Whisper" brilliantly combines elements of Egyptian style sounds and marries them to Gothic Industrial chords on some of the songs featured on this disc. The current "hit" being passed around these days is "Cruelty" however that is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg of how wonderful this CD sounds. The lyrics are timely and poetic that you may find yourself listening to a particular passage repeatedly, somewhat stunned that the gammut of your emotions have been put to recorded music like no other artist has done in quite some time.
The only major drawback is the print inside the CD cover which is rather small, especially for some of us "elder" Goths, however the band humbly apologizes for this. Considering the scope and the breadth in which they have created this body of work , it is seriously doubted that their fans will mind all too much.

The Cruxshadows manage to take the Gothic sensibility to heart felt introspection. There is a lot of pride and humility carefully woven into the body of songs which makes the entire outfit so endearing that you can't help but cheer their success. Rogue takes his lyrics to such impassioned heights when he sings the choral verses that you want to sing along and, somehow, he makes you feel like he wouldn't mind the company along the way. Many of these songs have generous dance beats geared for club play. The real "whisper" from this CD comes from listening to it alone with your headset on. All the subtle nuances come bursting to the forefront, that is seems as if the band made this CD exclusively for you. Make no mistake, Rogue doesn't just "sing" these lyrics, he feels them and relives the agony and the ecstasy which may get missed during a club playing. He surrounds his voice around the lyric in gentle lilting ways that only the headset can truly pinpoint the passion of the rendition to its fullest height which allows us to feel it along with him.
This is such a stunning CD which will only garner this band many more fans along the way. Dancing Ferret Discs will be running into overtime for additional pressings on this outing.

I love this band with all my heart. Their music inspires me, comforts me, and lifts me. This is one of my favorite cd's of theirs and I really can't say enough good things about it. Every song on here is unique and wonderful!

Starting with an instrumental/chanting introductory piece, Isis & Osiris; this new album by the Cruxshadows follows a certian thematic concept of primitive and/or ancient Egyptian life-cycles and through 17 tracks of diverse yet complimenting soundscapes it provides the listener with a wonderful insight into the more passionate aspects of the gothic/alternative sounds being produced by one of today's more progressive bands. Without stylistically compromising from the distinctive sound of their first album, Telemetry of a Fallen Angel, they move on to produce tracks of highly varied structure, sound and influence. Standout tracks include "Breathe", "Cruelty" and "Sympathy (for tomorrow)" and with lyrics and music both subtle and powerful they grip the consciousness even on a first listen. The Cruxshadows music is highly rhythmic and easily transposed to a dancefloor, yet equally lends itself to a quiet evenings listen; skillfully blending modern and ancient sounds to produce and album that demands repeated listening. Lyrically both powerful and compelling, it contains lines of profound insight and simplicity. As yet the band is relatively unheard of outside the American continent, but hopefully with more exposure this is a band that will go places. This album is a great introduction to the band and I highly reccomend it to anyone with both a background in the music of goth influenced bands past and present and the discerning listener of a broader range of tastes. It continues to surprise me with its variety and instinctive discovery of the psyche and the struggle between a life fulfilled and dreams lost to the dead.... I hope you enjoy it as much as I have and continue to do. Marge xxx

The Crüxshadows, originating from Florida, most likely had a great challenge creating a follow-up as bright and as original as their official debut album, "Telemetry of a Fallen Angel," but "Mystery of the Whisper" stands very well on its own. The album is consistently wonderful all the way through, and requires a lot of repeated listenings to fully appreciate the complex array of sounds, imagery and thoughts. You hear something new each time. Stand-out tracks include the edgy "Cruelty," the emotional depth of "Breathe," and the bitter-sweet melancholy of "Sympathy (for Tomorrow.) I highly recommend this album and look forward to seeing how one of my favorite bands continues to develop.

overall, it's a good buy. I bought this CD when it first came out on the strength of the song "Cruelty" which is very good. There are quite a few other good songs on this album, but with 17 or so tracks, there is definitely some filler, be warned.

The band sounded somewhat like Depeche Mode meets Bauhaus, to use two oft-cited bands. The lead singer has a decent vocal range, which goes well with the music, which borders on delightful New Order-esque synth pop at times.

The liner notes point out that this is "the second album in the Angels cycle", and it is hard to review this without some reference to the previous album, 'Telemetries of a Fallen Angel.' Both feature excellent yet straightforward songwriting, a well-defined but not heavy-handed theme, and outstanding, emotional vocal performances by lead singer Rogue. Unlike the previous album, it's a little more cohesive musically, and a little more obviously "gothic" in influence.

The music itself is fairly simple, with Rogue's Peter-Murphy-esque vocals high in the mix. Programmed drums figure heavily, and competent (yet sometimes underutilized) guitars, keyboards, and violins fill out the sound. The sound of "gothic" acts like Rosetta Stone, Bauhaus, and Alien Sex Fiend are there, but with more emphasis on emotions and balladry than punky rock tunes. (Although there are a few driving numbers that will surely fill the floors of underground dance clubs!)

I wish the theme was as unique as the previous album, and I think the cover & insert art is not as interesting as that of the previous album. But the music has grown and improved without radically changing, and I've enjoyed repeated listens. This band has earned its underground reputation and I highly recommend both albums to date.

There are not many words for this album mainly due to its diversity. One minute it is full of angst and the next listless and lethargic. It contains vivid lyrical displays along with energy that may make or break you. This album is truly a voyage down the road of modern synth pop mixed with a whole lot of that goth darkwave we love. No doubt a specacular buy.

After listening to the Cruxshadows' new album, Mystery of the Whisper, I found myself in a profound state of mind. The music is poignant, soulful, and completely draws you in. There is so much emotion woven into their music. Lyrics and music weave a spell around your heart, seemingly demanding that you must feel the heartache from such songs as "Monument," "Cruelty," and "Sympathy (for Tomorrow)." This album has a wonderful blend of gothic music and Middle Eastern sounds with the Egyptian touch. Very artistic and creative!

I purchased this cd after first downloading several tracks by the cruxshadows on Kazaa... This is one of my favorite cd's in an eccentric way. It is a bit of an acquired taste for me, compared to the bland high-budgit popular mainstream music on the radio, this band has more personality. Their lyrics are nice and the singing, I love, if a bit different from the adopted bland styles of more popular groups. I believe this is one of their earlier albums and probably still a bit rough around the edges but I do enjoy it when I'm in the mood for something really different.