Customer Reviews

The Quiet

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Bella Morte continue to grow in various ways as a band and progress with each release. With thier previous efforts they were caught between punk,goth and seemed they were lost in the eighties with synth driving pop.
Much of the light hearted synthpop was left behind here and and takes more industrial/punk sounds while still having some synths working on specific tracks.
The opening track Regret kind of reminds me of Rosetta Stone a little bit,the guitar is very prominant here.
Track 2 Logic kind of reminds me of bieng taken back to 86-88 era electro pop,Sort of reminicent of the synthpop driven background with a guitar pushing it all. One of the best songs on the cd!
Track 3 Whispers really slows the cd down a bit. It isnt morose or anything and even is a tad bit dancable but no where as intense as some of the other tracks.If they would get a slight push this song could possibly even chart,its that good.
Track 4 First Light , VERY guitar driven but there are still keyboards present. Just a really good song to sit back and listen to.
Track 5 The Quiet, The title track of the cd,The whole track reminds me of the opening chords from A Flock Of Seagull's I Ran. Even down to the guitar effects sounding like seagulls whistling.A very straight forward gothic song. Slow & melodic without the vocal stances bieng droning. This song really makes the cd work!
Track 6 Living Dead - early punk , reminds me of thier early EP's. Its definatly not bad just kind of changed the feel of the cd,they should have made this one of the final tracks on the disc.
Track 7 Echoes, Imagine thier previous single The rain within her hands with a harder edge and a guitar thats sort of like early U2. That would be Echoes. Its a great song but I often feel like I have heard this song before.
Track 8 Hope Again , Ok here is where the classic gothic sound finally comes into play and lets me know I am actually listening to a gothic band. Slow,morose and very moody. It really sets the mood on the disc.
Track 9 I Follow , This song is ALL Over the place, electro drums and bleeps follow keyboards and light guitars. The vocals feel like he is trying to sound like Klay Scott or Trent Reznor at times which isnt bad but when they have such a style of thier own,it just feels forced. Not quite a weak spot on the disc though just a slight distraction.
Track 10 Always , Sort of early Pet Shop Boys mixed with a shot of Erasure. Ironicly eneough it isnt a cover of the classic Erasure song of the same name. This sounds like it could have been a top40 hit if released around 1985-1988
Track 11 Christina , another punk'ish track. Sort of more 90's sounding though. Its good but still a slight distraction from the rest of the cd.
Track 12 Ember , Slow synthpop with a steady guitar drone in the back ground. The cd is starting to slow down more now
Track 13 Wires , Instrumental ending to the cd. Similar to the likes of early Gary Numan. Not bad.
Also to mention the cover artwork is alot like the Spinal Tap release,All black with just the band logo.
The cd as a whole is well worth the price and its very entertaining through out with only a few slow downs,the only song to even think about skipping here is the final track which can get somewhat droning. The Quiet is highly recomended!

They have certainly done it again. I have been a fan of Bella Morte for a few years now, and I've heard just about everything they've released, sans one or two songs. The new batch is simply stunning. While some people might be taken aback by the up and down nature of this album (The Quiet - Living Dead - Echoes changeover, for one), it all comes together nicely. Having heard the majority of the first half of the album months prior to the release, it softened the intensity of those songs, but the last half hit me full force. Andy's voice is as emotional and soothing as it has been on the past few releases (Well, it isn't too soothing on the Death Rock EP... heh...), and Gopal's bass playing supports it perfectly. You can distinct between BN and Tony Lechmanski's guitar technique quite easily... Tony's riffs are harder and stronger, which might have been why some of the newer songs have such a bite to them. Overall, most of the songs are still as danceable and synthpop driven, with one or two deathrock throwbacks in the mix. With each member having distinctly different influences, it really shows in how they play. But that is what makes Bella Morte a great band, such diversity. A definite must have for the record collection.

I am a new listener to Bella Morte. I have been wanting to check out their music. I was at the record store today, besides picking up the new Project Pitchfork album, I walked past and saw the new Bella Morte cd. I thought now would be a good time to check out Bella Morte. I personally love to challenge my ears with new music even if I have to pay for it. Usually I end up loving what I heard, and what I heard on "Quiet" is no exception to that statement. Bella Morte is quite a bit different from their fellow labelmates VNV Nation, Apoptygma Berzerk, Diary of Dreams, Icon of Coil, and Project Pitchfork. I would have to say the music on this album is a blend of synth, goth, and punk rock. I love Andy Deane's vocals. His vocals can be both rough and smooth. I particularly enjoyed "Whispesr" and "Echoes". I am definitely curious to check out Bella Morte's other albums. I would like to hear how different their music back when they were on Cleopatra Records were to this new album.

