芬蘭從來不缺少牛X樂隊,芬蘭大牌葬禮厄運金屬樂隊Shape Of Despair,成立于95年,也算是一支老牌樂隊了。從04年到現在都沒有發過新專輯。
大家如果去MA上查查樂隊資料就可以發現,這張的一支樂隊是被“Finntroll、Amorphis、Thy serpent、Rapture”這樣的樂隊繳合而成的,特別是Rapture,基本上就像是被挖過來了一樣。最早給我留下印象的就是男主唱那低沉的附有粘性的嗓音,就是那葬禮上哀鳴,就是那地獄里來的嘶吼,如果不是那粘稠的RIFF和緩慢的旋律,讓真的讓人覺得是死金一樣。就在這種想法在腦中升起之時,那如圣母般的天籟女聲的傳出,與困獸的嘶吼交相呼應,不過這顯然沒有《Beauty And The Beast》那般美好,即使背后悠揚的笛聲讓人有了些許舒緩。RIFF的音色慢慢升高,如果你從這時聽起,像極了緩速的哥特,可是當那不斷重復重負再重復的旋律響起,心情開始煩悶,便有種撕裂一切的沖動,眼前仿佛出現了帶著毒液的綠色蔓藤,纏繞著,扭曲著,越來越緊,呼吸困難。這首歌的名字叫《Shadowed Dreams》來自2000年專輯《Shades Of》。
時間跳轉到2001年,專輯《Angels Of Distress》,那種粘稠的RIFF竟然幾乎消失了?首曲《Fallen》中還帶點,不過著實弱了很多從第二首開始就幾乎消失了,但是旋律更加好聽了,不單單是那種粗糙低沉了,高音慢慢多了起來,第三曲《Quiet These Paintings Are》的開頭用的鋼琴點綴實在是唯美,豁然開朗,這就是大雪覆蓋了悲傷的感覺!。不過這樂隊畢竟不是哥特,厄運緩緩而來,還是那種拖沓般的旋律,反復中卻讓人覺得音色棒了不少。聽下去發現這張專輯里鋼琴的比例有不少,個人一直認為金屬太純了不好聽,所以個人覺得這張專輯比上一張好聽許多,甚至是三張里面最好的一張!也許是聽不下去那冗長粘性的RIFF吧。
時隔三年,第三張專輯《Illusion's Play》(對于這張專輯的名字,讓我們發揮充分的想象力吧?。。。┏鰻t,開場《Sleep Mirrored》還是大氣,不過沒有人聲的6分鐘Intro著實讓人煩躁。終于聽完了不錯旋律的開場白,第二首《Still Motion》中,那低沉RIFF加天籟女聲的搭配沖耳而來,這張不能讓人掙脫的厚感再次襲來,詩性般的歌詞讓人有靈魂出殼的危險,正當沉溺其中之時,音樂卻突然跳出來了,后面長達7分鐘的唯美詩篇,只有美妙的音樂不斷地回響,悠揚輕靈仿佛不似厄運一般……這張專輯男聲的低吼的比重著實減少了,樂隊更突出的是一種氛圍般的厄運,壓得讓人喘不過氣來的不只有人的聲音而已,而且仿佛有意“調戲”聽者一樣,低吼的感覺剛入味,卻讓人強行跳出來,給你一段旋律過渡,你又入味,低吼再次襲來,反反復復如無盡的輪回??偟膩碚f,這張旋律性比上一張稍差,主題也不是那么鮮明,不過仍是一張不錯的厄運專輯。
也許這樣形容一支樂隊很奇怪,但我覺得他們的確是優雅與粗糙的結合,優雅讓你深入其境,粗糙讓你沉淪其中。
by Ed Rivadavia
Originally conceived by guitarists T.U. (rhythm) and J.S. (lead) in 1995, Finland's Shape of Despair combined the doom/death sound of early-'90s pioneers like Paradise Lost and Anathema with the synthesizer-laced, panoramic goth metal popularized in the late '90s by Tiamat and Moonspell. Initially calling themselves Raven, the group remained a sporadic project at best, slowly composing material over the next few years, which they would eventually assemble into a long-form demo by 1998. In order to avoid being confused with New Wave of British Heavy Metal stars Raven, they also adopted the Shape of Despair name at this time. Featuring "clean" female vocals from N.S. and growling courtesy of Azhemin (on loan from Thy Serpent), the tape attracted Spinefarm Records, which promptly signed the band and returned them to Helsinki's Hellhole studios, where they re-recorded the material with sometime drummer, now vocalist T.M. and new skinsman S.R. Released with the title Shades of..., it confirmed the group's standing as one of their country's more promising new acts and led to a deal with America's Relapse Records. Boasting guest vocals from none other than Amorphis legend Pasi Koskinen and additional sonic coloring from violinist Toni Raehalme; the resulting Angels of Distress was released in 2001.