Customer Reviews

Wishfire

5 star:		(54)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Before the Fire - Deep and sull of tension, waiting for something to happen. Fab orchestration, brilliant when they did it live.

Return (Coming Home) - Upbeat, dancy, fresh and the violin is just fantastic! This was also a brilliant track live and nothing is lost in the recording!

Binary - A bit more industrial-ish than before now, again, dancable, (I'll be saying this a lot), catchy tunes and riffs, more brilliant violin in the middle, with a fantastically panned spoken vocal.

The Seraphs - One of my faveourites, lyrically. Another brilliant beat, with fab contrasting violin and sound fx. Really like the synth on this track.

Spectators - My faveourite track on the album. It feels very deep, and melancholy (if you get what i mean there). Again, lyrically, its brilliant. Slower than previous tracks on the album, the sort of track you can sit down to and be mellow. Brilliant vocal work.

Tears - Again, this was brilliant live. Another bouncy dance track, more good synth. More catchy tunes. Can't help but move to this.

Go Away - Another slower track. Very deep and sad, beutifully put together. The FX are good and not over used. More beutiful lyrics on this track "Forever seems like just an empty promise."
This track moves me.

The 4th Phase - More upbeat, nice violin work. Heavy, thudding bass keeps it moving.

Earthfall - Heavy, industrial beat and sfx. Another danceable track. Less vocals than other tracks, but it doesn't really need them.

Orphean Wing - More catchy tunes, and another great beat. I feel its a little different to the other tracks on the album, but still a brilliant peice.

Carnival - I LOVE THIS! Its kooky and twisted and brilliantly put together. The use of both male and female vocals is brilliant and the tune it has is fantastic! A short track, but effective. The lyrics are brilliant! A really enjoyable track!

Resist - A heavy, upbeat track, very home hitting with a message in the lyrics to match. Fantastic sampling, can't help but move to and be moved by this track. Another little catchy riff.

Roman - So deep and moving, its almost tearful. Digs into belief and such, and again another short track. Wonderfully put together, fantastic sound. Beutiful spoken and sung lyrics. Almost etherel.

Spiral (Don't Fall) - A good end to a brilliant album. Really closes the album well. More fantastic synth work and fx, with another good beat. Beutiful overlapped vocals.

Overall, this album is a MUST for anyone whos EVER heard of the Cruxshadows.

This is not your average gothic darkwave band! It is powerful and passionate, with complex lyrics and themes. Other fans compare Rogue's voice to other vintage bands, but I disagree--something about it is completely different, more otherworldly and moving.

As an album, Wishfire is very strong and energetic. All the tracks (in no particular order) are very different from each other musically, but carry the same level of energy throughout. "Tears", especially, is easily the strongest track and one of my absolute favorites of the band--it has a great dance beat with amazingly different layers of sound that practically leaves your skin tingling after you hear it. I can't even describe what its like hearing this song live. <melt>

"Return" is great! After all the remixes I've heard, I just love to come back to the original.

"Binary" is another strong track, with a great chorus and violin, and haunting female spoken parts... its man struggling back and forth w/his own dual nature and with the voice of fate.

Listening to "Seraphs" I can easily envision the fiery angels he describes--this is one of Rogue's gifts, to bring mythology to a completely different level. Very powerful.

Some might go as far to say that "Spectators" is out of place on the album. It was a little surprising, because its very different from the other tracks. But I think this is intentional. It adds depth of emotion and sound to the album as a whole. Its a slower, let-it-wash-over-you, kind of song of personal strength and convictions.

"Go Away" is heartbreakingly beautiful. "The 4th Phase" is one I keep forgetting is here, but I love to rediscover--carried by violin, very unique and wonderful lyrics. "Earthfall" is otherworldly, dominated by the music and not vocals. "Roman" is short, but very moving, spoken musings on death and beyond.

Amazon lists the 10th track as "Orphan Wing"--this is incorrect, it is "Orphean Wing", referring to the Greek figure Orpheus. I love Rogue's voice in this one... After the other powerful tracks, this is nice--good beat, yet almost soothing.

