Dark Clouds in a Perfect Sky

I didn’t discover Elis after lead singer Sabine Dünser's died, but this event reminded me that I owned a record from this band, which had laid forgotten for around two years on one of my shelves. So it was the occasion of wiping out the dust from it, giving it another listen, and why not reviewing it, though if I remembered well it was quite insignificant.

Overall insignificant, that is. Not bad however, sometimes pleasant to hear, even catchy. The problem is, this gothic metal genre is already overcrowded by mediocre bands, and Elis doesn’t bring anything new, and aren’t really better than most of their counterparts. Distorted guitars, eerie backing keyboards to add some “dark” feeling, the crystalline voice of a female singer, the formula has already been beaten to death. At least the guys don’t hide the fact they can’t play their instruments behind two tons of orchestrations, as Within Temptation does. And I’d actually rather listen to Elis the whole day than to anything by Suckin’ Temptation, but we’re derailing from the topic.

Not to say there aren’t some nice findings here. Some of you will probably flame me, but the very catchy, radio-friendly Anger has really grown up on me. As most of the songs on this album it is built on a simple verse/chorus structure, it carries an overall very pop-ish feeling with it, but nonetheless it’s still a very moving tune. Another interesting track would be the closing one Ballade, which sounds totally different from the others, leaning more towards indus/goth rock with its apparently programmed drums, electronics and music-box melody. Flame me again, but it least has some personality – and I like it, maybe only because I like goth rock, but well.

Because now, as stated before the rest of this record is despairingly searching for some personality, oscillating between average and truly mediocre gothic songs. “Average” are some tracks sounding like generic Nightwish clones, the best example of it being the opener Der letzte Tag which I could have mistaken for a song from the aforementioned band hadn’t it been sung in German. And it’s also the best song of this sort on the album. Heart in Chains is in the same vein, this time more on the so-called “beauty and the beast” style, alternating growls and female vocals. Once again, it’s well done, but becomes rapidly tiring, and every track rapidly begins to sound more or less the same, all the more that’s there are very few tempo or structural changes all throughout the album.

Now about the “truly mediocre” songs. Those are of course awful gothic ballads featuring whiny female vocals, equally whining backing (and programmed) violins or piano. Seriously, what were you expecting from tracks called Perfect Love or Black Angel? Well, seriously? Mellow, and seeming to drag on for ages, I heard some may like this kind of songs, but I definitely don’t. Oh, and the version I own even features a bonus track (Show me Heaven) of the same style, how lucky I am.

Again, it’s far from being unlistenable. The musicians aren’t bad, and Sabine Dünser definitely is (or was) a step above most of others pitiful pop/goth singers. Dark Clouds in a Perfect Sky overall exhibits a slight melancholic atmosphere, so it’s a good album to pick one track or two when you’re feeling down, though in such circumstances I’d rather spin some Draconian, My Dying Bride, Type O Negative or some of these gothic/doom band which undoubtedly are of another calibre. But attentively listening to the whole album is another story. But you know what? I expected it to be far worse.

Highlights: Der letzte Tag, Anger, Ballade