Customer Reviews

Opheliac - The Deluxe Edition

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is really, really amazing music.

It's probably some of the most technically complex music popular music have heard in the last year, with the possible exception of Amanda I'm-going-to-play-the-Tchaikovsky-piano-concerto Palmer's usual output.

If you were to take a given song on this album apart, layer by layer, the backing tracks are the kind of goth, bass heavy thing heard in rock clubs on nights when the crowd is all painted with corpse white and smoke. The next level up, though is classically trained vocals, classical violin, and what sounds like an Eighties New Wave almost-Depeche Mode-through-Kate Bush-type counterpoint...imagine leaves falling in moonlight through cemetery gates....

....at a very high rate of speed.....

Basically, if you hate goth, techno, and moments of Sarah Machlachlan on Dexedrine, stay far far away. It's sort of like earlier Tori Amos with a drum machine or five.

Also, Emilie Autumn plays the violin like a banshee on fire.

This album is seriously the most original stuff I've heard in a decade, and I'd like to think i at least have half a clue when it come to new and unusual music (previous faves include photek, Gary Numan, FLA, Bjork, etc).

Frankly this is the "Goth" music we all heard in our head all along, i think, but no one managed to truely pull all the disparate elements into a cohesive whole till now. Rasputina came close, but didn't really incorporate any of the electronic elements that, to me at least, make Emilie's albums so much more listenable, and musically diverse.

For me, this is the best music release of 2009 (beating out Tori Amos's Unaturally Attracted to Sin). There is an incredible amount of music here, which comes at you in all directions. Pretty harpsichord, synthesizer, and of course, the Violin. And in Emily's hands, the violin absolutely rocks. (I've heard this described as "Victorian Industrial"). Upon further listenings, I said to myself: "this is what Kate Bush would have sounded like if she had put out a heavy rock album". Spend some time in Emily's world, you won't be bored!

This album got me into Emilie Autumn intially. All of the songs have an amazing quantity of layers to them and both literary and historical references for those who are looking. The music doesn't just have the emotions but also the intelligence that I love to find in music all while sounding fantastic at the same time.

On a side note the artist herself is extremely enthusiastic and thankful to all of her fans whether it's through physically meeting her or her interactive forum online. I always feel better giving my money to someone who at least seems appreciative when you meet them.

I've only listened to this album once so far, and I bought it solely on the basis of reviews here. I wish I could remember what criteria Amazon used to put it in my recommendations, because I love this album so much already... Most of what I usually listen to is psytrance or industrial; sorry to toss out labels, but I guess this album is "goth." Having said that, it's unlike anything goth I've ever heard before.

You could compare it to Tori Amos, but I always thought she just lacked an edge. Emilie Autumn has an incredible voice that goes from beautiful to scream and back again, and topped off with her violin, and electronic processing, the effect is indescribable... She has made an instant fan of me with this album! Growling moments, evilly intense moments. I haven't listened to the words closely enough to comment on them, but the snippets I caught, while concentrating on something else, were masterful.

The only beef I had on this whole album (both discs) was Disc 1 Track 3, Liar, where she screams over and over again, "I want your suffering!" LOL, OK I get the picture. Let me emphasize that this was in no way typical of the whole album; there in fact is nothing on the album that is typical of the whole album. From pretty and classical to dirty electronics mixed with violin, it's all infused with her incredible vocals... I'm listening to it for the second time right now, and confirming my theory that this will be a favorite forever, and that I will definitely be buying more of her music! 5 stars after a first listen, enough said.

I had heard a recommendation for Emilie Autumn from a friend, and when I first saw her CD cover (to the non-deluxe edition of Opheliac), I laughed and said "She wishes!". I'm a pretty gothy person, both by choice and by an extraordinarily painful and very obvious skin condition, but I thought Emilie was just trying too hard. Her songs sounded much too feminist for me to get into, and the whole affair seemed to reek of trying too hard.

But I like trying things even if they seem like a stupid idea, so I gave both CDs a listen. The next week, I bought the Deluxe edition.

The Deluxe version is even more fantastic! The songs are really varied in style and lyrics- you get a very diverse package. The second disc even has a cover from The Smiths, which I absolutely loved.

On the surface, EA can seem off-putting, but if you let yourself try her music out, I really think you'll love it.

Don't be put off by her rather weird appearance. Its her voice I fell in love with. Make no mistake she is a rocker.
She manages to pack more emotion in her lyrics than I thought was possible. I bought the album rather than a couple of songs
from Itunes because i didn't hear any bad or weak tunes on this CD.
If you are into powerful female rockers I recommend this highly.

Love, love, love this album! Definitely not for everyone, but if you are open to some musical experimentation and some tough subject matter, buy this album!

I bought this album for my 19-year-old son, who discovered Ms. Autumn while net surfing. He advised me the album was "great," "awesome" and assorted other superlatives. I listened to some of her stuff on You Tube and liked it, too, though I'm not sure I'd call it "awesome." Could just be a generation gap thing, I guess!

Emilie Autumn is a fantasic musician. This album shows off her deep rooted talents perfectly. I simply can't praise "Opheliac" enough. Wonderful album - every note, every song is just PERFECT. Honestly, I wouldn't change a thing about it.

I have listened to this album countless times and it has never once sounded old to me. I highly recommend it! I personally love the tracks "Opheliac", "Swallow", and "Shalott", but they all flow well together.

Get lost in the asylum...you'll be glad you did!! (And it doesn't matter if it's harder to get out of the asylum then it is to get in - you'll want to stay anyway)