"Carnival" is very different w/the overlapping male and female vocals that adds a touch of intensity. "Resist/R" has very nice synths...w/sounds samples of M.L. King to get its message home. "Spiral" is a great conclusion..."lightens" the tone of the whole album and leaves you feeling content and transformed.

All in all, this album is a big jump in growth for the Cruxshadows, they are better than ever. It's the next continuation in the Angel cycle--true fans will not be disappointed. There was less mythology, I thought, in this album than others, but it is there nevertheless. See this band live!!! It will be the best show you've ever seen, guaranteed.

Good stuff, very Cure-ish with accents of techno and Nine Inch Nails. I met the lead singer in an Apple store in Buffalo, New York and he is a very nice guy. Listened to some of their music, and had to buy the album. Check out their website ( www.cruxshadows.com ) for more info and pictures of the band.

The genre Cruxshadows is brought up in usually means stagnation for so many bands. So many bands come from what I'll call the G genre, quite a few show promise at first and then that promise fades as time goes on. Same formula each and every time. Hey, I don't want to be shocked into disgust by hearing my fave bands new album. But I like to see the bands I listen to mature. Back in 98 a friend sent me Marilyn, My Bitterness.. I was totally impressed.. clean vocals.. great sound.. great lyrics. I wanted more.. I became a Cruxshadows fanatic. And they followed it up with Until the Voices Fade which was great.. they followed that up with Mystery.. which was superb.. they followed that up with Paradox which was great as well. Each album showed them mature further and further.. but...

Wishfire hit the shelves.. I had heard Tears earlier on and it was great but Wishfire was a shock. The band grew a lot between the time Paradox was released till Wishfires release.. The word explosive comes to mind. The band sounds stronger then ever.. powerful.. moving.. they were already that but even moreso now.

The highlights

Resist/r - totally moving.. with a huge universal message that people should pay attention to.. great song. sweeping electronics that just sound explosive... Hearing this one live was totally moving..

Return (coming home) - from the violin intro with the mix of keys being played under it.. great.. lyrically great.. and just as powerful as Resist...

Go Away - this is the tear jerker..the one that can bring tears to the eyes.. a bit slower then the other songs on the disc but it's my favorite track probably. Those who adored Sympathy for tomorrow will adore this track even more probably.

Carnival - this song is just spooky with headphones.. it's not about monsters and ghosts.. not that kind of spooky.. just has a spooky sound... it's great.. it's a short song.. but it's great..nice lil duet.. and everything is layered in such a way that it's well.. spooky..

Spectators - you gotta love the chorus.. "and everyone will say i told you so.." well I'll leave the rest for a surprise..great song..

This album is just great all the way through..everything people loved about the band on the other releases will find comfort knowing that feel is still there it's just a bit more intense now. The band has really matured and they sound better then ever. And the new material sounds awesome live..

Most explosive song on the disc would have to be tears though.. that song coming through my subs in the car just makes things shake...

Wishfire is an incredible acheivement in "gothic" music, so who cares if it doesn't fit into someone else's narrow definition of what "gothic" should sound like?

This music is gothic not because of a specific beat, but because of the subject matter, and the spirit behind it. Gothic isn't just about a certain musical sound, but rather about a diverse historical movement in arts, literature, fashion, etc. And in that way, The Cruxshadows definately deserve to be included in that movement.

As for the music, if you're interested in "old school" goth, you should keep in mind that at the beginning of the gothic movement there wasn't a set sound or definition for the music of the scene. Goth evolved out of a number of styles, and it's still evolving! The Cruxshadows are at the head of an evolution, but that doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with them. They are above and beyond what other bands in the scene are able to grasp, which makes them superior, not inferior.

I love "Telemetry of a Fallen Angel", and I love the sound and content of what they were doing back then. But the main reason that "Telemetry" doesn't sound like their current CDs is because they didn't have the technical ability to create the Wall of Sound that you will find on Wishfire or Ethernaut.

If you take Wishfire on its own terms, and don't try to force it into some backwater genre mass, then you will find that it well worth your time! It is intelligent and insightful, and above and beyond other CDs. This isn't just for a certain cliche group of listeners, it is for all listeners, of all walks of life, because truly great art is always universal rather than caught in a momentary irrelevant fad.