You know those shocks in life that afford you ample grief to fuel inner debates about the relevance of things like art, companionship and growth? When feelings of bereavement and frustration prod your outlook of life into a soggy, nihilistic mush... And you think you're losing touch with the world, that is, until you listen to "The Quiet" - one of the few genuinly heart felt discs to come out of the 'dark music' world in the past few years-

WOW. That's all I can say when I hear this from begginning to end. Each song has its own character, story and subtext to go along with the music. Some pieces show off the boys' sentimental side, like "Christina", which deals with faith, fate and love. Others take us on a journey of anger, reflection and resolution, like the ambitious opener, "Regret." Speaking of the opener... This is one of the most cathartic, compelling and CATCHY songs I've heard in years. And live, it's an experiance to behold.

I could type about every tune on this disc, but knowing how much I adore it, I'd be compelled to put a few pages down. Instead I'll give you my cliffnotes opinion:
It's a cathartic, fresh sounding collection of catchy songs that are bound to please present BM Ghouls, prove critics wrong, and convert those of us who've lost touch with emotional music on the whole. In a scene dominated by thumps and bleeps, Bella Morte breaths organic art for the pleasure of those of us who never lost faith in rock 'n roll.

Unbelievable

Basim Usmani

Bella Morte never ceases to impress me! Everything they have done has been so origional. In all of their work so far that I've heard (which is everything! :D), I've been able to see the full range of diversity that they are able to capture - amazing! Not only are they some of the nicest people that I have ever met, but has made some of the nicest music that I have ever heard... They are definatley a band to check out, in my opinion. And if you really want to hear what they are capable of, you would almost have to hear all of their music, because each album has it's own unique range of sounds that makes each album 'it's own'. Even inside each album you can hear their incredible diverse sounds. They always exceed my expectations because it's never quite the same, yet keeps the 'Bella Morte flavor', and is always outstanding! More bands hopefully will be influenced by them. Never fails that I already have my money out and ready to buy their next album without question. ;)

This is an absolutly wonderful album...........No Regrets about buying it,too bad I lost My Copy. Beautiful, emotional, and Dark. Perfect for those of the Gothic persuasion...........Thats all I have to say!!!

This is an eclectic release with songs that range from mellow and melancholy, synthy and somewhat dancy to songs with punk elements. The music they create is timeless. Musically it sounds modern but the feelings and thoughts that they evoke are those that are universal. They are never political,angsty or whiney. The production is always exellent. The vocals are clear; With a voice like Andys there's no need to hide behind distortion. The music is straight from the heart; never pretentious. There are no mediocre tracks on this disk.! This is utterly flawless; very catchy and fun to sing along to.

This album rules. If you like goth rock, or are interested in the style and want a good introduction to the sound, you cannot do better than this. Any fans of Bauhaus or The Cure are urged to go get this. They have a broad range of influences, from synth-pop to all-out death punk. The songs vary from somber romantic songs like "Hope Again" to hard rockers like "Christina" and "Living Dead." Easily my favorite album of the year.

I don't understand the guy a few steps down saying that this album is unoriginal and boring... I think these guys are far from boring and unoriginal. Actually, I think they are one of the better bands out there today. They AREN'T on MTV, or don't sound like they would ever be one of those bands. I don't think they are even that popular to begin with, but I find them to be so damn good. Maybe the guy has got the wrong band/review? Haha. I can tell you this is the one best damn albums that I've heard since years. This became quickly one of my favorites. I kept playing it as soon as I got it and never tire of it. One reviewer was right, this cd is anything but quiet. The title track is well... actually somewhat quiet. But I think that's about as quiet as it gets, besides towards the end of the album. My favorites are "Logic", "Whispers" (Andy's voice is SO beautiful on this song, I can sing this song all day with him, quite catchy song too...kind of a "relax" song), "Echoes" (I can just *swoon* to his voice on this one, lol, I love the synth driven beat on this one), "I Follow", "Always" (One reviewer was right is saying this sounds kinda like 80s, but it is lighthearted and the beat is soft... sometimes I almost get teary eyed to this.. The music even sounds Cure-ish).. Well, I might as well go naming the whole album. I didn't find one song on here that I didn't really like. "Living Dead" and "Christina" are more of the punky side of Bella Morte... and kinda sounds weird with the slower and dancier stuff.. but it's still nice. Although I kinda like electronic BM vs. punk BM. Heh.. I wish more synth bands would keep up with it, but slowly they lose it... even Bella Morte. Everything from Bella Morte has been good though... so I would advise you to pick up this cd, especially for starters! I recommend Bella Morte to fans of Deadsy, The Birthday Massacre, The Faint, Apoptygma Berzerk, Zeromancer, and more... :) And if you haven't heard those bands, I recommend fans of Bella Morte to do likewise. ;)

Despite it's title, this album is anything but Quiet, but as you can expect from Bella Morte, it's wonderfully diverse. Prepare to be impressed yet again. One beautiful-industrial-emotional-rock-dance-death-album coming up! Enjoy...