Customer Reviews

Seven Lives Many Faces (2 CDs)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Enigma is back with their seventh foray into the pop ambient movement that began with their pioneering 1990 debut album aptly titled MCMXC A.D. which artistically infused Gregorian chant into neo-classical dance electronica with the hit singles Sadeness, Pt. 1 and Mea Culpa, Pt. 2 and instantly became internationally recognized trademarks spawning an entire Chant subculture movement whose motifs were further explored with ethnic cultural chant mixing on their brilliant follow-up album, 1993's The Cross of Changes and by 1996's Enigma 3: Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!, it seemed Enigma could do no wrong having dominated the 90's with their trendsetting ambient style continuing into the turn of the millennium with The Screen Behind the Mirror whose thematic operatic sampling of Carl Orff: Carmina Burana seemed destined to be integrated with Enigma's signature breakbeats which were already beginning to diminish. By 2003's Voyageur, all of the familiar choral motifs that had given an identity to such an Enigmatic visage were all but jettisoned in favor of Michael Cretu's heavy reliance on synergistic pop vocals. In 2006 Enigma made something of a return to innocence to their New Age electronica style with A Posteriori which abandoned the dominating Cretu vocals by embracing the spacey ambiance of trance. In 2008 Enigma releases the 2-disc Seven Lives Many Faces which is an extrapolation of many previous styles in their repertoire but again more of the same-old, same-old. You'll recognize many familiar trademarks beginning with the "Voice of Enigma" and ethnic vocals on tracks like "La Puerta Del Cielo" and "Between Generations" and vocals peppered sporadically throughout on tracks like the hip-hop sounding "Seven Lives" to "Distorted Love" and "J'Taime Till My Dying Day." Seven Lives, Many Faces sounds quite subdued compared to the evolutionary pioneering mixes that brought Enigma to the forefront in the 90's and it's certainly not as edgy as their earlier works. If you're hoping for a return to Enigma's glory days, you might be a bit let down but that doesn't mean that you'll be in for an altogether disappointment. The many faces behind the mirror are still unmistakably the same face.

I am a longtime Enigma fan and a composer by training. While the production values and many signature Enigma sound artifacts are very present, I simply did not enjoy this offering as much as previous efforts.

The compositions seemed, to me, to be overly repetitive. Two words kept coming into my mind: "House Trance". I found myself clicking through the songs before they finished. I didn't find enough melodic or harmonic development to keep me interested. It's unfortunate for me, but I am sure this offering will please many others, regardless.

For me, a new ENIGMA album is a "must-buy." Admittedly though, I can't listen only once through an ENIGMA album and make a final judgment. Nearly every ENIGMA release has taken some time to sink in and take hold (some longer than others). I can still remember hearing all of MCMXC a.D. for the first time and wondering if I liked it or not. Now? It's classic. This (and every other ENIGMA) is no different. I can honestly say that I don't have one favorite ENIGMA album; they all have unique aspects to them that I enjoy. To me, they all compliment each other and build towards something new and exciting.

At first listen of every ENIGMA album I definitely ask myself, "Do I like it?" The answer is never "no" but it's also rarely an instant "yes." However, after a week of solid listening to Seven Lives Many Faces I can honestly say that I very much like this album.

Yes, Seven Lives Many Faces is different and no, it doesn't have every element that made MCMXC a.D. so popular. I also find some of the lyrics to be cheesy in Seven Lives Many Faces (e.g., "Touch me, I'll be your daddy. Smell me, I'll be your mommy"). However, what it REALLY has is what all the others DON'T have. Just what is it? I can't tell for sure. All I can tell you is that for me, what makes ENIGMA such an enigma is that each album is so different yet, somehow when you hear it, you know you're listening to ENIGMA.

So, don't open Seven Lives Many Faces with demands of what it should be. Simply let it unfold to tell you what it is. ENIGMA.

I've seen several other people make good points so I'll not be redundant. I put this on par with, though definitely distint from, A Posteriori and both of these as better than Voyageur. If you're already an Enigma fan, this is a strong release, except one thing... What is that awful sound in Hell's Heaven that sounds like a telephone throwing up!? I would really like that song, and have given this entire CD five stars, had it not been for that jarring, fingernail-pulling-off sound.

Enigma suddenly released their seventh album only 2 years after A Posteriori, and it's easily one of the best ones they've released! While the lackluster A Posteriori went for a more new age sound, Seven Lives Many Faces returns to the days of Enigmas 1-4, only with a more modern element. The album is heavy on samples of chants (particularly in the second half), but it also features very heavy beats and basslines, which makes this their most ambient and trance-like outing yet. This goes perfectly with the miscellaneous swirls of soundscapes that move this album along. The production on it is outstanding! To me, the music sounds perfectly layered, almost 3D. You can listen to it on headphones and always hear new nuances whispering in the background with each listen. Standout tracks include "The Same Parents" (easily the most moving Enigma song ever), "Touchness", "Hell's Heaven" and the string & hip-hop infused "Seven Lives".

Included also is a bonus disc containg 4 extra songs and a remix of "The Language of Sound". The extra songs are even more abstract than those found on the album, but they're stunning nonetheless. I would compare them to the songs found on Nine Inch Nails' experimental Ghosts I-IV album, but Enigma style.

Overall, this album is extraordinary! While it's not my pick for best Enigma album ever (that honor goes to Voyageur), it's still one of their strongest and most complete offerings.

I felt an intensity of vibrations inside me listening to this production that I couldn't experiment with the previous 6 main productions or additional remixes. The elements of classical, not only european instruments, but world rythms involved ,sound very different from the 2nd production which has a lot of oriental in it. I really don't like to compare Cretu's masterpieces because I feel his true emotions behind each production are very different from each other. Each one has its own feelings; the ones we let others see, the ones we hide to ourselves and the ones we had inside we didn't recognize before listening to ENIGMA. For me ENIGMA has been a key to unlock many things through this seven faces and in this one I can say I finally understand beyond myself. I dare everyone, from children to adults to enter in the ENIGMA experience through SEVEN LIVES MANY FACES. Is the music that liberates many things that I think somehow where missing before. Seven is perfection. Just enjoy it.

This the 7th Enigma album that Michael Cretu has created. It's really a fresh and gorgeous album. It has some elements that will remind you of the old Enigma sound, like heavy breathing, chants, etc

The special edition which is a 2 disc set gives 5 wonderful sounding songs which did not make the album cut.

All in all another well made Enigma album destined to be enjoyed for the new few years to come until Enigma 8.

I am an avid Enigma fan and absolutely love this album. It does take two or three times to get used to the mixes of different types of sounds and lyrics but i listen to this album almost everyday. If you like Enigma I will be surprised if you do not LOVE this album. I await new ones since I own ALL of there albums!

This album is very excellent! The beat, the songs, it's all so innovating. Here the style seems to be so rhythm and blues, Great! All new with a Enigma's touch.

Although this product came from a European Source, delivery was within days of purchase. I would highly recommend this product and service.