I highly recommend "Wishfire" to fans of any of The Cruxshadows other CDs, as well as to anyone with an appreciation for honestly good music and lyrics of ANY genre.

I had a copy of Wishfire the first day it was available. I had every intention of listening to it with a pen in hand, and having a review ready before anyone else had ever heard it. . . well, that didn't work out so well. There's a story in Greek mythology about the music of sirens which lure sailors from their way; a mere whisper of their voices, and everything else slips from your mind and your reality. Such was the experience I had with Wishfire. It's been months since I heard it, and even now I find myself fumbling to even begin to express my reaction. I am a writer by temperment, but here I am nearly mute.

This is without doubt in my mind the Cruxshadows' best album.

It maintains the power and coherency of "Telemetry of a Fallen Angel" but adds to it an increased musical maturity and a far greater grasp on production, musicianship, and style. It surpasses "Mystery of the Whisper" in the sophistication of its theology and emotion, in its melding of "gothic" and religious and social themes with intelligent lyricism and interesting music. The range of styles presented is impressive, and nearly any individual should be able to find something they enjoy. I cannot comprehend, reading over the other reviews, any thought pattern in which this album suffers in comparison to Rogue's previous work. (Mind, I am quite a fan of his first two albums as well)

Wishfire has songs that parallel the purposes of any good song on the first two albums, and usually it is better. As social commentary and as a dancing song "Resist/r" far surpasses "Leave me Alone," and the message is better to attend. As a song of tragedy and transcendence, "4th Phase" (and here I risk being quite frowned at by fans, I think) is a much better song than "Marilyn..." and there are many songs on the album far easier to dance to, especially for the rhythm impaired. . . .

Perhaps the problem is that this is NOT, and cannot be, his first works, it is something transcending those, and continuing on. . .

Again, I am at a loss for words. . . What Telemetry began, Wishfire brings to completion. Telemetry, which I think may remain my second favorite album in the cannon, is musically raw and... well, one can see why NIN is credited in the "thanks to" section. It's a jugular piece of work, as befitting the story of a sentient machine which takes on the role of the dying (anti?)messiah god and crashes into the surface of a wasted red planet. <i>Telemetry<i> goes from a place of power and pseudo-security and falls into the most profound of despairs. . . It is the story of Prometheus bound, the story of Icarus fallen, the story of Eurydice slain...... and then there is Mystery.

It is said that every great story starts in the middle... I have often considered Mystery to be not quite a continuation, not quite a revery/hallucination of a falling ship, not quite a flash back, not quite a new discovery... some dreaming combination of them. . . and with Mystery all the various little works -- Paradox Addendum and Intercontinental Drift/Echoes&Artifacts and so forth -- a ship lost in the mists skipping from place to place, learning. . . Shadows on a metaphorical cave wall . . . you'll have to forgive me, for 5 months I've been thinking in colours. And there's various styles tried out, and various old things reworked, and especially with Mystery there's quite a departure from the rawness of Telemetry. It's far more "gothy" I suppose.....

And NOW-then, there is the Wishfire. . . Where Telemetry is the story of the Angel fallen, Wishfire is the story of the Angel returned triumphant. The music style has changed, of course, because the music of a sentient angel machine crashing into a desert is not the sound of a transcendent godling returning to earth. There's a certain Major Tom sort of feel to it, I suppose... Within the loss, within the mind-scarring battles, a victory was forged. This music is so much more -- alive -- than much music in the genre. The first three songs are incredible, heart-racing, paeans of triumph and war and messianic fervor (not in that order). I wouldn't at all categorize them as interchangeable, however. Binary is very complex musically compared to Seraphs, and very different in tone and mood and message. They are however, very much part of the same song cycle. If this were theater, they would belong in the same opera.

Then there's Spectators. I love Spectators. I don't actually feel like it belongs where it is in the song cycle, though that's not Rogue's fault. . . It's quite a departure from anything else found on the album: I think a lot of people will like it.

