Moaning Silence – Α Waltz Into Darkness

As the French author Henri de Montherlant said, «Melancholy is the little luxury of poor souls».

The Athenian Moaning Silence provides us with such a luxury in their new album with the title «A Waltz into Darkness» by Symmetric Records. Perhaps the card game that they played in the «Magic the Gathering» contributed to the birth of the band’s name. What signifies the lyricism and the great atmosphere in their second record is the mixture of diversed and contradictory elements that are clearly displayed in their new artwork.

Highlights:

The classical music background of the members is highlighted in their compositions and vocal performance including theatrical elements, dark atmospheric narrations and overly dramatic lyrics written by the founder of the band, Christos Dounis.

While listening to their creations, you are carried away by the gothic touches in the background and doom aesthetics with a baroque style. All these are combined with -fairy tale- stories which they manage to unfold thoughts and strong feelings.

The romantic philosophy, the «cursed poetry» and literature seem to pop up from the library of some Greek and foreign universities. Thus, the instrumental composition of «A Waltz into Darkness» could easily open a concert or be used the soundtrack of a mystery movie. The ethereal vocals of Eleftheria (Angeloudi) -the third singer so far- of Moaning Silence captivate us with her evasive and poetic performance along with Babis Katsionis on the keyboards.

As far as the songs are concerned, we can say that «Rite for Decay» has beautiful atmospheric basslines, stunning keyboards on the music bridges of «Song for Winter» and guitars that bring tears in the eyes with addictive riffs and catchy refrains in the «The Silence of the Gods». Moreover, the song «Towards the Sun» with cinematic black and white illustrations, leaves you with an impression that you can barely see the sun set above the horizon. The slow and delicate 7 minute «Song for Winter» offers an amazing guitar solo and we can clearly state that the  mournful and heartbreaking ballad «I am the Sorrow» has a balanced combination of female and male vocals accompanied by melancholic lyrics. In «Stormbirds» there are interesting alternate guitar turnings and lyrics that stand out like «Just tonight, come with me, With somber eyes, a world to see…».The last song closing the album is «The lights of Alexandria» (Martha’s Giannakidou personal favourite) in Greek and English lyrics with references to the incomparable  Greek poem «The Gods Abandons Anthony»  written by C.P. Cavafy.

The production of this album is rich with polished instrumentation and an incredible artistic cd cover created by Giannis Toussas (Graphic No Jutsu), who was also responsible for the previous cover of Moaning Silence in the album «Fragrances from yesterdays».

MVP: Do yourselves a favor and get this album! Dance with the moon in the dreamy rhythms of «A Waltz into Darkness», share with the stars some of the beautiful lyrics and wait patiently for the sun to rise again. If you are tempted to give it away, it will be too late to change your mind. Remember! If the moon ask you for one more dance, just follow…

Meet the expectations: «… Αs I breathe for one last time and I’ ll raise my eyes to heaven». It is worth mentioning these great lyrics as it is obvious that the band is paying tribute to the nostalgic and dreamy music of 90s, including all the Greek and foreign representatives of that decade, having on the top of their list the otherworldly «On Thorns I Lay». This is the referral point for the new album of Moaning Silence, not only for this year but also for the future generations and their heritage in the particular style of music.

Melody: As the Greek composer, Manos Hadjidakis, beautifully wrote, «Here I must reveal that when words come in contact with what we call Music, first of all they faint, lie down, surrender and lose all of their natural energy, movement, life. And then the adventure of the melody begins». In the same way, Moaning Silence with their melodies lead us to «dreamy gardens» where we can smell the flowers of their «music seeds».

Emotions: They are exuded effortlessly without being melodramatic. Pain, agony, melancholy, anger, faith and vision, are expressed through the lyrics, creating feelings that are gradually developed as you listen to their songs. 

Pulse: The tempo maybe slow, but it conveys such an intensity. It’s like an oscilloscope analyzing the waveform of «mind’s and heart’s» vibrations and signals…

Lyrics to remember:

Let me go towards the sun

Gentle tides upon my skin

Somewhere far beyond these clouds

Are the treasures that I seek 

«Τοwards the Sun»

« Don’t fear the winter

Embrace the pouring rain,

Let your heart bleed and mourn and grieve

Don’t lose your hope,

there’s a miracle for every teardrop that you share

there is an angel for every prayer

remember you’re not alone…awake»

«Song for Winter»

Yellow card: Moaning Silence is influenced by remarkable bands like Katanonia, Anathema, My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost, Tiamat, Theatre of Tragedy, Lake of Tears και On Thorns I Lay, who were the predecessors of this music genre and they are clearly paying tribute to them. We should give special credits to the mastermind and founder of the band, Christos Dounis, who was the first admitted that  the Greek «On Thorns l Lay» constituted a great inspiration for them, a fact that can’t be taken for granted especially in the rock/metal reality.

More things to do: The band owe to themselves and to their fans to have a consistent presence, with live performances both in Greece and abroad. Our suggestion includes live concerts with beautiful acoustics and gloomy atmosphere but also places that are «gleaming in the darkness». It’s time for them to get out from their comfort zone performing in various stages and widen their horizons.

Extra Bonus: Symmetric Records is now the new record label of Moaning Silence. Bob Katsionis who plays the keys to the recordings, is also responsible once again for producing and mixing the album.