Goth rock duo Lovelorn Dolls, comprised of Corpus Christi and Ladyhell, are bringing a bitter shade of virtue on their latest album Darker Ages. The effervescent synths from their previous record Japanese Robot Invasion have been dimmed and the timbres on this album, for the most part, now focus more on realistic and organic tones.
Darker Ages begins slow and lugubrious, leaning on a doom infused background but it’s quick to cast a spell of reverie upon those patient enough to listen. While the melancholy rooted firmly within the riffs will ease you swiftly in to a spookier and shadowy realm of heavy riffs and heavenly vocals. Within its depths and all through its ethereal passages this album has a viscous melodic substance that will enchant and enthrall you.
Progressing further into the tragedy of Darker Ages the sorrowful play offers up some serious moments that betray an impressionable power beholden to the aspiring motifs on display. These dreamy themes work as muses that shift moods like bankers push pens. Suffice to say Darker Ages is resplendent in thought provoking ideas that are established using only sounds and music.
When push comes to shove however you really can’t deny any composition that merges swan song melancholy with neat guitar sweeps and Darker Ages offers up its fair share. Yet behind these organic components lies otherworldly leads and pads that really stress the supernal elements that the album contains.
To fully experience the extent of the emotional effect that these songs have requires Darker Ages to be heard in full. Although the song structure is in a popular format the architecture of the album is built like a traditional theater script. Yet it’s more personable than real theater because Darker Ages is music for an internal drama; visionary.
8/10