Getting back into the work, after a tremendous return from tragedy and fall, the work reaches outwards to explore the causes of loss and the need to create one's own personal morning -- From that point onward, the work vacillitates between triumph and despair, rising and falling... and the dedication not the lose one's self in that cycle... "I know this is the last time--" it's the need to be willing to find faith and belief in the face of overwhelming odds, and be willing to overcome the cycle of anger and rage that destroys the world. (Resist/r is, I think, philosophically related to Cruelty... that's a long story)

Where Telemetry is the story of Prometheus bound, this is the story of Prometheus fire-bringer, unbound at last. It is the story of Icarus risen, or the cultic Orpheus transcendent, of Osiris resurected.....

That is as far as I can go, at the moment. It's three o'clock int he morning, I can't sleep, I can't think... So much of what I want to say is still sitting there staring at me and refusing to be put into coherent sentences. Maybe I will try to draw or photograph it, somehow. But I promised I would have the review done in less than six months. So.... here it is for now.

As for my rating, out of 5 stars, I would give this a 6 and then take one off for the very minor flaw of having stuck Spectators in the wrong place.... It remains, however, more perfect of a work than most, and in my mind undeniably the band's best work to date.

If anyone has read my review on the Tears cd I hinted that there might be a new direction on the latest Cruxshadows disc and I was correct. The disc isnt as accessable as some of thier others but it has no filler tracks as with other full length releases by CXS. The tracks on Wishfire are all solid and dancable with a few varied exeptions. This disc might not be the best cd for a new Cruxshadows fan to start with (I would recomend Paradox Adendem to start with and if not then go with Wishfire but remember the others arent as electronic sounding as Wishfire) Then I would go with Mystery of the whisper.Wishfire has more violins then ever before & another welcome is Stacey's guitars has been made a bit more pronounced.It really adds something that some of the other discs were missing. Here is the songs for Wishfire
1.Before the fire - A nice opening,more musical & concise with the feeling of the cd.Kind of Pink Floyd'ish till the female vocals start speaking then leads directly into...

2.Return (coming home) - This is in my top 5 CXS songs that they have ever done. The violin is so pronounced here that its impossible to ignore. The music flows wonderfully against a steady electro beat.The guitar is really noticed here. Also one of the biggest highlights of the bands live set on the Wishfire tour.
3.Binary - One of the bands most powerful live tracks sadly didnt do as much for me as on the cd. The beat is almost a trance style steady kick. The lyrics and music make up for the droning beat,Its almost impossible to not move some part of your body while hearing this song but for some reason the intensity just isnt captured as much here. I cant quite figure out what is missing though. It isnt a bad song though just it gets a little droning.
4.The Seraphs - Another very dancable track.The aspects on religion are very visible throughout the lyrics and the images are really powerful. The beat is similar to coming home and the violins arent used in this track. Definatly a club style song. Could see this bieng used as one of thier singles.
5.Spectators - Ahhh... the cd slows down but doesnt try and capture the feelings of classic CXS cd's. Forget what you know about slower tracks that has been done by them and enjoy the new music styles. This song is very simple,not as electronic sounding with a decent amount of violins. Beautiful.
6.Tears - Everyone should have heard this song already due to the amazing Tears single but if not YOU SHOULD HAVE! This is probably the #1 song that the band has ever done. Powerful,electronic and dancable. Never has the band sounded more together and tight as they do in this song! If this song doesnt get people dancing I dont think anything will. The lyrics are just as powerful as the music. If you dont get Wishfire go over and at least buy the Tears single!
7.Go Away - The cd slows down again here.It is similar to Spectators but slightly more melodic. Sad,morose and beautiful. A definate highlight of the disc.
8.The 4th phase - It is the longest song on the cd by clocking in at 7:38 but sadly doesnt stand out as bieng as powerful as the other songs - it is a somewhat slower and more melodic track then some of the others but just it just doesnt stand out to me at all.
9.Earthfall - For some reason the music reminds me of Gary Numan here and the drumbeats of Skinny Puppy's Last Rites cd. It is somewhat noisy and electronic at the same time. The vocals here coincide nicely but it isnt one of the more powerful songs on the cd. It is a cool song that shows a very interesting direction that the band decided to take.
10.Orphean Wing - If I had to pick a song that even resembled a classic CXS sound this would be it,It really does capture the feeling on the Paradox Adendem or Until the voices fade. This resembles one of thier Bsides moreso then a song on a full release. A definate highlight. Orphean Wing almost seems like a sequel to Eurydice. I also could see this track bieng a single.

11.Carnival - This track is SO ODD & COOL! A short song at 1:50 with Stacey & Rogue singing a duet. Very electronic and upbeat.
12.Resist/R - POWERFUL Song! The lyrics are very pushing towards ending hatred and racism. This was one of the bands best live songs they did and it is equally powerful on the disc. Very electronic sounding and the keyboards are going full force here. I think everyone should at least hear this song and analyze the lyrics.
13.Roman - This is the slowest point of the disc. It is about the death of of a child. Im not sure what happened but the cd is dedicated to Roman and it says "We will never forget our baby boy" Another minute and 1/2 song that truly touches anyone who has ever lost someone while reminding us in the chorus "I can feel you here inside me" Truly a heartbreaking song.
14.Spiral (Dont fall) - Another song that kind of captures the feelings of the classic CXS cd's while still moving forward. The beat is the only thing that lets you know its the Wishfire disc. It almost seems as a sequel to Return (coming home) It has the same feeling and power. A wonderful ending to the cd.
This is truly a landmark cd for a band who seems to just keep evolving and keeping thier sound fresh. I am not sure if everyone would appreciate the cd as much as I do but all I can say is to listen to it with an open mind and if all else fails... Close your eyes and dance to the beat.

This CD includes 14 tracks plus an extra song as a video. I use the term "track" on purpose because #1 and #13 are really spoken pieces. Several of the tracks have spoken parts in them, usually by one of the two female members of The Crüxshadows.
The sound is very interesting combining technological and traditional instruments including a violin. The lead singer's voice is basically what you'd expect to hear in the stereotyped Goth music but his singing is very clear. The lyrics are included with the CD so you can follow along.
One thing that makes it difficult for me to review this CD is that the tracks all blend together. This makes it a bit difficult to focus on any particular song; I can't guarantee that I'd successfully divided up the songs. This is especially true for tracks 2, 3, and 4 which blend very well together.
Several of the songs are very techno, fast paced, and intense in both lyrics and music. "Return (Coming Home)", "Binary", and "Seraphs" are all very intense techno driven pieces that as said earlier blend together. "Orphean Wings" fits well with the video I'll mention in a moment.
Other tracks are softer; the violin can be clearly and cleanly heard. #5 "Spectators" which has an ethereal sound which works well because the lyrics are about feeling that those around you can?t understand since they only watch life. #7 "Go Away" is a very traditional "I've been dumped" sort of piece with a dark tone obviously. #8 "The 4th Phase" seems to be about an abusive relationship and here the soften quality only heightens the horror of the situation. "Resist" uses parts of Martin Luther King?s speeches to hammer home the idea of society verses the individual; a feeling that many people, not just Goths, can relate to. A return to the stereotypical Goth sounds is at the end of the CD in "Spiral (Don't Fall)".
"Carnival" is intense in terms of lyrics and beat but soften in regards to instruments. Its very short and both the male and female vocals mix well.
"Earthfall" is a very very repetitive song with few lyrics and yet too many to use for RPG purposes let's say.
On my iMac with OS9.2 I was able to play a video on the disc. This is a performance video of The Crüxshadows at an outdoor venue with the song "Eurydice" which is not included as one of the audio only tracks. Eurydice for those who don?t know is a legendary figure in classical Greek culture who was the wife of Orpheus a legendary poet. If you know the legend, the song makes a good deal of sense.

When I first heard "Wishfire", I wasn't sure what I had been given, but I quickly grew attached to it. Songs like "Tears", "Binary", "Return/Coming Home", and "Resist" were so much fun, while "Go Away" and "Orphean Wing" were so melancholy and deep... I recommend this cd to anyone with a love for gothic/ebm/darkwave music and an open mind. It deserves *10* stars!

I highly recommend this album for any one interested in goth, darkwave, and/or EBM music. It's emotional lyrics combined with beautiful violin sounds, crunchy guitar riffs, and outstanding keyboards make it one of the best albums I've ever heard. Sometimes dark, sometimes sad, and sometimes mythical, the music appeals to anyone interested in the synth pop and gothic genres. Starting with a great introduction, ending with a fantastic final track, and filling in the space between with 12 other great songs, I rate this album with 5 stars.